Deer Hunting Laws: The Lacy Act

Dr. George Johnson states that, “Few residents in Missouri and Illinois have prospered more in the 20th century than have our deer” (Exploding deer populations). Early in the 20th century white tailed deer were rare in the Midwest. Uncontrolled hunting had reduced their numbers to about 500,000 nationwide, and some states had no deer at all. Dr. George Johnson states that, “In order to protect the remaining deer, laws were passed in the 1920’s and 1930’s to restrict hunting, particularly of does (females)” (Exploding deer populations). The history of deer has to deal with population and the Lacy Act. Characteristics have to deal with many car problems and deer management. Crop damage has raised farmer’s brows over the property damage and the size of the deer. The population in Illinois has caused many problems such as over population, crop damage, deer management, large deer (food) and land owner rights over the years.

The population of deer per square mile is hard for people to grasp because most people have a hard time understanding where they live and how they reproduce. This is why it causes a lot of problems with understanding the number of deer per square mile (IDNR’s deer management). In the early 1800’s before the Europeans began settling in Illinois, there was a great abundance of deer. That was until the Europeans started clearing trees and brush for agricultural needs. Then the abundance of deer began to decrease very rapidly in the late 1800s (History of Deer Management). The density on the number of deer is based by square miles. Deer numbers differ if they are located in suburbs or natural areas. The size and condition of deer raises a very different perspective on deer in Illinois (IDNR’s Deer Management). Typical...

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...f of a tree, it can kill it. Deer typically feed on plants that they like, but if the plants that they like are gone, they will eat the ones that they do not prefer (Natural History Living). Deer are most active during dusk when they get up to go find food (Damage Prevention and Reduction). Deer usually find food to be really scarce during winter because the snow or the cold kills the plants (Your Role in Deer Management).

This is how the history of deer has to deal with population and the Lacy Act. Also, how the characteristics of deer has to deal with many car problems and the management of deer. How crop damage has raised farmer’s brows over the property damage and the size of the deer. Finally, how the population in Illinois has caused many problems such as over population, crop damage, deer management, large deer (food) and land owner rights over the years.