Deer exist throughout Ohio. Some people want more deer, others want fewer deer.

On this website, you can discover how Ohio's deer herd is managed to please humans and to ensure that sufficient habitat is available for the protection of deer. You can also:

• Meet people at the Ohio Department of Natural Resources who work to manage Ohio's deer herd and enforce hunting regulations.

• Discover how science, technology and legal practices are used to protect and manage Ohio's deer herd.

• Create learning projects.

How can you create a project?

There are many sources of information on this site, including articles, website links, pictures, interviews and official documents about deer and deer management. The information can be used to construct many different projects. Your teacher can guide you through the process of selecting and completing a project.

Look at project ideas

HOW TO BEGIN

1. Think about what you already know about deer, or what comes to mind when you hear the word, "deer."
   1. Construct a mind-map about deer connecting all the related things you know about deer and deer management. Share your ideas with others.
      
      
   2. Use the Deer Project Learning Record chart to record what you already know about deer and deer management and what you would like to learn about deer. After you have finished your project, complete the last column of the chart, "What I Learned." This will enable you so see how much you learned by doing the project.
      
      Important: The Deer Project Learning Record includes important questions to guide you in conducting research for your project. Keep these questions in mind as you read and review the items on the site.
      
      
2. Read an introduction to Ohio's deer herd.
   1. Describe your project:
   2. Describe your audience.
   3. Describe the project idea.
   4. Describe tasks required to complete the project.
   5. Develop a time-line for completion.
   6. Describe how the project will be evaluated.
      
      
3. As you review the items on this site, collect information to help you complete your project. Use the Deer Project Research Log to record your research. It includes questions to help you focus your research and to reflect on what you read.
   
   NOTE: Each item on this site may not provide answers for all of the guiding questions on the Research Log. When this happens, identify "Questions for further research" on the Log and use other items on this site or other sources of information to provide answers.

ITEMS FOR DEER PROJECT RESEARCH

As you read and review the items below, complete the Deer Project Research Log for each source of information.

Interviews

• Interviews of employees at the Ohio Department of Natural Resources who study and manage deer.

Readings About Deer and Deer Management

• The life history of the white-tailed deer - website feature

• Managing deer in Ohio - print article .pdf

• Deer damage and methods to prevent deer damage - print article .pdf

Official Documents (primary resources)

• Ohio Revised Code: Wildlife Management (.pdf)
  Legislative document setting out the Ohio General Assembly's intentions for wildlife management in Ohio that includes the management of wild deer.

• Ohio Revised Code - Hunting (.pdf)
  Legislative document setting out the Ohio General Assembly's intentions for the regulation of hunting, including deer hunting.

• Survey of farmers' attitudes toward white-tailed deer (.pdf)
  Includes survey results for deer damage, deer population trends, hunting issues and other related concerns. (24 pages)

Taking Action

• How to prevent deer damage.

• All about hunting in Ohio, including deer hunting.

• What to do about deer orphans or other orphan animals.

Links

• Ohio Historical Society
  Historical introduction to Ohio's state mammal - the white-tailed deer.

• Cornell Cooperative Extension
  Summary of scientific studies of plants and their susceptibility to deer damage.