Conservation efforts offer hope to wildlife

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deer

It’s that time of the year; deer are in rut, and we especially need to start watching for them on the roads. The sheer thought of white-tailed deer almost being gone or extirpated from Ohio seems absurd, but what many might not know is that it is actually true.

During our local fair, I used this as my tie-breaking question for our guessing contest, and since barely anyone knew about this, it led me to some deeper thoughts.

The history of deer extirpation in Ohio is a striking example of how human activity can drastically affect wildlife populations. White-tailed deer, once abundant in Ohio’s forests and meadows, faced near-extinction in the state by the early 20th century. This extirpation primarily resulted from extensive hunting, habitat loss and deforestation driven by agriculture and urban development. From deer, turkey, otters and eagles, these animals’ stories are ones of tragedy, re-establishment, regrowth and effort.

I realize that we can learn from our past, and perhaps move forward with hope for other species like monarchs, bats and some birds that are in environmental distress.

Settlement and unregulated hunting

Ohio had not always been the great deer hunting state we have today. Throughout the 1800s, Ohio’s landscape transformed, as settlers cleared forests for farmland and timber. This loss of forested habitat, essential for deer, significantly reduced their populations. Furthermore, deer were heavily hunted for food, hides and trade.

With minimal wildlife management or hunting regulations, the pressures on deer populations escalated, resulting in a drastic decline. By 1904, white-tailed deer were entirely extirpated from Ohio, meaning they no longer existed in the wild within the state.

This sadly can also be said about many other species including elk, bear, wolf, mountain lion, bobcats, river otter, beaver and wild turkey.

The dawn of conservation

In response to this ecological crisis, conservation efforts gradually emerged in the early 20th century. Ohio was in bad shape. With the destruction of the forests came the pollution of water and air.

In 1913, Ohio created the Division of Fish and Game (later to become the Division of Wildlife, ODNR) tasked with managing the state’s wildlife resources.

The Teddy Roosevelt Game Preserve was established in 1922 within what is now the Shawnee State Forest in Scioto County, Ohio. It was meant to be Ohio’s first dedicated state game preserve. Named after President Theodore Roosevelt, the 20,000 acre preserve aimed to support Roosevelt’s legacy of wildlife conservation and habitat protection.

I happened to visit Shawnee State Park for an educational workshop and learned about this game preserve and the important role it played in restoring the white-tailed deer and other extirpated animals. History of this preserve can be found at sciotohistorical.org/items/show/4

Restoring hope and life

The efforts at Roosevelt Game Preserve proved successful. By the 1950s, the white-tailed deer population had been reestablished in Ohio, marking one of the state’s first successful wildlife restorations.

Today, Ohio has a thriving deer population, supported by careful management and hunting regulations to maintain ecological balance. This history highlights both the detrimental effects of unchecked exploitation and the power of conservation practices to restore wildlife, offering valuable lessons for managing and protecting other species in the face of similar challenges.

The 63,000 acres of Shawnee State Forest and Shawnee State Park encompass a part of the former hunting grounds of the Shawnee Indians.

Thanks to conservation efforts that emerged from that part of Ohio, the hardwood forest is host to a variety of flora and fauna. Forest wildlife includes white-tailed deer, wild turkey, raccoon, various songbirds and rare sightings of bobcat and black bear.

Another species that has rebounded is the bald eagle. Although not entirely extirpated, bald eagle populations in Ohio fell drastically by the 1970s, primarily due to pesticide use (notably DDT) and habitat disturbance.

In my youth, I never experienced the awe of seeing these majestic birds of prey, but I am thrilled that now I get to see them today.

Through the banning of DDT, habitat protection and nest monitoring programs, Ohio’s bald eagle population began recovering in the 1980s. Now, they nest in multiple counties statewide.

These success stories demonstrate the resilience of Ohio’s wildlife and highlight the importance of dedicated conservation efforts. Habitat restoration, legal protections and careful management have restored biodiversity across Ohio, making it a model for effective wildlife conservation.

Whether it’s the story of the white-tail deer, river otters, beavers, wild turkey or the bald eagle, we can all hope that we have learned it’s not too late, and conservation efforts take time.

Let’s hope the next generation can read about the success of what we’ve done today.

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