O f the 38 deer species worldwide, the whitetail in the East and mule deer in the West are the two that cause the most problems for American gardeners. Surveys estimate the current total deer population at approximately 30 million, compared to about 12 million a decade or so ago. Although the causes of this population explosion are elusive, the threat it poses to gardens and farms is clear.
Deer are what is know as a a fecund species, and they produce multiple offspring when stressed.
Over her average 10-year lifespan, a doe and her daughters can produce up to 100 fawns. In recent years, the incidence of twin and triplet fawns has increased. Concurrently, residential and commercial development has encroached further into deer habitats, which also discourages herd-trimming activities of hunters and coyotes. Development also adds to garden and landscape plantings that provide more nutritious food sources than were available to deer in the past . They're selective feeders whose dining preferences change to meet seasonal nutritional needs.