After a long absence this species is again present in the park in small numbers. Small animals eliminated prior to establishment of the park include river otter and fisher. The otter has been successfully reintroduced. Before establishment of the national park in the 1930s, there were far fewer deer in the Smokies than today. Hunting with dogs, mountain people greatly depleted the deer population.
Deer prefer deciduous woodlands with occasional clearings.
Except when they are seeking shelter in winter they are seldom found in conifer forest. During the day these animals stay relatively quiet, but from dusk until dawn they move about seeking food. Large Mammals Seldom Seen Only one animal fits this category, and it is not a native species. Exotic wild hog. Predecessors of these large, bristly pigs escaped from a hunting preserve south of the park about 1912.