The tracks were rough and bumpy and accidents were common. After the lumber industry exhausted the resources, all the steel rail was collected, cut into pieces and sold for scrap. Return to List Wildlife Food Plots To the right of the trail is Wildlife Food Plot 9. Wildlife food plots are an important part of forest management. There are about 65 food plots in Deer Run, each with a small water hole.
Additional ponds exist in other areas of the forest.
These open areas offer wildlife a place to feed when other food resources might be scarce. They are left standing over winter for use by a variety of wildlife. Food plots in Deer Run contain white and red clover, wheat, native warm season grasses and lespedezea. The Civilian Conservation Corps began planting wildlife food plots in Deer Run after their camp was established in 1935. They used Food Plot 13 as a softball field.