Valley Forge National Historical Park Proceeds With Deer Culling

English: A white-tailed deer (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It has set off a heated debate, a federal lawsuit, and enough documents to fill a couple of phone books.

But for the third consecutive year, Valley Forge National Historical Park is proceeding with a deer-culling program designed to thin the herd and encourage new plant growth in the park.

And officials at the famed Revolutionary War site say it is working.

The deer population has long been a bane of Valley Forge, they say.  Before the culling began, the park counted 291 deer per square mile.  A “sustainable” population would be closer to 35 per square mile, said Deirdre Gibson, the park’s chief of resources.

Read more: http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20121217_Valley_Forge_National_Historical_Park_proceeds_with_deer_culling.html

Federal Judge Clears Way For Hotly Contested Valley Forge Park Deer-Kill

A federal judge has cleared the way for Valley Forge National Park to begin “thinning” the deer herd from 1,200 to about 200 animals.  Annual shoots will begin in November and end in March.  They hope to reduce the herd by 500 animals the first year.

For the entire story from the Philadelphia Inquirer, click here:

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/breaking/news_breaking/20101027_Stop_Valley_Forge_deer_kill__judge_asked.html