How many deer were in Pennsylvania in 1900?

• A. About a million.
• B. Almost none/extirpated from most areas.
• C. A few hundred thousand.
• D. Approximately 50 deer.

Answer: (B)

Falling wildlife numbers in this era show how quickly heavy hunting and habitat loss can shrink a population. In Pennsylvania, by 1900 the white-tailed deer had been driven out of most areas. Unregulated hunting for meat and hides, along with widespread forest clearing that removed food and cover, left deer surviving only in a few remote pockets. So the population was essentially almost none across the state, which is why that option is the best choice. The other figures would imply a much larger, thriving population than existed at that time, and that doesn’t match the historical record.