Mount Desert Deer: Past and Present

Holmes, Lawrie; Little, C

Summarizes the history and current conditions of deer on Mount Desert Island. MAMMALS - DEER: Summarizes historical accounts of deer on Mount Desert Island from a variety of sources, some from 'the faulty memories of neighbors'. Documents deer and moose on Mount Desert Island in 1676; infers scarcity of deer in 1740; 1762 historical documents indicate presence of deer, moose, and wolves; notes a bounty on bear, wolves, wild cats and crows was 'voted off' April 4, 1791; indicates an abundance of deer in 1880; documents a 1886 ice storm depleted deer population, with very few if any deer noted for the next 20 years. Mount Desert Island was closed to hunting for those twenty years. In 1931 legal deer hunting was officially terminated. Late 1920's saw an eruption of population, by 1937 signs of food scarcity for deer were noted. Also summarizes general numbers of deer for 1942 -- ranges from 500 as estimated by State Fish and Game Representative, to 2300 (Favour, 1942) /STUDY LOCATIONS:/ /MOUNT DESERT ISLAND/