CWD didn’t just start in the 90’s, it’s always been around and the Whitetail population is higher than it’s ever been.
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Deer are more plentiful because people have stopped hunting them. That’s because human populations have become more dense, and anti-firearm discharge laws have proliferated.
Deer are herbivores and therefore prey. We cull their predators because they also prey on humans. There’s no easy answer.
In my county here in Texas we’re allowed to take 5 deer a year. When i was a kid there were no deer and our first open season we were allowed 1 buck only. I believe the biggest change in population at least for Texas has been feeders. Anybody with an acre or more nearly always has a feeder within viewing of the house. Some may shoot them but most just like to view them. My sister feeds about 20 regulars at her house and she never shoots one. This has made a big difference in not just deer populations but in Feral Hog’s, White Wing Dove and Eurasian Dove (Feral Dove, much bigger than any native species). We create fake foods rich, year round enviroments and the animals take full advantage of it. The Eurasian Dove have almost run off the native and we have no set season for them, They can be hunted year round with no limit. yet the population keeps growing. I think everybody’s aware of the Feral Hog problem we’re facing here in TX, they can now be found in every county in the state.