What is one common method for managing deer populations?

Regulated hunting is a widely accepted and effective method for managing deer populations. This approach helps maintain a balance within the ecosystem by controlling deer numbers, especially in areas where deer populations have grown beyond the carrying capacity of their habitat. If deer populations become too large, they can lead to overgrazing, which negatively impacts vegetation, leads to habitat degradation, and can increase the risk of deer-vehicle collisions. By implementing regulated hunting, wildlife management agencies can establish specific seasons, limits on the number of deer that can be harvested, and licensing requirements to ensure sustainable practices.

The other options do not effectively address population control. Reforestation focuses on planting trees and restoring forested areas, which does not directly manage deer numbers. Genetic modification is a more experimental approach that is not widely applied for managing wild deer populations and poses ethical and ecological questions. Increased feeding programs can temporarily support deer populations but often lead to overpopulation issues and nutritional deficiencies in the long term as they can disrupt natural foraging behaviors and habitats. Thus, regulated hunting remains the most practical and widely endorsed method for managing deer populations efficiently.