Manassas National Battlefield Park - White-tailed Deer

Manassas National Battlefield Park by National Parks Service

Evidence of high numbers of white-tailed deer in the park is obvious, through numerous sightings of the species and the visible browse lines that occur throughout the park. Determination of population size and trends began in 2000 via spotlight counts. Current estimates indicate approximately 150 deer per square mile. To help us determine exactly how deer are impacting the vegetation we have set up 30 deer exclosures throughout the park. These exclosures help us measure the effects deer are having on the vegetation. By keeping deer out of these small areas, we can determine which species of plants are impacted by the high numbers of deer.