The Age of Deer: Trouble and Kinship with Our Wild Neighbors By ErikaHowsare, New York, New York: Catapult. 2024. pp. 336. 28. 00 (hardback). ISBN 978‐1‐64622‐134‐9

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are the most abundant big game species in North America, so it is no wonder that the species has such a diverse impact on people and ecosystems, for good and for bad. As a wildlife researcher and biologist (i.e., the lead author), my daily life revolves around deer species, especially white-tailed deer. For that reason, I have never truly taken the time to consider how those less familiar with white-tailed deer are affected by them. I reflect back on Biology and Management of White-tailed Deer (Hewitt 2011), particularly the Preface by editor David Hewitt. Hewitt highlights interactions between humans and white-tailed deer—from deer as a source of food, and as a part of culture and art, to overabundant species in some areas that cause damage to agricultural crops, ecosystem-level effects, and deer–vehicle collisions. So, for these reasons, people place different values on the species. Fortunately, Erika Howsare took on the challenge of understanding white-tailed deer in her new book, The Age of Deer. Having a formal education in the literary arts, publishing 2 poetry books, and teaching writing, Howsare makes this book an engaging and thought-provoking read. Howsare delves into the world of white-tailed deer, focusing on cultural, social, historical, and management contexts of the species. What do you feel when you see a deer? How one feels about white-tailed deer may be dependent on how they say, “there's a deer.” Is it a matter-of-fact “there's a deer” statement like Howsare describes, or does one say “there's a deer” with excitement? The Age of Deer recounts the long history, symbolism, and cultures surrounding white-tailed deer (Chapter 1: Dancing). Throughout history, civilizations have hunted deer for meat and products (e.g., bone, antler, hide) and used them for medicinal purposes, appearing in early art and as early art; in the end, deer are a thing of beauty and something to be treasured. Native Americans relied on deer products for hides to make clothes, moccasins, gloves, flasks, and more (Chapter 2: Goods). The author describes an experience with tanning hide, and how the preparation and use of hides help to connect with hunting traditions of the past. For deer managers, Chapter 3 (The Graph) imparts information about the history of deer populations from lows in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries to recovery in the present day. Howsare describes the adaptability of white-tailed deer, which has helped them thrive from rural to suburban or exurban areas. In this chapter, it is obvious the lengths that the author must have undertaken to assimilate information about white-tailed deer populations and management. Restocking was used to help restore deer populations because deer have value but were taken for granted like many other species (Chapter 4: Value). Despite the success of deer restocking, there was an undertone that the author was not a proponent of restocking efforts. Chapters 6–8 maintain the theme of management. Carrying capacity is a central concept in wildlife management. Chapter 6 (Capacity) explores deer density, overabundance, ecosystem-level changes, and more. There also are factors that can reduce population size, which is covered in Chapter 7 (Decline), including discussion of chronic wasting disease and deer survival with mention of research on fawn survival. How one views white-tailed deer is context dependent and can change depending on the situation (Chapter 9: Should Not Be). Ask yourself the question, “Who's living in whose world?” Your answer may say a lot about your perception of deer or nature in general. Feeding deer is common in many circumstances, some of which is driven by people's desires to feel good by doing something, but feeding raises other moral and ethical issues along with biological impacts to the species and their environments. Feeding deer is just one facet of human–wildlife interactions; deer–vehicle collisions are another. Deer–vehicle collisions are common, so mitigation measures, such as culverts, crossings, fences, or overpasses, are installed to reduce fatalities of life (both human and wildlife; Chapter 10: Bodies). Deer have been described as pests (Chapter 11: Pests), especially at high density or on certain landscapes. For example, deer eat ornamental or garden plants, but at the end of the day, it's all just food for deer. The last 6 chapters (Chapters 12–17) mostly deal with hunting or hunting-related endeavors. Chapter 12 (The Cull) discusses the removal of deer, termed culling in the sense of removing excess deer; methods may include traditional, recreational hunting or more strategic methods such as sharpshooting, which may be required near human establishments. Although not related to hunting per se, Chapter 13 (Victims) details other instances of deer mortality, including rut-related injuries or death from fighting and locked antlers, falling into caves, or getting impaled on fences. No book on deer would be complete without a discussion about how Bambi has shaped the perceptions of many, with deer sometimes being referred to generally as Bambi. Recreational hunting is supported by many Americans, but trophy or sport hunting much less so. Chapter 14 (The Fetish) delves into antlers, but not just antlers, large antlers and scoring systems. Even large shed antlers can drive many people wild, enough so that some will break laws. There is a natural fascination with large antlers—there are buck contests and record books (Chapter 15: For Show), and then there are deer breeding operations. Deer breeding operations use animal husbandry methods to produce large antlers; methods include controlled breeding, artificial insemination, feeding of high-protein diets, and more. The book closes with 2 chapters (Chapters 16–17) that tell stories of the author hunting with her brother, and the feelings and emotions that she experienced even when she was not the hunter. The hunting experiences resulted in bonding with family, a connection to nature, and the rewards from a successful hunt (e.g., sharing of recipes and breaking of bread). Howsare used her literary repertoire when writing The Age of Deer, interweaving her research on white-tailed deer with her own journey into the species and issues, which will make even the most seasoned deer manager appreciate how others view white-tailed deer, research, and most importantly, their management. We can't say that all of the background research was pulled from the most reliable sources or that we agree with the interpretation of some information, but needless to say, most (if not all) people will have different encounters and experiences with white-tailed deer that will influence their perspectives of the species and those that manage the species. For wildlife managers, it will be important to understand these perceptions—that is, the human dimension of wildlife management. The authors declare no conflicts of interest.