Oh Deer! Population Game
You will play a game that represents a deer herd and the forest and fields
where they live. There are 28 2-sided cards. The cards represent a variety of
different things, the animal, food, water, and shelter. The deer picture
represents a deer. The pond is water, the trees are shelter, and the flowers
are food. There is only so much food, water, and shelter in a given
location. These are limiting factors that affect the carrying capacity of a
location. (This game has been adapted from the Project WILD game “Oh
Deer!”)
The Scenario:
You are the wildlife manager for a deer herd. You will see what happens to your deer herd over the
course of 15 years.
Instructions:
Year 1: With cards deer side up, shuffle the cards and divide into 4 piles. Place one pile on the right
and the other three piles on the left. Turn the cards on the left over so they show the food, water,
and shelter sides. Keep the pile on the right deer side up. Note how many deer you have on the
table. Make notes on what the current state of the habitat is. is there any factor that might be
limited?
Year 2: Roll the die. This represents the limiting factor for the herd for that year. If you roll an F, you
need food, an S means shelter, and a W means water. Take note of what the die says. This is the
resource the deer need for this year. For every deer on the right, move a food, water, or shelter card
over (the one that matches the die). This represents the growth in population because the deer herd
had fawns and they survived. Turn the cards to show the deer. Place in your herd. Note how many
deer you have in the table. Make notes on what the current state of the habitat is.
Year 3: Roll the die; for every deer on the right, move a card over. This represents the growth in
population because the deer herd had fawns and they survived. Turn the cards to show the deer. Place
in your herd. Any deer card that cannot be matched up with food, water, or shelter has died,
decomposed, and is now food, water, or shelter. Turn the “dead deer” over and place on the left hand
side. Note how many deer you have on the table. Make notes on what the current state of the
habitat is.
Sharon Davids
Biology
2014-2015
Years 4 – 15: Continue on for 15 years total. Mark your population after every turn/year and make
notes on what the current state of the habitat is.
Note: if there is a year where no deer survive, make note of it and have 2 deer move into the forest
(pick 2 deer cards) and start a new herd.
Data:
Year
Deer Population
Habitat Notes
Once you have your population counts, create a graph to visually show your data. Determine your
independent and dependent variables. Then plot your points, connect the dots, and label your graph
(x & y axis units, title, etc.)
The independent variable is:
The dependent variable is:
The units on the x axis are:
The units on the y axis are:
A title I could give my graph is:
Sharon Davids
Biology
2014-2015
Sharon Davids
Biology
2014-2015
Analysis:
1. Why did the deer population fluctuate?
2. What is realistic about this simulation? What is unrealistic about this simulation?
3. What do animals need to survive?
4. How do these components influence carrying capacity?
5. What could cause the shelter to become a limiting factor?
6. How do the factors that limit carrying capacity affect the health, numbers and distribution of
animals?
7. How do these factors affect competition within a species?
8. Why is good habitat important to animals?
9. Are wildlife populations static, or do they tend to fluctuate as part of an overall “balance of
nature”?
10. Is nature ever really in balance or are ecological systems involved in a process of constant
change?
11. What can you take away from this simulation and apply to “the real world”?
Sharon Davids
Biology
2014-2015