Deer Lab Scenarios
Each group will receive a population of different colored paper squares. These squares represent a
population of deer. In this population, there are 4 different kinds of deer.
Blue= tall, fast runner, well-nourished/healthy, able to tolerate a longer time without water
Red= tall, slow runner, poorly-nourished/unhealthy, requires a lot of water
Yellow= short, fast runner, poorly-nourished/unhealthy, able to tolerate a longer time without water.
Green= short, slow runner, well-nourished/healthy, requires a lot of water.
Directions to Read to Students:
As you move through each scenario, your deer population will undergo different situations. A year
transpires between each scenario. After each scenario, whatever deer remain in your population will
reproduce. As you move between scenarios, make sure to add the appropriate number (and color)
squares, representing your remaining population reproducing. (For example, if, after a scenario, your
group has 10 red squares, 22 blue squares and 3 yellow squares, you should add 10 reds, 22 blues, and 3
yellows before the next scenario takes place.)
Scenarios:
Scenario #1: Drought Season
Oh no!! This has been one of the driest summers in a long time!! The river beds have dried up, as have
the marshy areas. There is really no water to be found. While there is still just enough foliage and even
some crops on the neighboring farm to eat, the lack of water is devastating to the deer. Your population
loses 12 deer this year.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Which color deer are best suited for these conditions?
Which color deer are worst suited for these conditions?
Which 12 deer in your population died?
How does the loss of these deer affect the population?
Scenario #2: Brush Fire
This year there was a terrible brush fire in the woods where your deer live. Unfortunately, a family was
out camping and they left their campfire burning as they moved on out of the woods. Though it was
only a small fire when they left it, the wind blew and some large sparks ignited the dry leaves and other
debris on the forest floor. While the fire was controlled fairly quickly, it still burnt all of the brush and
foliage low to the ground. It even scorched the low branches. The trees survived, their taller branches
staying intact and healthy. However, this was detrimental to your deer population. Though you lost no
deer directly in the fire, your population suffered a loss of 18 deer.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Which color deer are best suited for these conditions?
Which color deer are worst suited for these conditions?
Which 18 deer in your population died?
How does the loss of these deer affect the population?
Overpopulation Scenario #1
When there are too many deer, what will happen? Will certain deer die off first? Are there any deer in
your population that are, perhaps, better able to survive? Or is the death of your population “random”?
Scenario #3: Hunting Season
This year the farmer at the nearby farm allowed hunters into his woods. Unfortunately for your deer
population, there were a large amount of hunters invading the woods for the bow and arrow season. As
your deer quickly learn, the bow is not nearly as accurate as the rifle. Therefore, if the deer can move
fast enough, they are often able to get away from the noisy hunters, before getting killed. However,
your population did lose 7 deer.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Which color deer are best suited for these conditions?
Which color deer are worst suited for these conditions?
Which 7 deer in your population died?
How does the loss of these deer affect the population?
Scenario #4: Habitat Destruction
The farmer who owns the woods has decided to move to the city with his family and has sold his
property. A developer purchased the property from the farmer for a handsome price. However, the
developer has begun to bulldoze all of the land in preparation to build a beautiful retirement “city.” This
retirement place will include houses, condos, a golf course, a clubhouse, restaurant, gym, and game
room. Unfortunately for your deer population, they are not welcome at this retirement community. In
fact, with all of the bulldozing going on, the deer are losing their source of food and protection. The
deer must begin to travel far distances to get their food as well as have to look for food that is not
already eaten by other deer (for example, nontraditional food and food that is out of reach of other
deer). This causes drastic problems in your deer population and you lose 26 deer this year.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Which color deer are best suited for these conditions?
Which color deer are worst suited for these conditions?
Which 26 deer in your population died?
How does the loss of these deer affect the population?
Final Reflection Questions:
Directions: Please discuss the following questions in your group and record the answers on this sheet.
1. What happened to your deer population overall? How many of each kind of deer did your
population end up with?
2. What affected the makeup of your population?
3. If, for example, a lack of water became a trend in your population’s environment, what would
happen to your population? What would your population look like years down the road?
4. Do the deer’s differences make a difference in their individual survival? In affecting the makeup
of the population? If so, how?
5. What role did overpopulation play in affecting your deer population directly