A recent study by Elic Weitzel from the University of Connecticut examines the drastic decline of white-tailed deer in New England from a population of 30 million to just 300,000–500,000 by the early 20th century. Weitzel’s research, published in the Journal of Anthropological Archaeology, analyzes deer bones from two sites, revealing that increased hunting pressure emerged soon after European colonization, driven by economic motives rather than human population growth.
Weitzel emphasizes that the commodification of nature and deer for profit fundamentally altered Indigenous resource management practices that had previously maintained sustainability. Highlighting a critical period in the 17th century, he notes how trends in fashion, such as the demand for deerskin clothing, contributed to overexploitation. This work challenges common perceptions about human impact on ecosystems, suggesting that it’s economic systems, rather than sheer numbers, that create environmental harm.
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