Went to Cades Cove Sept 27, 2019 early morning and late evening and saw one deer, want be back.

I have been to the Cove twice this year.  Been going there for nearly 40 years.  Until recently we would see hundreds of deer every time we went.  It was so exciting.  I still love the Cove, but this past August we only saw two deer in two days, but we did see 7 bears in the cove, and 4 more just outside the cove.  We went today, and saw 5 deer.  Wish we could still see them in the numbers there used to he.  We moved to Virginia near the Parkway, and we see them every day everywhere.  Saw a big buck today which was nice, but still so few compared to what it used to be.  Wish they could repopulate the Cove with deer. 

The Cataloochee Valley was once thriving with whitetail deer, but then the deer (an estimated 80 to 100 by incidental observations) started to mysteriously disappear during the 1990’s. In 2001, twenty-five elk were introduced into Cataloochee, then twenty-seven in 2002. The Park’s speculative reason for the loss of Cataloochee’s whitetails was coyote/bear predation.Whitetails host a brain worm parasite (meningeal worm), which usually doesn’t harm them, but the parasite is fatal to elk. It spreads through deer feces and snails host it as well – transmitting it to vegetative foliage. If elk ingest the parasite while consuming infected vegetation, they will die. There are biological recommendations that when restoring elk, a local whitetail population may need to be reduced - minimizing the risk of elk ingesting the brain worm. Simply, the parasite can seriously hinder or stop the elk from surviving. A national magazine in 2002 stated that Park officials hoped the tiny brain worm parasite didn't trip up the plans to reintroduce elk. It also stated that 75% of the Smokies whitetail deer population carried the parasite - especially in the CataloocheeValley with all the abundant moisture… to be continued.

i made 2 trips around the loop road and only saw 5 deer total. we noticed the signs about the elk but fail to see even 1. what happened to all the deer?

They 're reducing the numbers but its a secret for some reason. 

No time for a thesis; but typically the Park Service tires to avoid negative publicity as well as lawsuits from groups like PETA when implementing deer reduction programs. Other Parks have been forth coming about deer reductions, but with limited media coverage. Years ago when a prominent local activist confronted the Park on numerous issues (mass transit, elk reintroduction in Cataloochee, etc.), the question was asked if Park policy allowed them to reduce deer numbers due to the native/indigenous brainworm parasite (deer host it) which is fatal to elk, and would undoubtedly hinder a successful elk population. He got no answer. This aspect of brainworms, deer, and elk would make one question if this is another reason for minimizing the deer population along with the fact that the Dept. of Interior is already mandated to reduce deer/cervid numbers when native vegetation is being defoliated. 

The park service will not be honest with people I think they took the dear out of cades cove to keep people from comeing

Despite the fact that the deer population is down in comparison to the past, there are other reasons visitors are not consistently seeing the "existing" deer herds. In short, bears foraging for berries and coyotes trotting around seeking field mice and small game can put whitetails to flight - usually into the vegetative cover and forested areas. With the loss of some hemlocks trees brings more sunlight through the forest canopy; and plant species that were once suppressed are growing, providing more woodland understory cover for the wildlife. In turn, viewing opportunities become more and more limited. With less deer to defoliate the vegetative understory also contributes to this explosion of plant/ tree growth. After a soaking rain, the vegetative understory in the woodlands becomes more pliable and easier to digest for whitetails. When this occurs, deer do not always seek nutrition in the open fields. During the summer months, female deer clans break up as mothers' rear their newborn fawns. Being highly adaptable to predators, more and more mothers are keeping their infants concealed longer than normal in the smorgasbord of excellent vegetative cover which is vital for newborn fawns to survive. This parenting routine also minimizes seeing herds of female deer, primarily during the summer. Finally, though the Park is reluctant and somewhat evasive to admit the degree of it; but periodically, Park staff implements aversive conditioning on animals within a proximity to the Cades Cove Loop Road. There is enough of a paper trail to show that aversive conditioning is used not only to keep wildlife from becoming food conditioned and human habituated; but to also minimize traffic congestion - understandable. Some Parks use aversive conditioning to disperse deer herds. Whitetails are sensitive creatures with a strong tendency to the flight instinct. Just a little negative impact can easily teach deer to avoid certain areas as well as automobiles and the road - that is until male deer ignore reality and search for receptive female deer during the breeding season. So, here is a summary of why it has become more and more difficult to observe the "existing" Cades Cove deer.