Passage Summary: There are way more deer now than in the 1960s, which is strange because people are still hunting them, wolves are eating them, and we are building houses on their land.

Reasoning: The deer population in North America has grown significantly despite consistent hunting levels, an increase in natural predators, and the loss of habitat to suburban development.

Analysis: We are faced with a biological puzzle where a population is thriving despite several factors that should logically be driving it down. To resolve this paradox, we need to find a new factor that explains why the deer are doing so well—perhaps a change in their diet or a lack of competition for resources. Look for an answer that provides a benefit to the deer that outweighs the combined pressure of hunters, wolves, and suburban sprawl.