It is the Penn State Deer Research Center, also known as the deer pens, a research facility run by the dairy and animal sciences department. This sprawling 22 acres of land off of Fox Hollow Road is host to tall oaks, briar patches, and of course, a group of whitetailed deer doing their part in a conservation effort.

Outdoor enthusiasts can take a special interest in this facility. It offers visitors a better understanding of the whitetailed deer, and gives them an up-and-close view of the most sought-after game animal in Pennsylvania.

"I just love to come here and admire them for their beauty," said a local hunter who had stopped by for his lunch break. "I respect these creatures for what they are, and this place gives me a good chance to see them without hiking into the woods."

The facility was started in the 1950s and is still running strong. It offers students and visitors alike a chance to understand these magnificent creatures with a little more accuracy. It has been a giant for all fans of wildlife in helping people to understand how they can help to control problems with whitetailed deer.

For example, the whitetail, with help from human development, is responsible for more than half of all animal-related fatalities, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC). Almost every one of these is linked to car accidents. One of the major problems with deer is overpopulation of the species in certain areas, and this is where the deer pens come into play, at least for now.

Wildlife technician Bob Mothersbaugh, the man in charge of the facility, is testing contraceptives on the does of the research facility.

"What we are trying to do is to come up with a contraceptive that will help to control overpopulated areas," Mothersbaugh said.

If successful, the contraceptives will be used as a management tool in areas where hunting is not permitted. The facility has also experimented with other population-control options, such as repellents and fencing. Controlling the population has not been the only goal. The facility has also studied nutrition, behavior and has worked with agencies such as the PGC.

The facility is rich in deer, but may be even richer in the fact that it offers Penn State students a real chance at working with wild animals. Mothersbaugh has five students who currently work for him.

"This place gives these students hands-on experience working with the deer," Mothersbaugh said, adding that one of the things the students learn is how the business part of the facility works. "If you don't know the business end of it, you'll have to (try to find a job) the hard way."

Students contribute by doing various chores such as cleaning the pens, mowing the lawn, mending fences, but most importantly, helping with research. Students are allowed to work year round, expanding their understanding of the wild creatures.

One of those students, Dino D'Angelo (sophomore-wild life and fishery), lives in a mobile home that doubles as an office for Mothersbaugh.

Some of the students work as volunteers and others do it for their independent study requirements. D'Angelo has been a part of the program for two years.

The deer are the main characters of this story, however, with each of them sporting their own attitudes. They all wear identification tags attached to their ears, but the facility's residents are not immune to a few nicknames. Goofy is one of the favorites of Mothersbaugh. She is a 6-year-old female who loves attention and likes to be respected. Goofy has been known to treat new employees with a little zest, but has grown to be adored by visitors and employees as well.

The deer pens themselves are huge in size, offering the deer a lot of space to roam and carry on as natural a life as deer can in captivity. They are separated by various means. One pen is host to young deer, only about a year or so old, while other pens are inhabited by bucks, does and animals of specific research.

The deer are taken into a large building with smaller pens inside. It is in here that Mothersbaugh works one on one with the deer, conducting all of the shots, measurements, and other means of care the deer may need.

Students assist him by helping the deer to get onto scales so they can keep up with weight of the mammals.

The value of the Penn State deer pens is for the most part immeasurable. It has assisted researchers, hunters and people in general for over 40 years by helping them to explore new avenues of an animal that has been around for centuries, but we have only begun to understand.