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Deer Management Strategies
In general, there are four primary deer management strategies:
-> Maximum population management
-> Maximum harvest management
-> Quality deer management
-> Trophy deer management
While these strategies are not mutually exclusive, each differs
in its goals and intensity of management. Because the maximum population
approach and maximum harvest approach are very similar, they have
been combined into traditional deer management for the purposes
of this guide.
Traditional Deer Management
Under traditional deer management, bucks of any age or antler quality
may be harvested and antlerless deer harvest is regulated to produce
an abundant deer herd and/or to maximize total buck harvest. Under
this approach, most bucks harvested are yearlings (1.5 years old),
with few bucks surviving beyond their second year.
This management approach is typically the least intensive and sometimes
allows herds to increase to levels that can damage the habitat.
Depending on herd productivity and the intensity of buck harvest,
the sex ratio often becomes heavily skewed in favor of females.
In some herds, particularly those where substantial buck harvest
occurs before the rut, this imbalance may result in some does not
breeding during their first estrous (heat) period, or perhaps delay
their first estrus. If does do not conceive during their first estrus,
the next breeding opportunity will not occur until 28-30 days later.
The doe's fawns will be born one month later for each cycle missed.
Later-born fawns have lower survival rates, lower weaning weights,
and poorer antler development as yearlings than fawns born at the
appropriate time of year.
Quality Deer Management
Quality deer management (QDM) is a management philosophy/practice
that unites landowners, hunters, and resource managers in a common
goal of producing healthy deer herds with balanced adult sex ratios
and age structures. This approach typically involves protecting
young bucks while harvesting an appropriate number of female deer
to maintain herds within existing environmental and social constraints.
A successful QDM program requires an increased knowledge of deer
biology and active participation in management. This level of involvement
extends the role of the hunter from mere consumer to manager. The
progression from education to understanding bestows an ethical obligation
on the hunter to practice sound deer management. Consequently, to
an increasing number of landowners and hunters, QDM is a desirable
alternative to traditional deer management.
Practicing QDM produces many benefits.
Typically, the sex ratio becomes more balanced and the number (or
proportion) of bucks in the older age classes increases. Often,
more mature bucks are available for breeding, resulting in less
stress on yearling bucks and an earlier, more-defined rut. In some
cases, deer health and body weights improve due to improved habitat
conditions, which also benefit many other wildlife species. The
lower deer density also helps reduce crop damage and deer/vehicle
collisions.
One obvious benefit is the increased presence of mature bucks and
the exhilaration of observing their behavior. Many landowners and
hunters receive great satisfaction from the increased involvement
with their deer herd that QDM offers.
The benefits of QDM do not come without costs. Typically, large
tracts of land are required to achieve maximum results. While defining
a minimum size is difficult, 600-1,000 acres is a reasonable starting
point in most areas. While QDM can be successful on smaller areas,
cooperation with hunters on neighboring properties and unique management
practices are required.
Participants must take an active role in management and maintain
accurate harvest records to assess management progress and fine-tune
management strategies. Harvest restrictions and rules, especially
for young bucks, must be implemented and enforced. Where high deer
populations already exist, initial QDM restrictions generally result
in a reduced total buck harvest and an increased doe harvest. As
such, QDM often requires a change in hunting practices and a new
mindset.
Trophy Deer Management
QDM often is confused with trophy deer management. While the two
approaches share several objectives, they also differ in many ways.
Under trophy deer management, fully mature bucks with high-scoring
antlers are the primary focus. Whitetail bucks typically attain
maximum antler size between 5.5 and 8.5 years of age.
Producing bucks of this age and antler quality requires many ingredients
not available to most hunters. Because some adult bucks have home
ranges of 2,000 acres or more, large tracts of land, often 5,000
acres or more, are required. Because buck home ranges are not uniform
in shape and size, few adult bucks live their entire lives on a
single property, even on 5,000 acres.
The ability to control hunting pressure is paramount, especially
on promising 2.5-, 3.5- and 4.5-year-old bucks. This requires considerable
field-judging skill and self-control. Unless the herd is enclosed
and supplementally fed, deer density must be kept low to allow optimum
nutrition so bucks can maximize antler potential. This often involves
aggressive doe harvests (even higher than under QDM) and intensive
habitat management. Therefore, while trophy deer management is a
biologically sound approach, it is not feasible in many areas and
the associated costs outweigh the benefits for most hunters.
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