Deer management can be exciting and rewarding, but sometimes confusing. As a result, this site is dedicated to helping you understand how to manage a white-tailed deer herd by giving research-oriented facts and techniques that will improve deer and their habitat. As deer hunting has become more popular across the U.S., both landowners and hunters want to know what they can do to have more and better quality white-tailed deer. Although whitetail are found in a variety of habitats,similar management techniques can be used effectively to improve any deer herd. Whether it be habitat enhancement, supplemental feeding, deer surveys, or anything else related to herd improvement, this site can help you progress with an effective deer management program!
Deer Management Overview
Let’s face it, you are here because most landowners and deer hunters want a high-quality white-tailed deer herd on their property. The social emphasis on quality deer combined with the economics of hunting have caused a marked increase in the number of individuals interested in deer management. And for good reason! White-tailed deer are amazing creatures because of the diversity of habitats they can survive in, their smarts, and the fact that they also make great tablefare. Deer habitat varies greatly across the United States,but the techniques that can be used to improve and manage a deer herd remain the same from area to area. Although each situation is different and requires special considerations,general guidelines can be followed which will lead to a better deer management program–and better deer hunting for you.
When it comes to deer management, it is really about habitat management. Producing quality deer involves enhancing and maintaining high-quality deer habitat that provides both food and cover. Without adequate escape cover, you will not hold deer on your property. And without proper whitetail food, deer will never achieve the quality you desire. Not only can deer density impact the body condition of individual animals, but even your buck to doe ratio can effect herd dynamics. If this sounds new to you, then you have stumbled into the right place. That’s because this site is focused on helping dedicated landowners and sportsmen better manage the deer habitat and deer herds found on their lands.
As you will notice across the top menu, topics on the Deer Management site cover the necessary components for a healthy deer herd that will help you produce and maintain more and better trophy whitetail bucks! You do not need to buy expensive breeder bucks to have bigger bucks than you ever thought possible. There are no secrets to producing a healthy deer herd and high-quality bucks. However, it’s not always easy. Improving a deer herd requires a good amount of time and a fair amount of work. But if you are dedicated to your deer management program, then installing food plots, performing deer surveys, learning key whitetail plants, enhancing habitat, and selectively harvesting deer will help you achieve your goal.
White-tailed deer eat a variety of plants and different plants become important during different times of the year. As for any wildlife species to thrive, the most important seasons for deer are the seasons in which they are stressed–summer and winter. It is during these two periods that whitetail have the least amount of food available to them. Of course, summer stress is not nearly as hard at northern latitudes (such as the mid-west), just as winter stress is not nearly as tough at southern latitudes (such as Texas). Why do I mention food resources, stress, and earlier talked about body condition? Well, as you will learn, body condition of both bucks and does is the most important component of your deer herd.
Individual white-tailed deer body condition is the building blocks of your deer herd. I will not tell you that you need to go out and buy supplemental feed or plant a high-dollar food plot mix, but I will tell you that food is what you must ultimately seek to manage for in order to improve your deer herd. There are a couple way to do this and they are discussed in detail, by topic, on the remainder of the site. As I said earlier, there are no secrets to deer management, but it will take some work.
