White-Tailed Deer Biology and Management

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1 White-Tailed Deer Biology and Management Kip Adams Certified Wildlife Biologist Dir. of Ed. & Outreach Quality Deer Management Association The whitetail ranges from southern Canada to northern South America There are 38 recognized subspecies in the continental U.S., although many are questionable due to restocking efforts Hunter Facts ~5% of U.S. residents purchase a hunting license ~21,000,000 hunters in U.S. Hunting industry contributes $67 billion annually to the U.S. economy In 2011, the average hunter spent $2,484 on all things hunting related 1

2 Whitetail Facts Nearly four times more hunters hunt deer than the next closest species Whitetail hunting generates 53% of the entire $67 billion U.S. hunting industry Whitetail Facts Whitetail Facts Whitetails Elk Mule deer Upland birds 2

3 Fawns are born ~50/50 Carrying Capacity and Recruitment Dispersal ~50-70% of bucks are forced from their birth area by their mothers from months Most disperse 1-5 miles ~25% disperse in spring & 75% disperse in fall Some research suggests yearling bucks won t disperse if they are orphaned Some research suggests roads alter dispersal Contrary to bucks, only about 25% of does disperse 3

4 Sexual Maturity Most become sexually mature at 1.5 years old Under optimum habitat and herd conditions, fawns may be capable of breeding. Antler and Body Maturity Maximum body growth is reached ~4-6 years Maximum antler growth is reached at ~5-7 years Antler Growth Basics Antlers are not horns Antlers are grown and shed annually Antlers grow from the tip (horns from the base) Antlers are covered with velvet during growth Antlers are the fastest growing true bone. 4

5 Factors that Influence Growth Age Nutrition Genetics Deer Population Trends U.S. Whitetail Population 35,000,000 30,000,000 25,000,000 20,000,000 15,000,000 10,000,000 5,000, Year Deer Population Trends U.S. Whitetail Population 35,000,000 30,000,000 25,000,000 20,000,000 15,000,000 10,000,000 5,000, Year 5

6 Deer Population Trends U.S. Whitetail Population 35,000,000 30,000,000 25,000,000 20,000,000 15,000,000 10,000,000 5,000, Year Deer Population Trends U.S. Whitetail Population 35,000,000 30,000,000 25,000,000 20,000,000 15,000,000 10,000,000 5,000, Year Deer Population Trends U.S. Whitetail Population 35,000,000 30,000,000 25,000,000 20,000,000 15,000,000 10,000,000 5,000, Year 6

7 Deer Population Trends U.S. Whitetail Population 35,000,000 30,000,000 25,000,000 20,000,000 15,000,000 10,000,000 5,000, Year Deer Population Trends U.S. Whitetail Population 35,000,000 30,000,000 25,000,000 20,000,000 15,000,000 10,000,000 5,000, Year Deer Population Trends U.S. Whitetail Population 35,000,000 30,000,000 25,000,000 20,000,000 15,000,000 10,000,000 5,000, Year 7

8 Deer Management Strategies Traditional Deer Management Trophy Deer Management Quality Deer Management Traditional Management is The approach where any legal buck, regardless of age or antler quality, is harvested and few (if any) does are harvested. Traditional Deer Management 8

9 Habitat Destruction Deer Human Conflicts 9

10 Trophy Management is The approach under only fully mature bucks with high scoring antlers (except culls ) are harvested and does are aggressively harvested to maintain low deer density and optimum nutrition for remaining animals. Trophy Deer Management Quality Management is The approach under which young bucks are protected from harvest, combined with an adequate harvest of female deer to produce healthy deer herds in balance with existing habitat conditions. 10

11 Quality Deer Management Four Building Blocks of QDM Herd Management Simplified The most important halfinch in deer management 11

12 Hunters like to shoot bucks But do young bucks provide the same opportunities & excitement as mature bucks? And do young bucks fulfill the role of mature bucks in a population? Antlered Buck Management 12

13 Antler Point Restrictions Simple, but can be ineffective in high-quality habitats. Antler Spread Restrictions in in. Generally better than antler points, but may protect some mature bucks with narrow antlers. Age Restrictions Very good but requires field judging skill 13

14 Antler Restrictions As of 2011, 22 states had antler restrictions Buck Harvest Trends 1½ years 70 % Yearling Bucks Buck Harvest Trends 1½ years % Yearling Bucks National Average New York 14

15 Buck Harvest Trends 1½ years % Yearling Bucks National Average Arkansas Buck Harvest Trends 1½ years % Yearling Bucks National Average New York Arkansas How Fast Can Yearling Bucks Grow If You, Let Them Go So They Can Grow 15

16 Buck Age 1.5 years Buck Age 2.5 years Buck Age 3.5 years 16

17 Buck Age 4.5 years Increased Harvest Opportunities 17

18 Deer Herd Habitat Deer Herd Habitat Habitat Deer Herd Deer Herd Habitat Why Harvest Does? To Control Population Growth And Density To Balance The Sex Ratio 18

19 To Make Room For And Improve The Quality Of Young Bucks To Increase Reproductive Success and Recruitment 19

20 Carrying Capacity and Recruitment Things are Improving Four Building Blocks of QDM 20

21 Habitat Management Important for does and fawns As well as bucks 21

22 And for deer in all age classes Each deer eats about one ton of forage annually! ~12,000 pounds of forage is necessary for this group of deer 22

23 Habitat Management Forests, Old Fields and Food Plots Forest Management Typically 80+% of area Provides food and cover Want diversity of stand types and age classes interspersed across the habitat 23

24 You don t want this This stand contains lbs browse/acre This is much better This stand contains up to 1,000 lbs browse/acre Structure is important 24

25 Forest management achieved Timber harvests Old Fields Typically 1-5% of area Provide food and cover This field contains 3,000-6,000 lbs forage/acre 25

26 Forbs are extremely important NWSG provide escape, bedding and thermal cover In addition to fawning cover 26

27 Old field are maintained by Prescribed fire Disking Mowing Crushing with roller chopper/dozer Fertilizing Herbiciding Combination of methods Food Plots Typically 1-5% of area Food Plots Can provide 2,000-10,000 lbs forage/acre 27

28 Provide food and some cover Are used to supplement native vegetation Proper habitat management provides Year around cover Softwood species 28

29 Year around cover Hardwood species Year around cover Old fields/nwsg Proper habitat management also provides 29

30 Year around food Agricultural Year around food Hard mast Year around food Soft mast 30

31 Year around food Forbs Year around food Vines and shrubs Year around food Hardwood browse 31

32 Year around food Softwood browse Carrot is better deer hunting Good deer habitat benefits many other species 32

33 QDMA Resources Free downloads at Quality Deer Management Association DEER 33