By Chris Cook
Wildlife Biologist, Alabama Game and Fish Division

The interest in Quality Deer Management (QDM) has skyrocketed in the last several years. Hunters and hunting clubs frustrated with the problems resulting from traditional deer management strategies (the overharvest of bucks and the underharvest of does) have embraced this approach to deer management with open arms. Even with the growing popularity of QDM, hunters and deer managers alike must first have a basic understanding of what QDM is and then must realize that QDM is not suited for all situations or all deer hunters.

Quality deer management combines the voluntary restraint in harvesting young bucks (usually 2 years old and younger) with an adequate antlerless deer harvest, to produce a healthy, well-balanced deer herd. Some of the benefits associated with QDM include improved buck age structure (more adult bucks in the population), balanced adult sex ratios, and a deer herd in balance with the available habitat. In most situations, reducing herd density to a level more compatible with the available habitat using antlerless harvest will improve the overall health of the herd. If conditions are right, improvements in body weights and antler development will be apparent after a few years under QDM guidelines. Fawn production will also increase as the herd's physical condition improves.

In addition to improving the quality of the deer herd, the overall hunting experience is often improved under QDM. Because the competition for breeding is much more intense in a herd with a balanced sex ratio, hunters are actually able to hunt a well-defined rut. Hunters are able to observe behavior they may have only read about such as bucks rubbing or making scrapes; bucks fighting during the rut; or several bucks chasing a doe in estrus. They become much more observant and many hunters find themselves once again enjoying deer hunting.

Even with all of the obvious positives that result from practicing quality deer management, some situations will not be well suited for practicing QDM. One of the most common limitations for hunting clubs and landowners is the amount of land available to manage. Without a doubt, positive effects can be seen on smaller properties (1,000 acres or less) practicing quality deer management, but to get the full effect and reap all of the rewards of QDM, a larger land base is needed. Small landowners and hunting clubs wanting to practice QDM should not give up just because they are limited to a few hundred acres. If adjoining landowners and hunting clubs have the same management philosophy, forming a deer management cooperative will give the same results as having sole control of a much larger piece of property. Cooperatives covering several thousand acres have been formed throughout the southeast and have seen a great deal of success using QDM.

Several other factors can play a large part in determining the success of a quality deer management program. Areas with low quality habitat or areas severely damaged by overpopulated deer herds will not be able to achieve the same level of success at improving herd conditions as areas with good quality habitat. On some lower quality habitats, reducing the deer numbers may not produce improvements in antler development or body weights, just lower numbers of deer. Improvements in the size of harvested deer on these properties has to come from improvements in buck age structure (i.e., letting young bucks walk). In other situations, the habitat may have the potential to be improved through a number of methods (e.g., timber harvest, prescribed burning, supplemental planting or feeding), but limited resources (i.e., money, equipment, manpower) can hinder a club's or landowner's ability to make these improvements. Prioritizing habitat improvement options based on cost versus benefit can help determine how limited resources should be directed.

One of the biggest hurdles a hunting club will face is maintaining the long-term commitment needed under QDM. Initially it may be easy to get all club members to agree to begin a quality deer management program. After a few years of managing under QDM guidelines, some members may start grumbling, especially if they entered into the program with unrealistic expectations. It is at this point where many clubs' attempts at QDM fail. Many failures can be avoided by making sure everyone involved (i.e., hunters, landowners) have realistic expectations about what can be achieved using QDM and the long-term commitment necessary to reach these objectives. Asking a wildlife biologist for assistance in setting realistic goals prior to initiating any management program can prevent many of these failures.

Without question, quality deer management is not for everyone. Some hunters are happy harvesting any sized buck and could care less about the health of the deer herd, just as long as there are a few yearling bucks in the herd each year. Other hunters are looking for something better. If these hunters can understand and accept the requirements, limitations, and long term commitment necessary for producing a healthy, well-balanced deer herd, then QDM may be just what they are looking for.