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DEER HERD MANAGEMENTFOR GEORGIA HUNTERS

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000

Per

cent

Doe

s

20

30

40

50

60

70

1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000

Per

cent

Buc

ks

1.5 Year Old Bucks 2.5+ Year Old Bucks

Georgia Hunters Are Taking More Quality Bucks

Doe Harvest Has Steadily Increased for 25 Years

PRODUCING A QUALITY DEER HERD IN GEORGIA

As a result of Georgia’s increasing doe days and bag limits, the harvest ofdoes has steadily increased over the last 25 years. At the same time theharvest of quality bucks has increased while the harvest of younger buckshas decreased. Through DNR’s proactive deer management program,Georgia hunters are leading the nation in doe harvest. Together, DNR andGeorgia hunters, are producing a quality deer herd for present and future gen-erations of Georgians to enjoy.

1

ROY E. BARNES, GOVERNORLONICE BARRETT, COMMISSIONER

DAVID J. WALLER, DIRECTOR

BOARD OF NATURAL RESOURCES

FIRST DISTRICT NINTH DISTRICTReese Thompson Donald J. Carter

Vidalia Gainesville

SECOND DISTRICT TENTH DISTRICTLoyce Turner Ben Seay III

Valdosta Conyers

THIRD DISTRICT ELEVENTH DISTRICTJames E. Butler, Jr. Bob Rutland

Columbus Decatur

FOURTH DISTRICT COASTAL DISTRICTJ.D. Caswell Walter McNeely

Norcross Brunswick

FIFTH DISTRICT MEMBER-AT-LARGEThomas W. Wheeler, Jr. Chairman Jamie Reynolds, Secretary

Duluth Greensboro

SIXTH DISTRICT MEMBER-AT-LARGESara S. Clark, Vice Chairman Pierre Howard

Alpharetta Atlanta

SEVENTH DISTRICT MEMBER-AT-LARGEBill M. Gilbert Glenn E. TaylorSummerville Atlanta

EIGHTH DISTRICT MEMBER-AT-LARGEBen G. Porter Sally Bethea

Macon Atlanta

Sonny Perdue, Governor

State of Georgia

Lonice C. Barrett

Commissioner

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

Noel Holcomb, Director

Wildlife Resources Division

Board of Natural Resources

Walter McNeely, Chairman

Brunswick -- Coastal District

Bob Rutland, Vice Chairman

Decatur -- Thirteenth District

Loyce Turner, Secretary

Valdosta -- First District

Willard Lasseter

Moultrie -- Second District

Reese Thompson

Vidalia -- Third District

Jim Tysinger

Atlanta -- Fourth District

Thomas Wheeler, Jr.

Duluth -- Fifth District

Sara Clark

Alpharetta -- Sixth District

Bill Carruth

Hiram -- Seventh District

Jim Butler, Jr.

Columbus -- Eighth District

Jamie Reynolds, III

Greensboro -- Ninth District

Jim Walters

Gainesville -- Tenth District

Ralph Callaway

Pine Mountain--Eleventh District

E. Raybon Anderson

Statesboro -- Twelfth District

Walter Hudson

Douglasville -- Member-at-large

Phyllis Johnson

Hazlehurst -- Member-at-large

Sally Bethea

Atlanta -- Member-at-large

Glenn Taylor

Atlanta -- Member-at-large

2

Deer Herd Management for Georgia Hunters

Department of Natural ResourcesWildlife Resources DivisionGame Management Section

1999

Authors:Kent Kammermeyer, Senior Wildlife BiologistHaven Barnhill, Senior Wildlife BiologistJohn Bowers, Senior Wildlife BiologistBill Cooper, Wildlife BiologistJim Ezell, Wildlife BiologistDan Forster, Assistant Chief of Game Management Scott McDonald, Senior Wildlife BiologistGreg Waters, Wildlife BiologistChuck Waters, Wildlife Biologist

Photography by: Kent Kammermeyer

GAME MANAGEMENT OFFICES

SOCIAL CIRCLE...................................770/918-6416

ARMUCHEE..........................................706/295-6041

GAINESVILLE.......................................770/535-5700

THOMSON.............................................706/595-4222

FORT VALLEY.......................................912/825-6354

ALBANY.................................................912/430-4254

FITZGERALD.........................................912/426-5267

BRUNSWICK.........................................912/262-3173

The Department of Natural Resources is an equal opportunity employer and offersall persons the opportunity to compete and participate in each area of DNR em-

ployment regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, handicap, or other non-merit factors.

Feral Hogs In Georgia:

Disease, Damage and Control

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

Wildlife Resources Division (WRD)

Game Management Section

AuthorsKent Kammermeyer, Senior Wildlife Biologist

John Bowers, Senior Wildlife Biologist

Bill Cooper, Wildlife Biologist

Dan Forster, WRD Assistant Director

Ken Grahl, Regional Game Supervisor

Todd Holbrook, Chief, Game Management

Carmen Martin, Senior Wildlife Biologist

Scott McDonald, Senior Wildlife Biologist

Nick Nicholson, Senior Wildlife Biologist

Mike VanBrackle, Wildlife Biologist

Greg Waters, Wildlife Biologist

PhotographyKent Kammermeyer

Bill Fletcher

Bill Cooper

Game Management OfficesRegion I Armuchee (706) 295-6041

Region II Gainesville (770) 535-5700

Region III Thomson (706) 595-4222

Region III Thomson (Augusta) (706) 667-4672

Region IV Fort Valley (478) 825-6354

Region V Albany (229) 430-4254

Region VI Fitzgerald (229) 426-5267

Region VII Brunswick (912) 262-3173

Headquarters Social Circle (770) 918-6416

AcknowledgementsWe express our appreciation to all involved WRD personnel for their

assistance in reviewing and editing this booklet. We also thank the

WRD Public Affairs Office for booklet design, layout and editorial input.

Deer Herd Managementfor Georgia Hunters

Georgia Department of Natural ResourcesWildlife Resources Division (WRD)

Game Management Section2003

3

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction.........................................................................................................5

Basic Deer Biology.............................................................................................. 6

Establish Herd Objectives....................................................................................7

Keep Accurate Records....................................................................................... 9

Comparison of Records..................................................................................... 11

Harvest Strategies................................................................................................15

Quality Deer Management...................................................................................21

Habitat Management...........................................................................................24

Summary.............................................................................................................30

Aging Deer..........................................................................................................32

TABLES, FIGURES AND GRAPHS

Deer Harvest Record...........................................................................................10

Georgia Physiographic Regions.......................................................................... 12

Yearling Buck Field Dressed Weight.................................................................. .14

Yearling Buck Antler Beam Length......................................................................14

Deer Harvest Management Options....................................................................16

Fall Deer Food Plot Mixtures..............................................................................25

Winter and Spring Deer Food Plot Mixtures...................................................... 26

Food Plot Checklist............................................................................................ 31

4

PREFACE

Wildlife biologists of the Georgia Wildlife Resources Division Deer Committee pre-pared this booklet. This is the third revision and reprinting of this publication since1988. It is intended to serve as a source of general information for those with a casu-al interest in white-tailed deer but not as a detailed guide for land managers. The“simplified” approach to deer harvest management used in this booklet is taken froma combination of deer population models. The committee hopes this booklet willultimately benefit the valuable deer resource in Georgia and help to insure it’s propermanagement for the interest and enjoyment of generations to come.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Funding for this publication was provided by the state and federal cooperative ForestStewardship Program administered by the U.S. Forest Service, the Georgia ForestryCommission, and Georgia DNR, Wildlife Resources Division.

5

Introduction

Every deer hunter wants to have ahigh population of deer with a largenumber of quality bucks. Unfortu-nately, even with the best manage-ment, it is difficult to have both largenumbers of deer and a lot of older,large-antlered bucks. However, thereare some techniques and managementapproaches which allow for a verysatisfactory deer management com-promise. Wildlife biologists agree thatthere are two basic ways for hunters tomanage their deer populations: 1). har-vest management; 2). habitat manage-ment. This brochure concentrates ontechniques for hunters to use for har-vest management, and briefly discusseshabitat management. In some areas ofGeorgia, deer harvest management islacking because disproportionate num-bers of bucks and does are harvestedeach year.

This skewed harvest can lead to tempo-rarily high deer populations in poorcondition, out-of-balance sex ratios withtoo many does, poor antler develop-ment and few quality bucks. Converse-ly, hunt clubs that place total emphasison quality buck management sometimesfail to allow enough harvest to maintainhunter satisfaction within the club. Themanagement advice in this booklet ismeant to assist Georgia hunters in rec-ognizing harvest strategies and imple-menting these strategies to provideexcellent habitat, deer herds and hunt-ing. Georgia’s liberal bag limits andabundance of either sex hunting daysare specifically designed to allow deerhunters flexibility to manage deer pop-ulations to reach virtually any objectivethey desire for the deer herd.

Additional management informationand advice is available from wildlifebiologists of the Wildlife ResourcesDivision. First, a little information onbasic deer biology is in order.

6

Basic Deer Biology

Scientific studies of white-tailed deerin recent years have provided muchknowledge of deer biology and behav-ior which can be applied to huntingleases, clubs, or farms. For example,deer home range sizes in Georgia varyfrom 150 acres to more than 1,200acres with does having smaller rangesthan bucks. Smaller ranges are found inhigher deer populations in better deerhabitat such as that found in the Geor-gia Piedmont and Upper Coastal Plain(see map). Differences in deer move-ments and range sizes can greatly influ-ence hunting leases.

Although most hunters think in termsof bucks and good antler development,it is the doe segment of the herd whichdetermines most of the differences indeer populations. For example, depend-ing on the food supply and the totaldeer population in a given area, doescan produce twins, singles, or not bearany fawns at all. After the fall huntingseason, the number of fawns in the har-vest divided by the number of yearling(1 1/2 year old) and adult does in theharvest yields the recruitment rate. InGeorgia, recruitment rates can varyfrom 0.3 to 1.4 fawns per doe. The dif-ference in the rate is extremely impor-tant because total deer deaths mustmatch total recruitment each year forthe population to remain stable. Ifrecruitment exceeds the total death ratefrom hunting and other causes in anyparticular year, then the deer populationincreases. This increased growth occursonly up to a point. Eventually, the pop-

ulation reaches a size where it exceedsthe available food supply (“carryingcapacity” of the land) and this results inlower recruitment, poor antler develop-ment, lower body weights and eventual-ly a lower population as the remainingfood supply is damaged.

What about factors affecting antlers?Buck antler development is controlledby age, nutrition, and genetics. Genet-ics does not appear to be an importantfactor limiting antler development inGeorgia. This means that stocking toimprove the strain of deer is not a viableor feasible solution to correct antlerdevelopment problems. For most deerherds in Georgia, age is the single mostlimiting factor for antler development.Under heavy hunting pressure, buckssimply do not live long enough to pro-duce large antlers. In parts of theLower Coastal Plain and Mountains,bucks live to much older ages but nutri-tion levels are often poor and limitantler development in these regions.Likewise, poor nutrition also occurs inspots in the Piedmont when deer herdsget so large that their food supply isreduced in quality or quantity. Again,antler growth suffers.

7

The deer herd that you hunt is theresult of a complex interaction betweenfood supply, population size, reproduc-tion, mortality factors, movements,weather, and past history. However,there are methods for controlling deerharvest to reach the desired objective forthe deer herd. The first step is to estab-lish your objective.

Although most hunters think in terms ofbucks and good antler development, it isthe doe segment of the herd which deter-mines most of the differences in deer populations.

Establish Herd Objectives

To obtain the most enjoyment fromhunting, you and your hunting part-ners should decide upon one of fourobjectives for the deer herd and thentake the necessary steps (presentedlater in this publication) to reachyour objective. A list of objectives, aswell as their advantages and disadvan-tages, are presented below.

1.Maximum Population Objective - large deer population.

Advantages:a) Large number of deer seen while

hunting.b) Relatively high deer harvest.

Disadvantages:a) Poor antler development and

body size;b) Poor reproduction;c) Sex ratio often highly skewed

toward does;d) Severe habitat damage in some

years, with permanent damagepossible.

e) Depressed, erratic rutting season.

2.Maximum Harvest Objective -highest long-term deer harvest per

unit area.

Advantages:a) Large number of deer harvested

each year;b) Young bucks in good condition

with good antler development;c) No damage to long-term food

supply or carrying capacity ofthe land.

8

Disadvantages:a) Fewer deer seen (than option 1)

while hunting;b) Few trophy bucks harvested

because most bucks are takenat very young age.

3.Quality Deer Objective - very similar to option 2 except that hunting pressure is reduced on thebuck portion of the herd to pro-

duce some older animals for the next year. Large tracts (over 1,000 acres) are usually required for successful management.

Advantages:a) Relatively large number of does

in the harvest;b) Bucks have good antler develop-

ment and body weight;c) Behavior of young bucks is

observed and enjoyed.

Disadvantages:a) Difficult to define “quality” or

“trophy” as it varies by area of thestate and by individual clubs andmembers;

b) Some nice young bucks must bepassed up, or length of seasonvoluntarily shortened, or buck bag limit voluntarily reduced by hunters;

c) Much of harvest will be comprised of does;

d) Some young bucks will be lost to hunters on surrounding propeties and to other sources of mortality.

4.Trophy Buck Objective - produc-tion of trophy antlers.

Advantages:a) Antler development and buck

age structures are maximized.b) Reproductive capability of does

is maximized.

Disadvantages:a) Very few deer seen while hunting;b) Total deer harvest is low;c) Many bucks must be passed up;

d) More bucks die of natural causes,road kill, or surrounding huntingpressure;

e) Accurate field judging of antlers is necessary;

9

f ) Very large acreages (over 3,000 acres) are required to be effective;

g) Strict, tough penalties for violat- ing the rules must be imposed to make it work.

Once an option is chosen, a harveststrategy must be designed to move yourherd toward the objective. Threeapproaches are possible:

1)Stabilize the herd by using a bal-anced either-sex harvest;

2)Increase herd size by limiting doeharvest;

3)Decrease herd size by increasing the doe harvest.

How do you know which approach isnecessary to reach your objective for thedeer herd? First of all, you must knowthe current status of the herd relating tocertain key condition and populationindices. Even though there are severalrules of thumb which may get you start-ed, this status can best be determinedby accurate record collection andinterpretation of these records by atrained wildlife biologist

Keep Accurate Records

Records should be kept on every deerharvested on the property (Figure 1).Basic record keeping begins with thetotal number of bucks and does takenfrom the property each year.Secondly, and just as important, arethe ages of all animals in the harvest.Never guess at deer ages! One side ofall lower jaws should be pulled, taggedand saved for inspection by a biologist.Wildlife Resources Division biologistscan provide assistance for aging jaw-bones to landowners and hunting clubsupon request. If this is not possible,then club members should become pro-ficient in aging 3 age classes: fawns (6months of age), yearlings (1 1/2 years ofage), and adults (2 1/2 years of age andolder) (see page 32 and back cover).Do not underestimate the value ofaging all the animals in the deer killespecially yearlings. This is the singlemost important piece of informationobtainable for your deer herd. Themeaning of all other measurements ofthe deer herd, such as weights andantler measurements, depends uponaccurate aging.

After aging, antler measurements arenext in order of importance. Be con-sistent and thorough in your data col-lection. All measurements should betaken from the right antler unless it isdeformed or broken. Antler diameterat the widest point (one inch above theburr) should be measured in millimeterswith an inexpensive set of calipers,length of main beam from base to tip

10

Figure 1.

11

along the back of the curvature of thebeam is measured with a tape in inches,total number of points (must be atleast one inch in length), and outsidespread is recorded (Figure 1). In addi-tion to antler measurements, fielddressed weights can provide veryimportant trend data to monitor yourdeer herd and compare your recordswith those from other deer populations.Live weights can be used but are moredifficult to compare with other deerherds. On clubs that do not restricttheir buck harvest, data from yearlingbucks is especially valuable since theseanimals reflect the condition of theentire population if the measurementsare taken correctly.

Comparison of Records

If you have kept accurate age, antler andweight records, then these can be com-pared with the charts taken from manyyears of data on many Georgia WildlifeManagement Areas (WMAs) in allPhysiographic Regions (Figure 2). Bargraphs show the average and range ofcondition indicators for yearling buckantler beam measurements and weightsfound on Georgia WMAs. If your clubharvests yearlings (1 1/2 year old bucks)without regard to antler configurationand if you have at least 5 yearling bucksin your harvest, compare the averages ofthese versus those shown for Georgia

WMAs and see if yours fit in the best,average, or worst categories. If you havea “selective” harvest (i.e. passing upspikes or any other antler selection),then comparisons with WMA charts arenot valid. You will need to use olderbucks or yearling does and rely on trenddata. If you accumulate 2 or more yearsof accurate records on your own area,then comparisons by age class from oneyear to the next become valuable in un-derstanding your deer herd. For exam-ple, a 3-year downward trend in averageantler main beam lengths of 1 1/2 yearold bucks often indicates a growingpopulation which is short of food and isreducing the long term carrying capaci-ty of the area. This strongly indicates aneed for increased doe harvest the fol-lowing year. Obviously, the amountand quality of information you havecollected from your deer herd will nowbecome extremely important in deter-mining how your deer herd compareswith these ranges and what you can doto influence the future direction of your herd. Even with very little information,some basic rules of thumb can beapplied to determine your present herdstatus and future management direction.

12

GEORGIA PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGIONS

Figure 2.

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Wherever possible, it is far better for the deer hunter to manage deer popluation numbers than the automobile, the sharpshooter, electric fences or birth control.

14

15

Harvest Strategies - Some rules of thumb

One good rule of thumb is that it ismuch easier to manage the deer pop-ulation and reach your harvest objec-tives on larger land areas. For exam-ple, a club leasing 2,500 acres has agreater chance for successful manage-ment and achieving objectives than aclub which leases only 500 acres. Thereason, of course, is that deer do notrecognize ownership boundaries andoften have home ranges which spanacross two or more adjoining clubs orleases. Other clubs harvest strategy maybe different from yours. For example,while your club may be managing forquality deer by restricting antlered buckharvest the adjoining club may bekilling too many bucks but not enoughdoes. Some of these bucks will likely bebucks you have passed! One obvioussolution to this problem is for two ormore adjoining clubs to share informa-tion and cooperate on their deer man-agement objectives. The combinedacreage of cooperating adjacent clubscan be much more productive and suc-cessfully managed.

Harvest strategies will differ dependingon your objective and the harvestapproach required (stabilize, increase, ordecrease) to meet your objective. Also,the size and composition of harvest arelinked to the physiographic regions ofGeorgia and the quality of the habitatwithin your region (see map). ThePiedmont, Ridge and Valley, and UpperCoastal Plain Physiographic Regions arethe most productive deer regions inGeorgia and contain the great majorityof deer leases. The Mountains andLower Coastal Plain PhysiographicRegions are less productive for deer andcontain fewer deer leases. To put deerharvests in perspective, a harvest of 5deer per square mile (640 acres) is goodin the Mountains and Lower CoastalPlain and 15 deer per square mile isgood in the other regions. Harvestsexceeding 25 deer per square mile havecommonly occurred on small land areasin the Piedmont.

After you have collected the necessarydata from your harvest and determinedyour management strategy for the herd(maximum population, maximum har-vest, quality management or trophymanagement), you can begin to worktoward that objective. Use your data todetermine the current herd status. Youwill need to know the total antleredbuck harvest, total number of yearling ( l 1/2 year old) bucks and the averagebeam length of yearling bucks.

16

17

TAB

LE 1

A.E

XA

MP

LE U

SIN

G B

IG B

UC

K C

LUB

HA

RV

ES

T D

ATA

(S

EE

TE

XT

PAG

E18

)

18

Let’s use the 700 acre Big Buck Club foran example (Table 1A.). A summary oftheir kill sheet shows 12 antlered bucksand 7 does killed. Yearling buck beamlengths averaged 7.8 inches and therewere 58% yearlings (7/12) in the kill.Buck harvest per square mile was 11(12*640/700). The club currently fitsin Maximum Harvest but their goal isQuality Buck. To get there multiply12*1.2 (Doe Harvest factor) to yield aDoe Harvest Goal of l4 and decreasethe population.

Consequently, the Big Buck Club willneed to double the doe harvest to 14does and reduce the buck harvest toabout 6 bucks. Additionally, they needto reduce the percent of yearling bucksin the harvest. As you can see from thisexample, the key to the population size,total number of bucks and antler quali-ty is both the number of bucks andespecially the number of does in theharvest. The necessary number of doesto harvest is presented as a percentage oflast year’s antlered buck harvest.

What about button bucks? Despiteyour club’s best possible intentions topass up button bucks, there will un-doubtedly be several taken. Don’tworry too much about this. A modestharvest of button bucks will not affectthe success of your program. However,for purposes of simplifying our calcula-tions, don’t include button bucks in anyof the harvest totals or formulas used inthe table.

1.Determine the average beam lengthfor yearling bucks by adding the beamlengths of all yearling bucks and dividethis total by the number of yearlingbucks to get the average.

2.Determine the % yearling bucks inthe harvest by dividing the number ofyearling bucks by the total number ofantlered bucks.

3.Determine the total buck harvest persquare mile (640 acres) by multiplyingyour harvest times 640 then dividing bythe acreage in your club.Compare these values to columns A,B,and C in Table l to determine the pre-sent status of your deer herd (columnD). Column E shows the populationlevel relative to carrying capacity of thehabitat. The next step is to fill in thenumber of bucks you harvested last sea-son into column F in the same row withyour current herd status. Finally, deter-mine your doe harvest goal for next sea-son by multiplying your total buck har-vest by the appropriate factor in columnG to reach your deer management strat-egy (column I). Following this recom-mendation for doe harvest is the key tothe success of your program. It is moreimportant than passing up bucks.Column J will show you the expectedtrend in the deer population if you meetyour doe harvest goal. It may take twoor more years to see measurable changesin the deer herd. A commitment tostick with a management program forseveral years is necessary to see measur-able results.

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Given a choice of objectives, most hunt-ing groups will probably choose theMAXIMUM HARVEST or QUALITYDEER harvest options. These are actu-ally very similar strategies, except for theintensity of adult buck harvest.However, if there is a lack of informa-tion about their deer herds, many clubsalmost inevitably seem to manage con-servatively for MAXIMUM POPULA-TION by harvesting too many antleredbucks and too few does every year.Over the span of a couple of years, thiscauses antler declines and habitat deteri-oration due to overpopulation caused bypoor food supplies and decreased carry-ing capacity. It also creates a skewed sexratio favoring does.

When accurate records are lacking, agood rule of thumb to stabilize a heavily hunted population (i.e. highbuck harvest) is to harvest does at therate of 0.6 that of the antlered bucks.The reasons for this doe factor are: 1)does are usually born into the popula-tion in slightly lower numbers thanbucks; and 2) does often die from causes other than legal hunting at ahigher rate than bucks. This percentagewill stabilize the population in mostcases where there are no buck harvest restrictions. If any restrictions areplaced on the antlered buck harvest(such as a season bag limit of one per member, or antler restriction of 4 points on one side, or any reducedhunting pressure on bucks in an effort to maintain an older age structure) then this stabilization factoroften exceeds 1.0 (does per antleredbuck). These percentages are reflected

in Table 1, options 2 or 3. Many clubsstatewide are currently harvesting lessthan 50% does per antlered buck eachyear even though the statewide averagehas been running near 50% for severalyears. Low doe harvest rates on someclubs combined with excessively highharvest of bucks each year, causes asteadily increasing population in whichbody and antler conditions decline, the population sex ratio skews greatlytoward does, and fawn production per doe declines.

If your club has decided to selectQUALITY DEER MANAGEMENT(QDM) or TROPHY BUCK MANAGEMENT strategies, then you must limit the percent of yearlingsin the antlered buck harvest to less than 50%. Success in these strategies is determined in part by the number of bucks harvested during the season.Typically, you can not harvest morethan 5 bucks per square mile in QDMor TROPHY BUCK MANAGEMENT.This will often require a reduction from your current buck harvest.Although this reduction will not beeasy, there are several ways to accomplish it. One is the season limit rule where all harvest of antlered bucks on the club is stopped as soon as the season limit (6 in our example) is reached no matter when this occurs during the season. Anotherapproach is to reduce the antlered bag limit per member from 2 to 1. Of course, one possible method ofreducing buck harvest is selection based on antler size. A selective buckharvest system can be installed

20

to successfully implement the QUALI-TY DEER or TROPHY BUCKoptions. There are many variations ofthis basic selective harvest theme thatcan be tailored to the club and thehabitat. Two methods which arealready being implemented in severalGeorgia counties are to harvest 1).bucks with 4 points on one side or bet-ter; or 2) bucks with a 15-inch orgreater outside spread. All smallerbucks are passed up. (Note: a 15-inchspread is the approximate width be-tween the tips of bucks’ ears when theyare extended outward in alert position).This restriction criteria is only appro-priate for the best habitat and consis-tent “big deer” areas. We recommendagainst a 16-inch spread restrictionbecause in many parts of Georgia even4 1/2 year old or older bucks will notexceed this spread.

A selective harvest system must be care-fully tailored to the condition of thedeer herd.

Shooting all spike bucks in parts of theMountains and Coastal Plain, forexample, would be counter- productivesince virtually all of the 1 1/2 year-oldbucks are spikes in these areas. On theother extreme, in portions of thePiedmont and Upper Coastal Plain,there are many herds which have lessthan 50% of the yearling bucks withspikes. Some clubs take some spikesunder these conditions in an attempt toinfluence the genetic quality of the deerherd. Whether it really does any goodor not probably varies on every piece of

property and is still a subject fordebate. Given older age, spikes willusually grow to reasonable qualitybucks. It is unlikely that selectivelyharvesting spikes will improve the qual-ity of the herd. Wildlife biologists canprovide valuable information andadvice on selective harvests tailored toyour local area and the condition ofyour deer herd.

Shooting spikes to improve genetic quality of your deer herd is a

questionable practice which may not produce any positive results.

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Quality Deer Management(QDM)

In the 1960’s, deer management inGeorgia consisted primarily of resto-ration. As deer numbers graduallyincreased into viable populationsacross the state, hunters harvestedsurplus animals (frequently bucksonly)and began the initial phase ofpopulation control in some areas.Over the years, this management was fine tuned as the WildlifeResources Division utilized bag lim-its, season length, and either sexhunting days to manage the deerherd. Hunters and their harvest continue to be the primary tool fordeer herd management.

A slightly different approach to this tra-ditional form of deer management isQuality Deer Management (QDM). InQDM, additional efforts are made tomanage the age structure and sex ratioto improve herd and hunt quality. Thismanagement is accomplished by pro-tecting young bucks while harvestingenough does to maintain the popula-tion below the carrying capacity of thehabitat. As these protected bucksadvance into older age classes, they pro-duce a more natural age structure andopportunities for hunters to hunt forolder aged bucks. As with any othermanagement strategy, there are bothadvantages and disadvantages to consid-er before you or your club decides toimplement QDM.

Advantages of QDM. The combina-tion of protecting young bucks while

managing the deer population belowthe carrying capacity of the habitat creates a more natural and balanced age structure in the population. If herd restrictions are sufficient toimprove habitat conditions, the resultsare more available food for increasedbody weights, reproduction, and antler development. As more bucks advanceinto the older age classes, chances oftaking a quality animal increase. Forthis reason, QDM is often referred toas “trophy deer management.” Actually, older bucks are more of a by-product of a properly practicedQDM program. In true trophy man-agement, the goal is to produce somesubstantially older bucks for harvesttypically from a low deer population.

QDM philosophy encourages hunterparticipation at the management level.Instead of being primarily resourceusers, hunters have increased controlover deer herd development.Hunter/managers become moreinvolved with land and habitatimprovement, which in turn benefitsother wildlife species and often leads to economic benefits for the landowner.

Disadvantages of QDM. The imme-diate and most noticeable effects experi-enced by hunting clubs or landownersimplementing QDM involve the drastic reduction in total buck harvest. This reduction can be offset in some situations by increased doe harvests;however, once the population is low-ered to below carrying capacity, the doeharvest will also need to be reduced.The bottom line is usually an overall

22

reduction in the total deer harvest.This can often be prevented, however,by a concurrent increase in food supply.

QDM does not produce quick results.Often 5 years or more is required forenough bucks to move into the olderage classes. Even then, despite the deer being larger, there will be fewerbucks to harvest as compared to tradi-tional management. Additionally, areduced deer population means thatfewer total deer will be seen. Several of these negative factors can be overcome by habitat improvementswhich increase deer food supplies such as high quality food plots. Thesefactors may lead to hunter dissatisfac-tion and ultimately decrease hunter participation. This could cause monumental problems within hunting clubs where it is essential that all members work together to realize QDM goals.

QDM will not work on all propertiesin all regions or all counties. There are many variables, such as surroundinghunting pressure current deer densities,and habitat that may prevent apprecia-ble gains in deer quality even after setting buck harvest criteria and population goals. Attempts at QDM in these areas may lead to a frustratedhunting experience.

Over the last few years, there has been a tremendous amount of media coverage regarding QDM including TV programs, magazine articles, andprivate and state-sponsored informationmeetings. In spite of all these

information outlets, QDM’s biggestproblem involves unrealistic expecta-tions. QDM is no better than theeffort individuals or groups put into theprogram. Often, a club or landownerwill attempt to implement some type ofQDM harvest strategy without consid-ering basic background informationsuch as the current condition of thedeer herd and habitat. QDM is not thefast track to the Boone & Crockettrecord book. If so, it would be calledBoone and Crockett Deer Manage-ment. It moves slightly higher percent-ages of bucks into the mature age class-es, but actual antler size is also influ-enced by numerous other variablesincluding nutrition.

PRO1.QDM produces an older buck agestructure than produced by traditionalmanagement.

2.QDM increases chances of huntingfor and killing a large buck which isimportant to many hunters.

3.Aggressive doe harvests, which maybe required for QDM, produce deerherds within biological and sociological carrying capacity.

4.QDM encourages hunters to viewthemselves as resource managers as wellas resource users.

5.Hunter-managers are more likely tocomply voluntarily with hunting regu-lations and to report observed viola-tions.

6.Improved hunt quality may have pos-itive economic benefits

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for landowners and communities.

7.Special management may renew interest in deer hunting for somehunters.

CON1.QDM will reduce total buck harvest.

2.Reduced populations resulting fromaggressive doe harvests reduces huntersatisfaction for some.

3.This technique will not work equallywell everywhere, and consistent regula-tions will not be possible because ofdifferences in habitat quality, genealogy,and herd condition between counties.

4.QDM protection of 1 1/2 year-oldbucks eliminates many biologicaltools for monitoring populationsincluding current computer models.QDM requires more intensive andexpensive biological data collection.

5.Various antler restrictions decrease thepublic’s ability to understand huntingregulations and increases law enforce-ment problems.

6.Restrictive regulations reduce resourceavailability and hunter participationespecially by casual and young hunters.

7.QDM by state regulation eliminatesother valid options hunters have formanaging deer herds including maxi-mum sustainable yield.

8.The nonhunting public does not sup-port trophy hunting. The distinctionsbetween QDM and trophy huntingmay be too fine for the average non-hunter to understand.

9.QDM regulations may result in high-er lease fees than otherwise would havebeen required.

There are several ways that land owners or deer hunting clubs can improve deerhabitat or deer herd carrying capacity on their land. Agricultural food plots are

an important tool.

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Habitat Management

There are several ways that landown-ers or deer hunting clubs attempt toimprove deer habitat or deer herdcarrying capacity on their land:1)timber management practices fordeer; 2)installation of food plots;3)fertilizing native fruit or nut-bear-ing trees or vines. 4)application ofsalt-mineral mix; and 5)supplementalfeeding for deer. Note: salt and sup-plemental feed do not improve habi-tat quality or the carrying capacity ofthe land. Neither practice is recom-mended or endorsed by WRD andneither is as valuable as food plots orother habitat management practices.

1)Timber management practices fordeer include reduction in size of cut-ting units, thinning and prescribedburning, use of seed tree and shelter-wood cuts, managing for older timberstands, wider spacing between plantedpines, and saving a hardwood compo-nent of 20% or greater concentrated instreamside management zones.Management for browse, soft mast, andhard mast (oaks) are important for yourdeer herd. Detailed timber manage-ment practices are beyond the scope ofthis booklet. In addition, many deerhunters do not have the authority tomanage the timber on their leasedhunting lands. For specific timbermanagement details and possible finan-cial assistance with forestry relatedwildlife management, contact your localWildlife Resources Division wildlifebiologist.

2)Food plots are an excellent way ofestablishing a high quality food sourcefor deer. See Tables 2 and 3 for fall andspring deer food plot mixtures, plantingdates and seeding rates. If you can getpermission to plant and have access to atractor and harrows, and don’t havelarge acreages of wheat, soybeans, alfal-fa, corn, or grain sorghum on or nearyour property, chances are good thatyou can attract, produce, and harvestmore deer with food plots. They maybe a key ingredient for success in yourdeer management program especially inindustrial pine forests.

What should you plant? First of all, theimportance of lime and fertilizer mustbe emphasized. Get a soil test and sub-mit to your County Extension Agentfor lime and fertilizer recommenda-tions. Lacking a soil test, you can guessthat most soils in Georgia will need 2tons of lime per acre for best results.Application of lime costs roughly $50to $l00 per acre the first year but willlast for 5 to 8 years without reapplying.Spreader trucks are much more cost-effective and efficient than trying tospread bagged lime by hand or tractor.

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Seed and fertilizer costs range from $50to $100 per acre in the establishment yearfor perennials and every year for annuals.You will be way ahead of the game if youcan plant a perennial food plot whichcomes back from its own root system yearafter year versus annuals which must bereseeded every year. Studies have shownthat costs per ton of forage produced fordeer dropped from $70 per ton in thefirst year to $12 per ton in the secondyear by using perennials. The next bestchoice is reseeding annuals which comeback from seed every year. Anything youcan do to avoid planting the same plotyear after year would help reduce costs. Ifyou can properly lime and fertilize the soilaccording to a soil test, then clover/grassmixtures are the best low maintenancefoodplot for deer. An excellent perennialmixture which will grow statewide (exceptin deep sands) is the top one listed inTable 2. Be sure to innoculate the cloverand lightly cover the seed with 1/4 inchof soil. Bushhog this food plot once per

year in August and fertilize in September.The clover should persist for a 3-5 yearperiod. Plant this mixture in Septemberor early October for best growth. A goodreseeding annual food plot for sandy soilsis the crimson clover, arrowleaf clover,ryegrass mixture. This mixture will reseedthe following year if mowed in Augustand fertilized in September. A light disk-ing may be required on some soils inGeorgia. On those sites that cannot belimed, plant a fertilized mix of wheat orrye mixed with crimson clover. Thecrimson clover will reseed when mowedthe following August.

In late winter, a mix of arrowleafclover, red clover and oats or rye-grass can be frost-seeded or drilledon fallow ground with very goodresults (Table 3). In late spring,grain sorghum (especially bird-resis-tant varieties) is an excellent annualfood source for deer (Table 3). It is similar to corn but is

Browse exclosures (cages) in food plots help you determine differences between heavygrazing pressure and poor crop performance.

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drought tolerant and much easier togrow. It is adapted to all regions andshould be broadcast in May or June byitself or mixed with aeschynomene,peas, or millet (Table 3). Contact yourlocal county agent or wildlife biologistfor further details including fertilizationand lime rates.

Greatest use of cool season plots (andtheir greatest value to deer) occur in latefall, winter and early spring. In someyears of acorn scarcity, the plots areused constantly by deer from Septemberthrough March. In areas with high deerdensities, or poor food supplies, deerhave been known to severely overgrazesmall food plots, therefore, plots at leastone acre in size are preferable. However, one big asset of both cloverand small grains (wheat, oats and rye) istheir ability to withstand extreme graz-ing pressure.

In small plots on lands with high deerpopulations,soybeans, cowpeas, or mostany summer legume are not recom-mended due to problems with severeovergrazing soon after germination.Jointvetch (aeschynomene)and alyceclover are two exceptions which canwithstand heavier grazing pressure andprovide good late summer forage espe-cially in the Coastal Plain during thelate summer stress period. In largerplots (probably 3 acres or bigger), ironclay peas mixed with grain sorghum is acombination which may provide graz-ing all summer long without overgraz-ing (Table 3). If peas are killed by deeroverbrowsing, then the sorghum stillpersists and produces.

3)Fertilizer is an easy, often overlookedand under-utilized way of providinggreater quality and quantity of food fordeer. Japanese honeysuckle is amongthe best of all deer foods but is oftentaken for granted in Georgia. Fertiliza-tion of honeysuckle greatly increasesquality and production. Find a sunlitpatch of honeysuckle on the ground(not clumped in trees), or make one bycutting away competing brush. Fertilizethis patch with 150 lbs of ammoniumnitrate and 50 lbs of super phosphateper acre twice per year - once in Marchand once in September. The resultinggrowth and deer browsing pressure willbe apparent almost immediately.Fertilizer can also help fruit and nutbearing species such as crabapple, persimmon, grape, plum and even oaktrees. These will require a completefertilizer such as 10-10-10. As a

general rule, apply 1 lb of 10-10-10 per inch of the diameter at breast heightfor fruit and 2 lbs. per inch for nutbearing trees in the month of March.Fertilizer should be evenly appliedunder the dripline canopy of these trees. Contact your local county exten-sion agent for details.

4)Salt itself (sodium chloride) is usedreadily by deer but has not been provento be beneficial to them. In Georgia, itis illegal to hunt over salt except whenall salt has melted into the ground andnone remains visible on the surface ofthe ground. This will occur if salt isput out in late winter or spring. Deeruse of salt generally is heavy in spring,moderate in summer and much reducedin the fall.

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Sodium is a minor component (1%) ofantlers but the need for sodium or mag-nesium by deer has not been deter-mined. The need for Calcium andPhosphorus in a 2:1 ratio has beenestablished but more research is neededon the subject. Mineral mixes areavailable which contain high Calcium(16%) and Phosphorus (8%) in addi-tion to 30-50% Sodium Chloride (salt)and some trace minerals including mag-nesium. These minerals are generallylacking in Georgia soils and conse-quently may be lacking in deer diets.Providing these minerals mixed with asalt, which deer definitely crave, mayfulfill known deficiencies in deer diet.Although the link has not been clearlyproven by research, the minerals provid-ed through salt mixes may improveantler growth. One 50 lb. bag of highcalcium/phosphorus mineral mix perevery 300-600 acres applied in late win-ter every year may help buck antler

development or other metabolic needsof deer. This mix should be poured in ashallow hole on flat ground in heavyclay soil and mixed lightly with the soil.However, salt applications definitelywill not substitute for a lack of otherhabitat work. Other deer managementefforts (like food plots or proper doeharvest) have much more impact thansalt licks. 5)Supplemental feeding of deer withcorn, pelleted ration or other feed notgrown on the area always has been con-troversial among wildlife managers.Hunting over bait is illegal in Georgia,so feed must be completely removed 10days before the season opens or be con-fined to areas greater than 300 yearsfrom hunting and not in sight ofhunters at any distance. Properly done,feed must be put out for a long enoughtime and in enough quantity to increasedeer carrying capacity during the most

A soil test provides information vital to the success of your food plot.

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stressful period of the year (usually win-ter). A winter feeding program can the-oretically result in more deer (or health-ier ones) carried through the year.Studies show that long term supple-mental feeding will increase carryingcapacity for deer if it is done consistent-ly year after year throughout the naturalstress periods. However, costs can bevery high, ranging from $13 to $83 perdeer per year. Food plots are muchmore cost effective than supplementalfeed. Supplemental feeding, however,can be expensive and can cause herdhealth problems and habitat damagewhen it is discontinued. Also, feedingwith corn and other grains greatlyincreases the chances of aflatoxin moldinfestation which can be detrimental oreven lethal to wild turkeys or otherbirds.

There is debate over the relative value ofcorn versus pelleted ration for supple-mental feeding deer. Usually, pelletsprove superior in food shortages butwild deer prefer corn during usual win-ter conditions. Corn may be an ade-quate (and less expensive) supplementwhen deer have access to native browse.Although low in protein, corn is high inenergy and is highly digestible. Since itis also low in fiber, vitamins and miner-als, deer supplemented with corn needaccess to these dietary needs from othersources. Although supplemental feed-ing can raise carrying capacity artificial-ly, there is still a limit to the number ofdeer the land can support without dam-aging its basic productivity. Basic habi-tat problems are never solved by supple-mental feeding.

Summary

Lets take some time to summarize theimportant steps for managing your deerherd properly: 1)establish an objectivefor your deer herd 2)keep accurate deerharvest records (especially ages) 3)design your doe harvest strategy basedon last year’s buck harvest and 4)moni-tor the age and antler development ofyour buck harvest to continually adjustyour total harvest in relation to yourharvest objectives.

The rules of thumb and managementadvice contained in this brochure donot necessarily apply to every propertyor deer herd in Georgia. The manyexceptions that exist point to the needfor the collection of data specifically foryour hunting land and to the interpre-tation of those data by a qualified (cer-tified) wildlife biologist. Be carefulabout accepting advice from a self-pro-claimed wildlife biologist who has nothad appropriate training and certifica-tion to support their recommendations.Like a physician diagnosing the cause ofan illness and recommending the pre-scription necessary for a cure, a biolo-gist’s prescription is only as good as theinformation obtained from the patient.Consistent, accurate deer data insuresan accurate diagnosis and sound treat-ment and guarantees a good prognosisfor your deer herd.

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FOOD PLOT CHECKLIST(Everyone over 49 needs a list)

✔ KNOW YOUR ACREAGE-DON’T GUESS!

✔ GOOD ground preparation (plow, disk, smooth).

✔ Get soil test.

✔ Apply lime (usually1-3 tons/acre).

✔ Apply fertilizer (usually 500-800 pounds/acre...don’t skimp)

Add 1 pound/acre Boron)

✔ Innoculate legume seed (or buy it pre-innoculated) and don’t

let it get too hot, its live bacteria.

✔ Broadcast or drill seed.

✔ Cover lightly-1/4 inch deep!

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Aging Deer(See Back Cover)

You can learn how to tell the age ofboth buck and doe deer by using theirteeth. The first part of what you needto know is easy - its tooth replacement.With a little knowledge you can sortdeer killed in the fall into three groups.The groups are 1/2 year old (fawns),1 1/2 year olds (yearlings), and adults(2 1/2 years old and older).

Here’s how. First, remove one entirelower jawbone - one side is all youneed. The incisor teeth are out at theend - ignore these. Look only at theteeth on the side of the jaw (jawteeth).Count the teeth. These teeth, themolars and premolars vary in size andhave up to three cusps, or little peaks,on each one. The teeth are packedtightly together, so look carefully tomake sure where each tooth begins andends. If there are less than six teeth, thedeer is a fawn (1/2 year old). If thereare six teeth - the maximum number -look carefully at the third tooth fromthe small end (front). This is called thethird premolar (P3) (see back cover).Count the number of cusps or peaks onthis tooth. If there are three, the deer isa yearling - about 1 1/2 years old. Asthe deer approaches 2 years old, thethree cusped premolar which is a babytooth, is forced out by a new two-cusped tooth, which grows in fromunderneath. If the third premolar (P3)is a brand-new unstained two-cuspedtooth, sharp-edged, and not quite up tothe height of the tops of the adjacentteeth, the deer is still in the 1 1/2 yearold age category. Sometimes you can

see the two-cusped premolar under-neath the three-cusped tooth after thejaw is cleaned of muscle.

If the third premolar is two-cusped andfullgrown up to the height of the restand shows some stain and wear, thenthe deer is 2 1/2 years old or more.These rules apply to both bucks anddoes.

To tell the exact age of deer in the 2 1/2

year and older category, you need toknow how to evaluate wear on theteeth. This is much more difficult andsubjective. To see the wear, look downat the top of the teeth - you will seewhite enamel on the outside borderinga dark line of dentine inside. The rela-tive width of dentine showing on thehighest crowns of the 3 rear teeth(molars) allows a biologist to evaluatewear and estimate the age of older deer.As deer get older and wear increases, thewidth of the dentine line becomeswider than the surrounding enamelline. This occurs from front to back.On the first molar (adjacent to P3), ifthe dentine is wider than the enamel,the deer is 3 1/2 or older. If the dentineis also wider than the enamel on thesecond molar, the deer is 4 1/2 or older.If it is wider on the third molar, thedeer is 5 1/2 or older. At 6 1/2, the firstmolar pretty much becomes flat andsmooth. At 7 1/2, this happens to thesecond molar and again to the lastmolar at 8 1/2. It is rare to see a doeolder than 8 1/2 and extremely rare toencounter a buck this old. Besides, formanagement purposes, ages beyond thisare relatively meaningless.

CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE (CWD)

For more information visit us on the web at www.gohuntgeorgia.com or call (770)918-6416.

Sampling during the 2002-2003 deer hunting season included sites in Dawson, Harris, Macon, Marion,

Oconee and Toombs Counties. Collections came from hunter-harvested deer. A total of 336 samples were

collected under this program. All samples have been tested. The results from these samples are all non-

detection of CWD. This is certainly good news, but additional samples in future years remain to be tested in

accordance with our targeted surveillance program.

While no evidence currently exists to indicate that CWD has made it into our quality

deer herd, discoveries of the disease in Minnesota, New Mexico, Wisconsin and several

other states has proven that no state should consider itself immune. As a result, the

Georgia Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) initiated a 5-year survey this past deer

season in an attempt to determine if Georgia’s white-tailed deer herd may have been

infected with CWD.

Even though WRD is not expecting to find animals testing positive for CWD, Georgians will benefit

from knowing that our deer are being sampled. If CWD is detected during the survey, Georgia will likely

benefit from the proactive survey and can take steps to control the disease. You can help proactively protect

Georgia’s quality deer herd against the disease by:

• Reporting illegal importation of deer or elk and illegal baiting by calling (800) 241-

4113.

• Discouraging management practices that result in high concentrations of deer over small

areas including supplemental feeding, baiting of deer, and lack of adequate doe harvest.

These practices increase disease risk by concentrating sick deer with healthy deer.

Boone and Crockett Bucks Entered in All-Time Record Book Through 2000

Georgia and Surrounding States

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3 0

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Pope and Young Bucks

Georgia and Surrounding States (1980-2001)

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100

120

140

160

180

200

Alabama Florida Georgia S.Carolina Tennessee

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