Deer Management | Manage for Better Whitetail!

Deer Management: Improving Whitetail & Their Habitat

Deer management can be an exciting and rewarding endeavor, but land managers often find the process daunting, and possibly confusing. This site is dedicated to helping land managers better understand how to manage a white-tailed deer herd. It offers science-based information and techniques that will help you improve deer and their habitat. As deer hunting has grown in popularity across the U.S., both landowners and hunters want to know what they can do to produce quality white-tailed deer.

Practicing deer management can improve buck quality. — Image via sfchronicle.com

Although whitetail are found in a variety of habitats, similar management techniques can be used effectively on properties to improve a deer herd. We cover the details of habitat enhancement, white-tailed deer forage requirements, cover types required by deer, deer surveys — anything related to deer herd improvement. The information found within this site will help you develop strategies to move forward with an effective deer management program on your property!

Deer Management Overview

You are here because like most land managers and deer hunters you want a high-quality white-tailed deer herd on your 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. Regardless of why you want to better the deer herd on your property, we will offer you practical ways to do it.

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 table fare. 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 local considerations, general guidelines can be followed which will lead to a better deer management program — and better deer hunting.

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. Without proper fawning cover, you will not produce deer. And without proper whitetail food, deer will never achieve the quality of deer you desire.

Brush Management for Deer Management

The total number of deer using a property is critically important. 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. Again, this site is focused on helping dedicated landowners and sportsmen better manage the deer habitat and deer herds found on their lands. Let’s keep the momentum going!

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 bring in stocker deer to have bigger bucks. There are no secrets to producing a healthy deer herd and high-quality bucks, but you do have to be committed to:

Maintaining or improving deer cover
Improving deer nutrition
Conducting deer surveys annually
Harvesting deer based on what the data says

Best Option for Deer Management?

Land managers and hunters often want to know what is the best option for deer management on their land? There is no easy answer to this question because each property is different from another. The deer herd that uses a property is different from one another. In addition, the people managing a deer herd do not always have the same goals and objectives.

Articles found on the site cover specific management strategies for deer. Some are very straight forward. 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 having a successful 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 goals.

How do You Manage Deer on a Property

It all starts from the ground up. Actually, it starts below the ground — soils. Soils and precipitation are super important when it comes to the ability of a property to produce forage for deer. You’re thinking, “I can’t change the soils found on my property.” And yes, you are correct. It is important, however, to acknowledge what you can and can not do on different parts of your property. This will relate directly to the habitat and habitat practices that are implemented on certain parts of your property.

White-tailed deer eat a variety of plants, and different plants become important during different times of the year. As for any wildlife species, the most important seasons for deer are the seasons in which they are most 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 things such as food resources and stress, and how does that relate to deer body condition? Well, as you will learn, body condition of both bucks and does is the most important component of your deer herd. And does are more important than bucks when managing a deer herd!

Quality Deer Management Sign — Image via deerassociation.com

What is Quality Deer Management?

Most land managers and hunters interested in deer are interested in quality deer management. This idea centers around the concept that habitat is enhanced on a property and deer numbers are manipulated so that they are in balance with the natural forage found on the property. It can be taken even further if age-based, selective harvest is implemented to maintain good age structure within the buck segment of the population.

One of the pitfalls of deer management is just addressing habitat or just addressing the deer population. You can’t just shoot “cull bucks” and call it deer management. For real results, it takes healthy plant communities and the right number of deer. Too many deer means not enough food per animal. Too few deer and the overall hunter experience declines with harvest opportunities. Like anything that is to be managed, the goal/s should be determined prior to starting. Then, objectives can be established by the land manager to reach the goal/s.

One objective of a land manager is to find the balance between the natural food supply on the land and the deer using it. The individual body condition of each deer using your property comprises 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 (you sure can), but I will tell you that food is what you must ultimately seek to manage for in order to improve your deer herd.

Managing for quality habitat and quality deer means:

Habitat enhancement
Providing plant communities
Maintaining appropriate deer numbers
Maintaining desired buck to doe ratio
Conducting deer surveys annually
Developing harvest recommendations using data
Buck harvest using age-based criteria

To make this happen, sometimes you have to put in work making the property better. At other times, you may have to grab a gun and reduce the number of animals using the property. Realistically, it’s going to take a combination of these actions on an annual basis.

How Many Acres for Deer Management?

White-tailed deer management can take place on any size property. However, a manager must realize that management on a property of 100 acres will be different than a property of 1,000 acres or 10,000 acres. Managing deer on small acreage definitely has some limitations. For example, most deer have ranges 4-10 times larger than 100 acres, so the management, lack of management or mismanagement of neighboring lands is always going to be a factor effecting the deer using your property.

A large acreage property is also difficult to manage because of the scale at which everything takes places. Habitat enhancement is more difficult (and costly), conducting surveys to estimate deer numbers is more challenging, and meeting annual harvest requirements takes more time. It takes a lot of effort to reduce a deer population by 100, 200 or more animals on an annual basis.

I hope that it’s becoming obvious that there are no shortcuts to managing whitetail and their habitat. But as challenging as it can be, it’s also just as rewarding. Land managers experience a great deal of satisfaction by improving the habitat found on a property and the deer herd found there through active management.

There is no one way to improve a deer herd. The practices and strategies necessary will vary by property and situation. Practices and strategies will vary on a property over time. This site covers the numerous options land managers have when it comes to habitat and deer herd improvement. There are several ways to get there and they are discussed in detail, by topic, throughout this site. As I said earlier, there are no secrets to deer management, but it will take time and work. You can do it.

Hypogonadism in Deer

Stag bucks can result from the condition hypogonadism. Hypogonadism is fairly common in parts of Central Texas. Hypogonadism stag bucks keep antlers in velvet year-round and are sterile.

What is Hypogonadism in Deer?

White-tailed bucks afflicted with hypogonadism are somewhat common in parts of the Texas Hill County. The majority of these stag bucks come from the “granite gravel” soil. This soil type dominates much of Llano County and Mason County. This type of soil also extends slightly into counties bordering to the north and south.

In normal years, the incidence of stag bucks in the Edwards Plateau region is low, with 5-10 percent of bucks having hypogonadism. During years of increased hypogonadism, incidence in granite gravel areas can rise 50 to 80%. In certain years, some areas reported over 40 percent of bucks killed were stag bucks.

Hypogonadism in Deer Results in Stag Bucks

Hypogonadism in Deer in Central Texas

The cause of hypogonadism in deer is unknown, but research suggests that the condition seems related to post-drought conditions. Researchers believe it must be caused by consumption of some plant containing a gonadotoxin that proliferates in granite gravel soils following drought.

Unfortunately, such a plant was never identified in the Texas Hill Country by researchers. Generally speaking, veterinarians believe that consumption of certain plants associated with the breaking of drought causes increased deer health problems.

For example, Sitka black-tailed deer on Kodiak Island in Alaska exhibit a high rate of hypogonadism, abnormal antler growth, and odd antler shedding. Researchers hypothesize that it may be the result of long-term consumption of plants high in estrogen.

In the granite gravel area of the Edwards Plateau, it is theorized that pregnant females consuming these phytoestrogens pass these substances to male fetuses via placenta causing hypogonadism before birth. Furthermore, it’s suggested that whitetail bucks can contract the condition later in life if their own diet is high in phytoestrogens.

Plants Cause Hypogonadism?

The theory is that bucks be impacted prior to or after birth. If while in the womb, hypogonadism is caused by plants that pregnant does are consuming during gestation. Two plants in the region can become abnormally high in natural plant estrogens have been mentioned as possible causes of hypogonadism in bucks.

Unfortunately, there is no evidence to support the claim. That said, the two plants identified seem to make sense based on their characteristics. Spikemoss is a low, mat-forming plant related to ferns that grows in granite outcrops. It’s the first plant to “green up” following prolonged drought. As a result, spikemoss may be eaten by gestating does in abnormally high amounts in late-winter and early-spring.

In addition, peavine is an annual weed that is common in wet springs in the granite gravel area of the Hill County. It’s especially prolific following drought when there is a lot of bare ground. It’s been noted by veterinarians that abnormally high levels of selenium in deer diets can cause pen-raised bucks to not shed their antlers. Peavine is known to contain high levels of selenium, so it may contribute to hypogonadism in bucks.

Managing Hypogonadism in Deer

There seems to be no easy answer to hypogonadism when it comes to white-tailed deer management. Though two plants have been hypothesized to cause the condition in deer, it turns out that many plants can be high in estrogen. As a result, there may be no way to manage the habitat or deer population to improve the situation.

It is interesting that hypogonadism is most common in the granite gravel area of Central Texas. There is definitely something in the soil, or so it seems. It is possible that there may be some synergistic effects of plant toxins, compounds, or estrogens combined with high levels of some trace minerals in these soils. The cause remains a mystery, but hypogonadism has an impact on deer management in this area. Stag bucks remain in velvet year-round and are sterile, so they use habitat and provide little in return.

Coyote Control for Managing Deer and Reducing Predation

Question: “We are interested in whitetail deer management. Specifically, we want to use predator (coyote) control to increase the number of deer on our property. We have 278 acres in North Texas. We have worked on improving the habitat over the past 3 years by attempting to increase browse cover and plant diversity. From what you know, does predator/coyote control work to get deer numbers up. We’ve read that coyotes are huge predators of deer fawns. It would stand to reason that removing fawn predators would help overall survival? Thanks.”

Response: Are Predators Really Limiting Deer in Your Area?

If you are looking to protect your deer herd, is the population on of deer in the area low? If it is low, is that due to predators or is there something else you could do to better benefit the existing deer herd? In your case, it sounds like you have started to improve habitat for deer, but can more be done. Is the deer population actually low or do you just want more deer? First, figure out exactly how many deer you have by carrying out surveys for deer in the late summer. Then take a close look at the plants deer use and eat and see if this number can go up or needs to go down.

When it comes to whitetail numbers, in most cases there are better explanations than excessive predators on as to why deer populations are low. In areas where deer abundance is high, predators on is an important tool in population on control. In the absence of all predation, most hunters would be incapable of harvesting enough animals to manage a whitetail deer population on on a landscape level.

Can You Reduce Predators in the Name of Deer Management

A study conducted in 1974 on the King Ranch in Texas compared two areas, one with extensive predator control (steel traps, various poisons, and shooting) and one without any predator control. Both areas consisted of roughly 5,000 acres. The area in which predators were extensively controlled for two years showed an increase of fawn survival by an average of 68% and also a noticeable increase in overall deer abundance. After the study concluded and predator control was not continued, predator populations in the area where they had been controlled returned to the pre-study levels within 6 months (Beasom, 1974). INTENSIVE predator control worked, but the benefits stops as soon as the control ends.

With this study in mind, most landowners would not be able to conduct such extensive predator control methods and also not have the ability to access acreage of that size in this area. Predator control on small acreage may lead to you seeing less predators on that tract, while in reality no significant reduction in predator numbers has been made at the scale needed to significantly increase the survival of fawns, chicks, or poults. Coyotes can range several miles. It would take intensive coyote control to remove every predator that crosses your property. And you would have to be diligent about continuing to reduce the coyote population for years to come.

Controlling Coyotes is Only the Start

On the vast majority of properties coyotes are not the limiting factor. Research and our instincts tells us that less predators means higher deer survival, especially when it comes to fawns. It’s important to realize that more and more deer are only good up to a point, then they will begin having a negative impact on the habitat, which will in turn cause reproduction to decrease.

Predator control can have a place in a deer hunting and management program, but it should only be a component of a holistic approach. Focus on increasing food, cover, water and usable space and the habitat found on your property as well as the deer that live there will benefit.

Deer With Swollen Ankles: Hoof Area Injury or Disease?

It’s not uncommon to encounter white-tailed deer with swollen ankles or other hoof area injuries. A deer’s lower legs and hooves take a beating and are often cut and poked by sticks, fences and even other deer while fighting. Any open wound has the potential to become infected by a virus or bacteria — and disease can soon set in. Whitetail are incredibly tough animals, but they are susceptible to illness, especially when they are already in poor physical condition from situations such as overpopulation or poor habitat conditions.

Hoof Problems Due to EHD or Bluetongue

Epizootic Hemorrhagic disease, commonly referred to by its acronym, EHD, is an acute, infectious, often fatal, viral disease that affects whitetail, other deer and hoofed animals in general. In areas where EHD is commonly found, mortality rates are lower, usually less than 20 percent of the deer population. In areas where the EHD occurs only occasionally, the death toll from such outbreaks can be much higher on a percentage basis. Like many diseases, the mortality rate will increase with animal density.

The EHD in deer can be caused by epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus or the bluetongue virus. The outward signs of the diseases impact white-tailed deer in the same way, so it’s nearly impossible to identify the culprit with out clinical diagnosis. EHD and bluetongue disease are transmitted by biting midges. The virus does not survive long outside the insect or the deer host.

White-tailed deer can display several physical symptoms depending on the duration of the infection. Bucks, does and fawns that are infected and have the most severe cases of the disease may show no fear, salivate excessively, have foam present around the nose (sometimes with blood), appear weak but in good body condition and may appear to have a swollen head, neck or other areas of the body.

It is also common to find deer in or near water as animals can develop very high fevers and be dehydrated. In some instances of the more chronic forms of EHD or bluetongue, deer may have erosions or ulcerations in their mouth, be very thin, and have detachment of the wall of their hoof (sloughing) making it very hard for them to walk. In deer that recover, abnormal hoof growth is typically the only tell-tale sign that the deer had any issues at all.

Buck with Swollen Ankles and Cracking Hooves

Are Swollen Ankles in Deer Stress Related?

There are beliefs that many times hoof issues in whitetail are the results of secondary bacterial infections, as the issues appears to show up in deer herds that are in poor physical condition. This can often be the case in areas where deer populations have exceeded the carrying capacity of the habitat or in areas where habitat condition has decline rapidly because of drought. In bucks, it can even be a rut-related decline in overall body condition. Even with that being a factor, the primary cause of hoof and foot issues in individual deer is unknown. There is also the possibility of environmental contamination or another not yet diagnosed viral disease.

It’s important not to over react if a single sick deer or a single buck with a swollen ankles is observed. Its condition could stem from anything. However, if several deer are exhibiting the same symptoms then it’s time to take action. Animals, including deer, that are in good physical condition tend not to get sick, go lame. Foundering, another hoof issue that can impact deer, is often diet related. If ankle/hoof related injuries are the result of secondary infections then the number one goal should always be to maintain healthy individual deer. If the overwhelming majority of deer are healthy then so to is the population in the area.

The number one way to maintain healthy deer is through good nutrition. This means managing for proper deer density in free-ranging and enclosed deer herds. In areas where deer are seemingly healthy, it may be a good idea to move supplemental feeders after issues develop in an area. And again, a single deer that appears sick, diseased or has swollen ankles is nothing to become alarmed about. Anything can happen to an animal. If you notice several deer all exhibiting the same issues, then there is likely a bigger problem.

Deer Management Practices During the Summer

There really is little down time on properties that are interested in white-tailed deer management. As soon as one whitetail hunting season is over another year begins in preparation for the next. One of the most important deer management practices is harvest (aka population control), which takes place in the fall, but almost every other activity takes place during another time of the year. Most work with regards to deer habitat improvement, food plots, supplemental water and other projects take place at some time outside of the standard deer hunting season.

Summertime Deer Management Practices

Deer management activities will vary somewhat by month depending on the part of the US where your property is located, but the generalizations below will cover much of the whitetail’s range. Though it is always best to accomplish as much of the habitat work as possible during the cooler months, such as post-season, some activities can only accomplished when temperatures rise:

June – Continue to develop summer food plots and or protein feeders for supplemental forage. This will increase antler growth and help fawn production. Advertise deer lease openings to get open spots filled well before hunting season starts. If rains continue in to the heat, spot fertilize browse plants for increased deer nutrition.
July – It’s never to early to start building, repairing and placing out stands. Many hunters forget to check these items in the off season, only to remember they are not in great shape come hunting season. Also tune up hunting vehicles and maintain roadways for property access. Get ready for deer surveys, which will be just around the corner.
August – Maintain supplemental feeding of pellets into the hottest time of the year. Bucks will be wrapping up antler growth, but does will be nursing fawns that are much larger now, but food will be scarce. Start planning winter food plots for your area. Begin conducting deer surveys, which may include daylight incidental deer observations of deer, spotlight surveys, stand counts and deer surveys using trail cameras.

Habitat for Deer Management

The key to deer management is habitat and the size of the deer population. To understand how certain factors can limit white-tailed deer population on a property, it is important to understand the concept of carrying capacity. Basically, the carrying capacity of a whitetail range refers to the maximum number of deer the habitat can support. If the size of the whitetail herd is too close to carrying capacity, the size of the deer herd will rise during favorable years (high rainfall) and decline during poor ones (low rainfall).

Many managers want the maximum number of animals the land can support, but this is not the best good practice. A deer management program should try to achieve optimum carrying capacity, which means finding and maintaining a deer population number at which the animals are in good condition and can meet their needs on a sustained basis. If the deer look skinny or their coats look in disarray during the summer, the deer are probably not be in good condition. If the brush and low-growing trees show more than 50 percent of the branches have been browsed, the property is holding too many deer.

Food, water, cover and space are the habitat components that determine suitability for wildlife. Deer management practices should focus on keeping all of these at optimal levels for a whitetail population. Many times, manipulating the deer population itself helps to maintain food and cover. It takes good surveys to track the population from year to year, and Rome was not built in a day, so get started and you’ll have a good handle on what’s happening on the landscape in a couple of years.

Deer with Swollen Jaw and Cheeks, Lumpy Jaw

A deer with a swollen mouth, jaw or cheeks can be the result of one of several things gone wrong. Often times hunters will notice these animals in game camera photos or on the hoof while deer hunting. It can be troublesome to landowners engaged in a deer management program, especially if it’s found in one of the better bucks on their ranch. The causes of swollen jaws, cheeks and deer with otherwise lumpy jaws typically results from arterial worms, cuts within the animal’s mouth that leads to food impaction, or even bacterial infection.

The photos below are of a buck that had a food impaction. The deer was located somewhere in Central Texas and I received the following information via email from a hunter. It was fortunate that the ailment could be diagnosed because after it was observed in the field the deer was subsequently shot.

“Back in late October I received a photo of a buck that looked to have food compaction/ lumpy jaw. Then again this week I received another photo of the same buck, but from a different hunter on a different ranch. The buck was killed by the second hunter and after discussion with him on the phone he cut into the mass and confirmed that it was food compaction. See photos attached.”

Continue reading Deer with Swollen Jaw and Cheeks, Lumpy Jaw

Grow Bigger Bucks: Cull Bucks With Missing Brow Tines (G1)

Question: “We deer hunt in Uvalde County and have been trying to manage our deer. This year we have seen a 3 1/2 year old buck that would be a main frame 7 point deer if he had brow tines, but he is missing his G1s. The buck has decent beam lengths and the mass is pretty good. Will this whitetail buck ever produce brow tines in the future? The guys on our deer lease are trying to decide if we want cull this buck or leave him until next year. Should we shoot all bucks that have no brow tines to improve the deer herd or should we just wait until they are at least 4 1/2 years old?”

Response: The only way to improve the buck component of your deer herd will be to remove the bucks with unwanted antler characteristics. These deer that hunters refer to as management or cull bucks. Young bucks that have missing brow tines turn into old bucks with missing brow tines. But it gets worse. They breed each fall, spreading the gene for missing brow tines. I’ve seen ranches where most of the bucks had missing brow tines. Don’t go there!!! Continue reading Grow Bigger Bucks: Cull Bucks With Missing Brow Tines (G1)

High Fencing for Deer Management: Inbreeding Problems?

Question: “We are considering high fencing our 1,100 acre South Texas ranch in Brooks County, Texas, for increased whitetail deer management. We want to make sure we not only improve the habitat, but maintain or improve the quality of the deer on the property. Should we be concerned about inbreeding and a decline of deer quality on a relatively small place? Thanks for your opinion.”

Deer Management: I would not be concerned about the inbreeding of deer on a high fenced property of that size. You should “trap” more than enough deer when the fence is constructed so inbreeding or antler decline from inbreeding will will never be a problem. The high fence will allow you more management opportunity and flexibility, so that makes good sense if you are committed to deer management. Continue reading High Fencing for Deer Management: Inbreeding Problems?

Shooting Does with Fawns While Deer Hunting

Question: “Not sure what to do when it comes to this deer hunting scenario. I have recently started bow hunting again and I am not sure about shooting does with fawns. I have passed up several doe because of this and I am not sure if the fawns will survive the winter if I harvest the doe. I hunt in Wisconsin and the winters can be bad. I would rather see the doe and her young walk and hopefully make it through the winter than shoot the doe and have the fawns die. What is the best answer from a deer management and deer hunting standpoint?”

Deer Management: If we are asking the “shoot does with fawns” question from an ethical standpoint you first have to decide on your own. What you consider ethical may not be what other hunters classify as ethical. Same goes for the decision to shoot a fawn. From a deer management and deer numbers standpoint I could justify shooting a doe if we were trying to reduce the overall deer population or improve the buck to doe ratio. Continue reading Shooting Does with Fawns While Deer Hunting

Feeding Peanuts to Deer

Question: “We manage our 375 acres for improved deer hunting by selective harvest and supplemental feeding. And we’ve seen the benefits over the past six years. We are always looking for new, better supplements to keep our options open. Supplemental feeding< has helped our fawn production big time, but we understand that it is only a component of our overall management strategy. Have you ever fed deer peanuts for protein as supplement over the summer?

I know that peanuts are high in protein and fat, both of which can really help deer. Body condition is the key to antler growth in bucks, as well as fawn survival. My timed spin feeder can throw peanuts, without the shell of course, so I was thinking about using them this summer to provide some additional deer nutrition. Are peanuts all that different than acorns regarding nutrition for whitetail deer?” Continue reading Feeding Peanuts to Deer

Cancerous Deer, Not: Deer Warts are Fairly Common

White-tailed deer can get many types of deer diseases. Whether caused by a disease or a virus, some of these ailments can look quite displeasing. A common thing with whitetail is warts. Wart-like growths found on the skin of white-tailed deer and other members of the deer family are fibromas. They are popularly referred to as skin tumors, or simply warts. They are not cancer, but most people imagine cancer as some type of elephant-man like occurrence. Not so. Fibromas, often referred to as deer tumors, can look pretty nasty.

Deer Warts: Whitetail Deer Diseases

Biologist identify the different skin tumors from deer as papillomas, fibromas, or papillofibromas depending upon the type of tissue making up the tumor. However, there is evidence that skin tumors common to whitetail deer are caused by just one type of virus, the papillomavirus, so the term fibroma will be used to refer to all types of warts and tumors. The disease occurs throughout the whitetail’s range in North America. Continue reading Cancerous Deer, Not: Deer Warts are Fairly Common