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Managing Public Lands

Kip Adams

Wildlife Biologist Director of Education & Outreach

Quality Deer Management Association

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Deer Herd

Habitat

Habitat

Deer Herd

Habitat

Deer HerdHabitat Deer Herd

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Deer Management Strategies

Traditional Deer Management

Trophy Deer Management

Quality Deer Management

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The approach where any legal

buck, regardless of age or antlerquality, is harvested and few (if

any) does are harvested.

Traditional Management is

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Traditional Deer

Mgt. Harvest

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Habitat Destruction

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Deer Human Conflicts

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Trophy Management is

The approach under only fullymature bucks with high scoring

antlers (except culls) areharvested and does are aggressively

harvested to maintain low deerdensity and optimum nutrition for

remaining animals.

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Trophy DeerManagement

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The approach under which youngbucks are protected from harvest,

combined with an adequate harvestof female deer to produce healthy

deer herds in balance with existinghabitat conditions.

Quality Management is

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Traditional

QDM

Trophy

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Public Land = Multiple Use

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Four Building Blocks of QDM

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Herd Management Simplified

The mostimportant half-

inch in deermanagement

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Hunters like to shoot bucks

Too many still dont like to shoot does

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Preseason Deer Estimate

0

200000

400000

600000

800000

1000000

1200000

14000001600000

1800000

Illinois

Indian

a

M

ichiga

nOhio

Wisc

onsin

2003

2005

2007

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Antlerless Deer Harvest

0

50000

100000

150000

200000

250000

300000

350000

Illinois

Indian

a

M

ichiga

nOhio

Wisc

onsin

2003

2005

2007

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Antlered Buck Harvest (1.5+)

0

50000

100000

150000

200000

250000

300000

Illinois

Indian

a

Michiga

nOhio

Wisc

onsin

2003

2005

2007

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Antlered Buck Harvest

(% 1.5 yrs)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Illinois

Indian

a

Michiga

nOhio

Wisc

onsin

2001

2003

2005

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Antlered Buck Harvest

(% 2.5 yrs)

0

5

10

15

20

25

3035

40

Illinois

Indian

a

Michiga

nOhio

Wisc

onsin

20012003

2005

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Michigan is one of the few states that shootsmore antlered bucks than antlerless deer

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Hunters like to shoot bucks

But do young bucks provide the same

opportunities & excitement as mature bucks?

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And do young bucks fulfill the role of mature

bucks in a population?

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Antlered Buck Management

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Minimum number of antler points Minimum antler spread

Age - body characteristics Gross Boone and Crockett score Buck quotas or limits

Combination approaches

Common Buck Harvest RestrictionMethods

All have advantages and disadvantages

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Which Strategy is Best?

From a biological standpoint, age restrictions aretypically best because they are the most precise

and flexible way to achieve management goals.

From a practical standpoint, harvesting by age

may not be possible due to varying skill levelsamong hunters. The chosen strategy should bebiologically sound, objectively monitored, and

supported by the majority of hunters andlandowners.

Education is the key!

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Antlerless Deer Management

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Increased antlerless permits/tags Increased antlerless bag limit

Additional antlerless seasons Earn-a-buck Combination approaches

Common Antlerless Deer HarvestStrategies

All have advantages and disadvantages

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Selective Antlerless Harvest

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What will work in Michigan?

What will work on public and private land?

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Antler points Antler spread Age/body characteristics Buck quotas or limits Earn-a-buck Combination approaches


Private Statewide

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Antler points Antler spread Age/body characteristics Buck quotas or limits Earn-a-buck Combination approaches


UP/NLP SLP

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Increased permits Increased bag limit Additional seasons Earn-a-buck Combination approaches


Private Statewide

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Increased permits Increased bag limit Additional seasons Earn-a-buck Combination approaches


UP/NLP SLP

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Wildlife management is an art and a science,

and its the blending of the two that permitsuccessful wildlife programs

Tailoring deer management programs to aspecific locale is exciting and challenging,

and its one reason biologists enter the fieldMichigan DNR has the knowledge andexperience to implement a successful

program, so voice your input and then doyour part as a hunter/manager to improve the

deer herd.

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www.QDMA.com

1-800-209-DEER

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