White-tailed Deer Management
(Under construction) Quality improvement begins with habitat. Doesn't matter whether you're talking about an endangered species or trophy whitetails. The sources of food, water, and cover have a direct correlation to the health of a population. The piedmont and foothills of NC and VA have seen dramatic increases in deer populations in the last decade, but overall deer quality has not increased proportionally. Only by managing deer herds can landowners expect to see nicer specimens on their properties. The building blocks for growth and antler development are mildly influenced by genetics, but mainly depend on nutrient availability.
Cover Types
Especially on small parcels, the presence of a variety of cover types is vital to attracting and holding white-tailed deer on a particular property. If one cover component is not present, herds will travel relatively long distances when necessary. Travel corridors between bedding areas and feeding areas should be managed so that deer feel comfortable, but open enough that visual observation is not difficult.
Prescribed Burning
Though controlled burns are often correlated with small-game management, there is much to be gained for deer herds through application of a burning rotation. Whitetails, like most browsers, prefer younger vegetation due to its tenderness and nutrient concentration. Fire also promotes a variety of cover types, yielding a mixture of feeding and bedding areas.
Prescribed fire application for deer management is generally employed in longer rotations than it would be for quail habitat. Cycles from 3-7 years promote browsing opportunities without opening the understory excessively. Mature bucks tend to prefer more secluded openings offered by dense growth that is 2 to 5 feet in height. Rather than mowing in the fall, managers should consider creating shooting lanes in fallow grass and weed fields.
< Though this picture feels barren, grasses will respond quickly and top-killed saplings will produce rich sprouts which are relished by deer.
Food Plots
Almost all hunters know the importance of food plots. However, the type of food plots and their arrangement has a great influence on deer productivity and feeding patterns. Because deer browse year round, it's vital to supplement nutritional needs in all seasons if maximum potential is an objective. Most managers focus too much on fall food plots, which mature during the peak of hunting season, not growing season.