Need Some Help

[Tom2008]

In my speech class I have decided to do a speech on Trophy Deer Management. I'm having trouble finding sources on this and I already have the QDMA website as one of them. My teacher said I could get views from other people as a source. So if anyone could give me their views on Trophy Deer Management it would be greatly appreciated. Things like your thoughts about it, tips on making it happen, and your results. Thank you very much to anyone who replys.

[Born2Hunt]

Trophy deer management is very different from QDM.

[ousoonerfan22]

I don't know if these articles will help or not?
www.moultriefeeders.com/articles/

[Tom2008]

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Trophy deer management is very different from QDM.

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I know, but the QDMA website had some stuff on Trophy Deer Management.

[Texan_Til_I_Die]

Try these links.

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild...er/index.phtml

http://www.the-deer-hunting-guide.com/

Here's a very compressed version of what a trophy management plan might look like on a large Texas ranch. Keep in mind that along with this, there are all sorts of habitat improvements and supplemental feedings going on. This is what we usually see the landowners doing from a hunting/shooting standpoint:

Step 1 - Determine the optimum carrying capacity of the ranch.

Step 2 - Determine the approximate number of deer present through spotlight and/or aerial surveys.

Step 3 - Reduce the herd to the predetermined carrying capacity by killing as many does (preferably older does) as necessary. Don't worry about the bucks at this stage, just kill those does.

Step 4 - After getting the total numbers adjusted to the correct carrying capacity, survey again and determine the current buck to doe ratio.

Step 5 - Remove as many does as needed to achieve a buck to doe ratio between 1.5:1 and 1:1. The closer you can get to 1:1 the better, but in no circumstances should it be higher than 1.5:1. Don't worry about dropping below the optimum capacity. It will rebound in a very short period of time.

Step 6 - Continue balancing the herd by removing an equal number of bucks and does each year until the herd numbers are at or just below the optimum carrying capacity. For example: If the capacity is 200 deer, and your ratio is 1:1, there should be 100 does and 100 bucks. Assuming an 80% fawn recruitment each year (varies by geographic location) would mean that approximately 40 bucks and 40 does need to be removed, whether by hunting or natural mortality, each year to maintain a healthy balance.

Step 7 - As part of your annual buck harvest, begin systematically removing bucks with undersireable genetics. This may include spikes, any buck without eyeguards, any buck at or over 3.5 years old that doesn't meet a certain minimum B&C score (typically 140 - 150), and any buck displaying unusual characteristics, like a very narrow rack or a very uneven number of points, that you find undesirable.

Step 8 - Determine the number of trophy sized bucks you want to harvest each season, and remove only that many and no more.


Again, keep in mind that this is a super simple version of what a trophy management plan will look like, but it should give you some idea of what to look for.

[LETMGROW]

Please don't confuse the QDMA Org. entirely with Trophy Mgt. [ 2 different concepts ]

[dogdoc]

Tom--is the speech actually on TDM or QDM?

[Tom2008]

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Tom--is the speech actually on TDM or QDM?

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TDM

[Tom2008]

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Please don't confuse the QDMA Org. entirely with Trophy Mgt. [ 2 different concepts ]

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I know that, but I'm using it because I can get some information on TDM from it!

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Trophy Deer Management
QDM often is confused with trophy deer management. While the two approaches share several objectives, they also differ in many ways. Under trophy deer management, fully mature bucks with high-scoring antlers are the primary focus. Whitetail bucks typically attain maximum antler size between 5.5 and 8.5 years of age.

Producing bucks of this age and antler quality requires many ingredients not available to most hunters. Because some adult bucks have home ranges of 2,000 acres or more, large tracts of land, often 5,000 acres or more, are required. Because buck home ranges are not uniform in shape and size, few adult bucks live their entire lives on a single property, even on 5,000 acres.

The ability to control hunting pressure is paramount, especially on promising 2.5-, 3.5- and 4.5-year-old bucks. This requires considerable field-judging skill and self-control. Unless the herd is enclosed and supplementally fed, deer density must be kept low to allow optimum nutrition so bucks can maximize antler potential. This often involves aggressive doe harvests (even higher than under QDM) and intensive habitat management. Therefore, while trophy deer management is a biologically sound approach, it is not feasible in many areas and the associated costs outweigh the benefits for most hunters.


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[TxBowHunter]

Deer Management is good for the poppulation of the deer herd!