[kenton6]

Here's the deal! :thumb: You are the whitetail deer manager for the state of Maine. Without going into details (that's going to be your job), managing the deer herd in ALL of Maine is not a simple task. Your budget is limited, so you can't go out and count deer whenever you need or want to.

Under a hypothetical, you are now in charge of managing the herd. I'm giving you the power. The only thing you have for help is one known fact and the help of hunters on this board.

Here's the known fact! We just finished a count in Maine and there are exactly 250,000 deer in Maine. Your management plan will be created in stages. The first thing that needs to be done is establish a list of everything, good and bad, that has an effect on whitetail deer populations.

I'll start the list. So that we can better continue this thread, please copy and paste the list of factors left by the last contributor. The next post will be my first entry.

 

[kenton6]

Poaching...

 

[kenton6]

To keep this moving ahead, please make only one entry per day. This will give others a chance to participate. Once it appears we have exhausted all influences, we'll move to the next part of the development of a deer management plan.

 

[strings54]

habitat,ie. wintering areas

 

[KevSMEGD]

Lack of access i.e. posting of land particularly in southern coastal areas.

 

[swnoel]

predation.... coyotes, bear, cats

 

[Cap'n Jack Duggins]

"that has an effect on whitetail deer populations"

Poaching
Habitat/Wintering areas
Lack of access
Predation
Hunting


(see, I paid attention in class)

 

[ccobbett]

that has an effect on whitetail deer populations"

Poaching
Habitat/Wintering areas
Lack of access
Predation
Hunting

more so than any other factor" how mild was the winter"
I will also add"buck to doe ratio and number of mature bucks."

 

[kenton6]

Don't get ahead of yourself there Cobbett! :-o
Jack, you're my hero. Thanks for putting that together. Okay lets keep adding. There are tons more.

Poaching
Habitat/Wintering areas
Lack of access
Predation
Hunting
Disease

It's okay to be very specific. Often times we just say weather. Weather certainly does affect deer populations so to better understand, we should use specific weather conditions.
Most of us just assume that mild weather means less mortality for deer. Not always true. Remember, anything that is outside of the "normal" range will have an effect of some kind.

Let's keep this going. I would like to see some more participation. A lot more have viewed this thread than has responded. As your old bag teacher would have said before the class laughed their arses off, "No answer is a bad answer."

 

[swnoel]

that has an effect on whitetail deer populations"

Poaching
Habitat/Wintering areas
Lack of access
Predation
Hunting
Disease
Human Encroachment/ Land Development

 

[kenton6]

that has an effect on whitetail deer populations"

Poaching
Habitat/Wintering areas
Lack of access
Predation
Hunting
Disease
Human Encroachment/ Land Development
Stress

I think it is necessary to expound on some of the above to become more specific, like habitat. Let's break that out into more specific aspects of habitat.

 

[aroostookbasser]

Severe winters and wet springs

 

[aroostookbasser]

Great topic..wish i had started it.

 

[ccobbett]

I have always been bad with directions.

 

[kenton6]

AB, can you better define "severe winters"? This could prove to be interesting because what you and I might perceive as severe may or may not be to whitetail deer.

 

[kenton6]

This for Aroostookbasser -

that has an effect on whitetail deer populations"

Poaching
Habitat/Wintering areas
Lack of access
Predation
Hunting
Disease
Human Encroachment/ Land Development
Stress
Severe winters and wet springs

 

[swnoel]

that has an effect on whitetail deer populations"

Poaching
Habitat/Wintering areas
Lack of access
Predation
Hunting
Disease
Human Encroachment/ Land Development
Stress
Severe winters and wet springs
Forestry Practices

 

[ccobbett]

that has an effect on whitetail deer populations"

Poaching
Habitat/Wintering areas
Lack of access
Predation
Hunting
Disease
Human Encroachment/ Land Development
Stress
Severe winters and wet springs
Forestry Practices

Politics

 

[swnoel]

that has an effect on whitetail deer populations"

Poaching
Habitat/Wintering areas
Lack of access
Predation
Hunting
Disease
Human Encroachment/ Land Development
Stress
Severe winters and wet springs
Forestry Practices
Politics
Farming Practices

 

[sremington]

that has an effect on whitetail deer populations"

Poaching
Habitat/Wintering areas
Lack of access
Predation
Hunting
Disease
Human Encroachment/ Land Development
Stress
Severe winters and wet springs
Forestry Practices
Politics
Farming Practices
Liberalism (Change of Family Values)