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Now Registering 2009 Deer Steward Certification Courses!
 Program Overview
We are pleased to announce the 2009 dates/locations for QDMA's individual certification program, which fulfills the "C" component of our national REACH program. This program includes three levels of potential achievement, and each must be completed in sequence.
- Deer Steward I will provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the key principles of deer and habitat biology, ecology and management.
- Deer Steward II will teach students how to apply the principles learned in level one through hands-on and field experience.
- Deer Steward III, the most prestigious, must be earned through an individual’s long-term service to QDMA, and/or the white-tailed deer
2009 Program Availability
Deer Steward I:
QDMA will offer three Deer Steward I courses in 2009.
- May 1-4, Felton, DE - *SOLD OUT*
- May 15-18, Columbia, SC
- August 14-17, Tallula, IL at The Grigsby
2009 Deer Steward I Agenda (PDF)
Each course will be 2½ days in length (including an optional half-day in the field) and restricted to 50 or fewer participants. The courses will focus on the four Cornerstones of QDM: Herd Management, Habitat Management, Hunter Management, and Herd Monitoring. The Deer Steward I courses will provide a comprehensive understanding of these cornerstones.
Deer Steward II:
QDMA will offer two Deer Steward II courses in 2009.
- June 5-8, Bogart, GA – QDMA Headquarters
- September 11-14, Union City (Edinboro), PA
2009 Deer Steward II Agenda (PDF)
The Deer Steward II course will focus on the application of principles covered in Deer Steward I. Those principles being the four cornerstones of QDM: herd management, habitat management, hunter management and herd monitoring. Level II will include a mix of classroom and field instruction, and the course will end by having the students apply their knowledge and develop an actual deer management plan.
Program Instructors
The course instructors are a “Who’s Who” of the nation’s leading whitetail biologists, researchers and managers such as:
- Kip Adams, Wildlife Biologist, QDMA Director of Education and Outreach – Northern Region
- Dr. Craig Harper, Professor, University of Tennessee
- Brian Murphy, Wildlife Biologist, QDMA Chief Executive Officer
- Dr. Karl Miller, Professor, The University of Georgia
- Joe Hamilton, Wildlife Biologist, QDMA Director of Education and Outreach – Southern Region
- Dave Edwards, Wildlife Biologist/Consultant, Westervelt Wildlife Services
- Matt Ross, Wildlife Biologist, Forester and QDMA Certification Programs Manager
- Dr. Gino D’Angelo, Wildlife Biologist, USDA Wildlife Services
- Mark Buxton, Wildlife Consultant, Southeastern Wildlife Habitat Services
- Phil Freshley, Soil Scientist, Forester and President, LandTec, Southeast, Inc.
- Dr. Grant Woods, Wildlife Biologist/Consultant and President, Woods and Associates, Inc.
- Brad Mormann, Wildlife Biologist, Woods and Associates, Inc.
- Lindsay Thomas, Managing Editor Quality Whitetails, QDMA
- Dr. Mickey Hellickson, Chief Wildlife Biologist, King Ranch
- Neil Dougherty, Wildlife Consultant, North Country Whitetails
- Dr. Mark Conner, Manager, Chesapeake Farms research facility
Note: not all instructors will be at each course and others may be added.
Click here to review speaker bios
Program Costs
- $800 Non-QDMA Members
- $750 Regular QDMA Members
- $700 QDMA Life Members, Sponsor Members and Corporate Sponsors, Partners and Supporters.
Cost includes instruction, all meals, a course handbook, and a framed course certificate. Travel and lodging are not included. Once your course application form has been received and approved, you will be provided instructions regarding lodging, directions to course venues and a list of suggested readings prior to attending the course.
How to Register
- By phoning the QDMA National Office at
800-209-3337
- By faxing a completed registration form to
706-353-0223
- By mailing a completed registration form to:
QDMA
P.O. Box 160
Bogart, GA 30622
Click here to print the Deer Steward I Registration Form
Click here to print the Deer Steward II Registration Form
Once all openings for the courses are filled, applicants will be placed on a waiting list for the next available course in the order their applications were received.
Scholarship Opportunity
For each of the classes the QDMA will also award a high school junior or senior, or college student, interested in a career in wildlife management a scholarship to attend free of charge. Applicants for the scholarships should have a strong interest in wildlife conservation and the Quality Deer Management (QDM) philosophy. Applications are due by March 27, 2009.
Click here to print the Deer Steward Scholarship Application
Cancellation Policy
Applicants shall be entitled to a full refund of course fees if the QDMA National Office is notified within fourteen (14) business days of the course date. Cancellations made less than fourteen (14) business days from the course date shall entitle the applicant to a fifty percent (50%) refund of course fees. No refunds shall be made for cancellations less than two (2) business days before the course date.
Questions?
If you have questions regarding course availability or registration, please contact the QDMA National Office at 800-209-3337.
If you have questions regarding course content, please contact
Matt Ross
QDMA Certification Programs Manager
Phone: 802-753-7614
Email: mross@qdma.com
Click here to learn more about the QDMA. |
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Quality Deer
Management Association
PO Box 160
Bogart, GA 30622
1-800-209-DEER (3337)
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