Quality Deer Management

DMAP is Growing and Deer Hunters Should Sign Up

| By James Lanier
In the summer of 2014, I picked up a brochure produced by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources titled, “Wisconsin’s Deer Management Assistance Program, a partnership for healthy deer and healthy habitat.” Without opening the brochure, my initial thought was, “How do I sign up?” In hindsight that decision might seem hasty, but I’d like …

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QDM: Both Sides of the Coin

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QDM is a household name in the deer hunting world today. You’d be hard pressed to find a deer hunter who hasn’t heard of it, and surveys show the majority of hunters practice some form of it. A decade ago there was much personal and professional debate over the merits of QDM. Those arguments still …

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5 Reasons You Belong in QDMA

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80 percent of hunters in the U.S. are deer hunters. We are the largest segment of the hunting population and contribute more to conservation efforts than all other types of hunters combined. Surprisingly, less than 1 percent of deer hunters belong to a deer-related conservation organization. Compare that to 41 percent of duck hunters and …

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The Payoff of Passing Young Bucks

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As the buck edged along the creek, I tried to get a better glimpse of him. I had yet to see his body well enough to put an age on him. He turned toward me, thrashing a small sapling. I decided to call him over for a better look. Five or six years ago, I …

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The Dangers of Blending Politics and Deer Management

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Follow Kip on Instagram. Wildlife is a public-trust resource. That means wildlife belongs to the public, and its management is entrusted to our state and federal wildlife agencies, which are required to manage using scientific principles and the best available data. Given this, is it safe to assume our wildlife professionals have the final say …

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