Biology And Management Of White-tailed Deer In Alabama

POPULATION DENSITY
The number of animals per unit of area is defined as population
density. There are many methods used to census deer populations.
These techniques typically arrive at a deer per unit area estimate, such
as “X” number of deer per square mile. The precise number of animals
in a particular population is nearly impossible to determine and is of
little importance. What is important is the relationship between herd
density and habitat quality. Simply put, a given unit of habitat will
only support a certain number of deer in good physical condition. Both
habitat quality and deer condition will deteriorate whenever herd density
exceeds the bounds of this relationship.
Deer managers use a number of techniques to arrive at population
size or density estimates. Spotlight surveys, camera censuses, track
counts, hunter observation data, and population reconstruction/modeling
are often employed to estimate deer numbers. Population estimates
derived through these techniques generally yield a minimum number
of animals in the population. While these techniques cannot yield a
precise number of deer, they can be useful in terms of monitoring overall
population trends. It is important for the deer manager to know if a
population is increasing, decreasing, or remaining stable. This information
can provide a basis for decisions relative to harvest management.
Examining harvest data is an effective method of determining
whether herd density exceeds the habitat’s ability to support the herd
in good condition. Specific physical indices can be used to analyze how
a relative deer density fits into a given unit of habitat. Among males,
average weights and antler development by respective age class can
indicate whether total density exceeds habitat quality. Among females,
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