Biology And Management Of White-tailed Deer In Alabama

often costly proposition. The levels at which deer populations should be
maintained depend on land use objectives, human dimensions, and overall
herd management objectives. It may be desirable to keep deer
numbers low in order to reduce problems associated with crop damage,
disease, and accidents. Independent of these considerations, deer populations
should always be managed to meet some goal relative to
management objectives, herd health, and the protection of habitats and
ecological integrity.
In the absence of sufficient predator populations, the work of
maintaining deer populations at appropriate levels has shifted to the
modern hunter. The most effective way to regulate deer populations
is through hunting. Failure to control deer numbers always
results in overpopulation
and habitat
degradation that affects
not only deer,
but also many other
animals. For example,
many species
of neotropical migrant
birds are
impacted by excessive
deer herd densities
and the resulting o-
verbrowsing of
important food and
nesting flora. Proper
Excessive deer populations negatively impact
other wildlife species, such as neotropical
migrant birds, by overbrowsing important food
and nesting flora.
Photo courtesy of Rhett Johnson.
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