Biology And Management Of White-tailed Deer In Alabama

deer in some areas. These recommendations were met with staunch
resistance from many hunters and landowners. Although these recommendations
were correct, the reluctance to implement a significant doe
harvest at the time was somewhat understandable. Hunters and landowners
feared returning to a time when deer populations were sparse
to nonexistent. In the process of restoring deer in Alabama, state wildlife
personnel oversold the message of doe protection far too well. This
“don’t shoot does” message became an obstacle that only recently is being
overcome in many parts of the state.
A modified form of RDM is widely practiced today. Some biologists
refer to this as maximum harvest deer management (MHDM;
Woods 1999a). The objective of this management scheme is to maximize
the number of deer that can be harvested annually. Under such
an approach, bucks are harvested indiscriminately and, in theory, the
doe harvest will consist of enough does to maintain current population
densities. In practice, under MHDM, doe harvest often is insufficient
and total deer densities are excessive. With MHDM, young bucks are
harvested heavily and consequently, buck age structure is very poor.
Additionally, adult sex ratios are heavily skewed to favor does.
The result of this new twist on RDM is an unbalanced and unnatural
deer herd that often exists beyond the bounds of the habitat’s
reasonable carrying capacity. In these herds, natural reproductive behaviors,
dominance hierarchies, and socio-biological relationships are
compromised. Often, herds managed under MHDM are characterized
by poor reproductive output, poor physical condition, and long, protracted
breeding and fawning periods. On the other hand, MHDM provides
ample harvest opportunities and enhances the opportunity for
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