Hi, I’m David Morris. Ok, you’re sold on deer management. You’ve taken stock of what you’ve got to work with …established goals… and laid out a strategy. Now, you need data to guide your decisions and monitor your progress. Today, we’re going to talk about the data you need and how to get it.

Deer data can be divided two ways – harvest data and herd data. Data taken from harvested deer tells us about deer size and condition and is essential in monitoring herd quality. Key data from harvested deer includes sex, age, weight (live and dressed), the gross B&C score of bucks and, of course, the total number of each sex taken. When and where harvested and who took the animal is also important.

Good records are essential. I use a Harvest Form to record key data on all deer harvested. I keep a separate form on all bucks harvested that includes all pertinent data, including gross B&C measurements and score, and a picture of the buck. Over time, all this info will paint a clear picture of the progress made.

Gathering herd data, or censusing, is a bit more challenging …and inexact. You’ll never have absolute numbers, only ratios and relative data. The goal is to count a representative cross-section of the herd, identifying does, fawns and antlered bucks, to get an idea of the buck:doe ratio, buck age structure, recruitment rate and total population. To determine buck age structure, I break antlered bucks into yearlings, 2½-year-olds and 3½ and older.

How do you go about censusing a herd? Infrared cameras and videos strategically placed in high-use areas are the hot new tools. Aerial censusing using helicopters and airplanes is a proven method in areas with low cover and snow. Spotlight surveys can also provide decent data.

Then, there is the old standby – visual observation. I especially like to sit on hot food plots and agricultural crops in the late summer and early fall. It’s cheap, easy, fun and the source of great data. Armed with that invaluable management tool, the video camera, you’ll have a complete record of what you’ve seen. Just remember, no matter how you census, be consistent and keep good records.

Next week, were going to delve into the aspect of deer management that has the greatest potential for improving the quality of your deer herd …better nutrition. I’m David Morris. See you then.