White Tailed Deer Management

White-tailed deer have become a common sight in South Carolina. Their abundance can lead to conflicts with people. There are several options available to landowners to reduce or prevent damage caused by deer. The most important aspect of effective population management of any animal requires patience. Changes will likely not be immediately noticeable, and may take several years of management activities before the deer populations reflect the influences of changes made.

The key to success when it comes to managing deer damage is understanding their populations. Lower deer densities can prevent damage. There are some easy tools to use to estimate the number of deer in an area that will be discussed in more detail. Details about the population are necessary to determine how the herd should be managed to meet the goals of a property.

The ratio of bucks to does is an important measure for effective population management. If there are too many deer present, harvesting does during hunting season is an effective way to reduce their population size. Does are responsible for birthing and rearing fawns, so reducing the doe population will reduce the overall deer population.

Management of deer populations is important for reducing the risk of deer-related damage while also having healthy, high-quality deer. Hunting has long been used as a tool to manage deer populations. Hunters can work with landowners to achieve management goals that benefit all parties involved. Reducing the number of does by harvesting them will lead to lower deer population densities, which will in turn reduce the potential damage caused by overpopulated deer. When deer reach a healthy population density, hunters will encounter higher quality deer.

Disease is another consideration when managing deer populations. High densities of white-tailed deer are more prone to spread disease between one another. Lower population densities reduce the risk of disease spreading rapidly through the population.

(Photo by Adobe Stock)

There are a few ways to conduct surveys to get a rough estimate of white-tailed deer on a given property. Two of the most common methods used will be covered below. These estimates are not perfect, but they are relatively easy to conduct and can give a landowner an idea of how to best manage their deer populations. Each property will be different based on the amount of suitable habitat, the amount of forage available to deer, and access to other important resources – such as water. Those factors are all used to determine the “carrying capacity” of an area. Carrying capacity refers to the maximum population size an area can support based on the size and available resources. It is important to note that the carrying capacity for deer is entirely dependent on natural factors as well as human influence. The amount of deer a landscape can support also depends heavily on how tolerant people are of the deer. Not all landowners welcome dense populations of deer, especially when deer damage the crops that farmers rely on to make a living.

One of the easiest surveys to conduct is a spotlight survey for white tailed deer. These surveys are conducted with a high-powered flashlight at night while in a vehicle. A truck with four-wheel drive capabilities is recommended. The areas being surveyed must also be accessible by vehicles.

The goal of the survey is to estimate the deer populations by counting the number of deer along a path over a set distance. This requires the property to have safe travel routes throughout it. This survey requires the observers to stop every 1/10th of a mile to estimate the maximum distance a deer can be detected. Do this for both sides of the path. Count the deer along the route as you go and be careful not to count the same deer twice. Record if the deer is a buck, a doe, a fawn, or unable to be identified. Use binoculars to assist with identification. Once the route has been completed, add up all of the distances and divide that by the number of stops that were made to find the average width of the area sampled. The distance travelled is converted to yards by multiplying the mileage travelled by 1,760. The distance travelled is the length of the area surveyed. The width is then multiplied by the length calculated above to determine the area sampled in yards. There are 4,480 yards in an acre, so the area must be divided by 4,480 to convert the area to acres surveyed. The area sampled is then divided by the number of deer counted. The result is the deer density in acres per deer. The size of the property can be divided by the density to get an estimated size of the deer population.

It should be noted that this technique varies in its effectiveness. Many factors can influence how visible deer are during the survey. Dense vegetation can disrupt a surveyor's line of sight. Weather conditions can also play a role, so it is advised that surveys are conducted when weather conditions will not inhibit the ability to detect deer. The results of a spotlight survey vary in accuracy. Thermal optics can be used to increase effectiveness of these surveys.

(Photo by Adobe Stock)

Trail cameras are another useful tool that can be used to estimate deer populations. This method requires access to trail cameras, bait, and a way to organize images from the trail camera. The general idea of this method is to identify individual bucks to estimate the number of does and fawns that were detected since bucks can be individually identified by their antlers. These numbers all provide insight into the population of deer in a given area.

Camera trap surveys are typically conducted in the late summer before the start of deer season while the bucks still have velvet on their antlers. This allows the identification of individuals using their antlers, while also not interfering with hunting season. After deer season, bucks begin to lose their antlers and cannot be individually identified.

The number of cameras recommended for a survey depends on the size of the property. Generally, one camera per 100 acres is enough. Camera surveys require the use of simple bait to attract deer. Fifty pounds of whole kernel corn is the typical bait used. Leave the cameras out for 10-14 days and check the bait station periodically. Bait stations can be checked a couple times a week or as needed based on the level of activity and how fast the bait is consumed. Cameras should be placed about 12 feet from the bait in an area that allows the identification of deer. Clear any branches that might be in the way of the camera. Also note that vegetation moving in the wind can trigger the cameras and lead to image folders full of plants instead of deer. Camera settings are important to pay attention to. Ensure every camera shows the correct date and time. Each camera can be named to further help with individual buck identification later. Cameras can be set to take a photo every minute once triggered, or they can be set to take a photo every 10 minutes once triggered. The amount of time between photos determines the ease of identification and the amount of photos to examine. If the camera placement allows for clear, high quality photos then consider a longer time between photos once triggered. This will cut down some of the work by reducing the amount of images that need to be examined.

Once the survey has been completed, the images from the survey are ready to be analyzed. Photos can be placed into separate folders based on the camera. This will prevent any confusion during the photo identification process. Create a “buck” folder and move all of the images of bucks into the folder to begin the identification of individual bucks. It helps to pull out images of bucks for identification and have a running list of all bucks identified. Think of this as a yearbook for deer and use it as a reference guide for counting bucks. Spike antlered bucks can be included if they can be identified.

Once the number of bucks photographed has been determined, it is time to calculate the numbers for the rest of the population. Begin by dividing the number of doe photos by the number of buck photos. This number is the ratio of does to bucks. Then divide the number of fawn photographs by the number of buck photographs to get the fawn to buck ratio. Calculate the number of does by taking the amount of individually identified bucks and multiplying it by the doe to buck ratio. This is the estimated doe population. Next, take the number of different bucks and multiply that by the fawn to buck ratio. This number is the estimated fawn population. Add the individual bucks, the estimated number of does, and the estimated number of fawns to get an estimate for the total deer population for the property. Take the acreage of the property sampled and divide it by the number of deer to get the estimated deer density.

This method is more intensive than the spotlight method, but the resulting data is more reliable. For a simpler process, download the excel sheet linked to start entering data. Fill in the highlighted spots and the spreadsheet will do the rest.

The most challenging part of estimating deer population sizes comes once the calculations have been done. The numbers produced by the surveys can be interpreted in a variety of ways. Again, it is entirely dependent on the goals of the landowner and the property itself. Below are some examples of how to interpret density estimates.

Example 1:

A farmer owns a property in the midlands that is primarily composed of fields used to cultivate row crops with small hardwoods stands that run along a creek and some pine stands that are staggered throughout the property. The property is 500 acres with 250 of those acres dedicated to growing a rotation of corn and soybeans. The remaining acreage is wooded and the farmer leases the hunting rights out that are leased per acre. The farmer’s crop yield has dropped recently and often gets damaged during the growing season. There has been an increase in the number of deer the farmer has seen, which leads the farmer to believe that deer are the source of the damage. The farmer then decides to conduct a survey using trail cameras. Five cameras are placed evenly across the property (1 camera per 100 acres). After conducting the survey, the farmer finds that the deer density is 30 deer per square mile.

Is this considered a high density?

To answer that, the context of the individual property is important. Half of the property is dedicated to cropland alone. The remaining half consists of some forested areas, but also includes the farmer’s residence and yard. So, while half is cropland, the other half is not made up entirely of suitable deer habitat. In this scenario, a density of 30 deer per square mile is considered high. Without consistent and quality forage, deer often turn to cropland to supplement their diets. While the row crops can technically support deer at this density, these crops are not meant for them. The deer existing at this density are a detriment to the farmer and will likely cause large amounts of damage if left unmanaged.

What are the next steps?

While the deer density is high, hope is not lost. Remember, there are hunters who have access to the land during deer season. The farmer can reduce the density of deer on the property by working with the hunters. If the farmer wants to reduce the deer population to a manageable level, the hunters can harvest two does for every buck harvested. If the farmer surveys the land again and finds that deer populations are at an acceptable level, then one doe can be harvested per buck harvested. This should prevent any rapid increase in population size. The hunters may be concerned about the number of deer they see per hunt, and they may certainly see fewer deer. However, the deer they do see will be healthier and larger since they are no longer in constant competition with one another for resources.

Example 2:

A land manager owns 200 acres of mixed pine and hardwood forest in the low country. The property is primarily used for deer hunting that is hunted by a hunt club made up of 8 hunters. The hunt club wants to know what the deer density is to see how they should be managing it. They set out two baited trail cameras and conducted a population survey. They calculate the results and find out there are 30 deer per square mile.

Is this considered high density?

While the density is the same as the farmer’s estimated density from Example 1, 30 deer per square mile is not considered high given that the property is managed for deer. If the hunt club does not have to worry about deer threatening crops and assuming there is high quality browse throughout the property, this population is sustainable. Further management of the land is up to the discretion of the hunt club. One potential option is maintaining the current harvest regime while growing plants that provide high quality food and habitat. This will likely lead to a healthier overall population. If the hunt club wishes to increase the density, then they can harvest fewer does per year. Caution must be used when increasing the density of deer on a property since disease travels through a population faster when they are densely populated.

What can be learned from these examples?

These examples are simplified and are not based on real scenarios, but there are some key takeaways that will prove useful when it comes to managing deer populations. In both examples, the deer density was the same but this was only considered a very high density in the first example. It is important to understand why this is the case. While both properties had 30 deer per square mile, the carrying capacity and goals of the landowners were different. In Example 1, much of the property was used for row crops that the farmer relies on to make a living. Deer at higher densities will cause more damage to cropland. Therefore the farmer could not tolerate deer at high densities due to the risk of crop loss. The specific regions in these examples also play a part in the number of deer that can be supported. Some parts of the state have the ability to support more deer based on access to resources and climate.

The goal of the landowners in Example 2 were very different from Example 1. The hunt club's primary goal was to provide hunting opportunities for its members. In this case, the landowners were not only tolerant of deer - they wanted to keep them at a higher density. These examples were provided to illustrate that no properties will have the same values for what densities are considered high and what densities are considered low.

(Photo by Adobe Stock)

Hunters may have a variety of motivations for their pursuit of wild game, but maintaining healthy deer populations should always be on a hunters mind. The amount of deer that would be considered ideal for an area is based on several different factors. First, consider what the surrounding area is being used for. If the goal of the land is to provide deer hunting opportunities, then managing it for the amount of deer that would be considered healthy and sustainable is fine. However, if the property is being used for row crops then it would be beneficial to keep the deer density lower to avoid excessive damage to crop yield. As with many aspects of life, the answer boils down to “it depends”. Start by laying out management goals and figure out where deer fit in with the overall goals of the property.

Regardless of a property owner’s individual goal, it is still recommended that at least one doe is taken per buck in order to maintain a healthy population.

In instances where deer populations are too high and they are causing significant amounts of damage, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources will issue depredation permits. These permits allow a landowner to shoot deer outside of the established hunting season. These permits allow the landowner to shoot deer for 30 days and may be renewed if necessary.

Below are the numbers for regional SCDNR offices that must be contacted if seeking a depredation permit:

White-tailed Deer Doe (Photo by  Andrew Jamison)

Exclusion simply refers to keeping certain animals out of an area using a physical barrier. This is often in the form of fencing. Fencing can be an effective way to keep deer away from areas they may cause damage, but they must be implemented correctly. It is important to note that white-tailed deer can jump over seven feet as an adult. Deer also tend to go underneath an obstacle instead of jumping over it. If a fence is not properly constructed, it will do little to deter deer. There are several ways to construct a fence to make it harder for deer to access an area.

(Photo by Dr. Cory Heaton)

Electrified fences are used to frighten deer away from an area and are not intended to cause permanent harm to the animal. Electrified fences train the animals to associate the barrier with a negative interaction. Over time deer may decide the barrier around the area of exclusion is too great of a risk and leave the area alone. To make a fence more visible to deer, use black and white fabric along areas of the fence to make the barrier stand out more against their surroundings. For smaller exclusion areas, peanut butter can be wrapped in foil and placed around the fence. Deer will be attracted to the peanut butter then the foil attached to the electric fence will shock them.

It is important to remember to maintain a fence when it has been constructed to ensure the electric barrier is still working to keep the deer out. If the fence is not active, it will not work properly and the deer will be less inclined to avoid it in the future.

If fencing is used without being electrified, the design of the fencing must be adjusted. Since deer are skilled acrobats, the fencing must be at least 8 feet tall. Fences may be constructed using lengths of smooth wire or the fence can be mesh. The fence has to be strong enough that deer cannot push through it, so maintenance of the fence is important. When using strands, the first strand must be about 6 inches from the ground to ensure it is low enough to prevent deer from crawling underneath. The space between the bottom strand and the next strand should be 10 inches or less. Repeat this spacing until the strands are 4 feet above the ground. After 4 feet, can be 15 to 20 inches apart. To increase the effectiveness of the fence as a deterrent, flagging or streamers can be attached to the strands.