By planting/fertilizing natural browse you can keep/revert a propertyto a more natural state and still provide proper nutrition. I agree with others who have said that our forests and habitat is nothing similar to what the whitetails experienced before this great country was settled. Indians used fire in pine forests for a variety of reasons. Fireis the number one method to revert a pine forest to its natural state. A good timber mgmt plan will enhance wildlife habitat (not just deer habitat) and increase monetary value of trees. Fire and selective thinning will convert a brush choked, thick pine forest into a natural food plot. Fertilizing the forest will help increase forage production and exponentially increase timber value. If you have natural browse already growing on your property, then simply fertilize these areas. According to Alabama wildlife biologist and MSU, by fertilizing honeysuckle with 100lbs per acre of 13-13-13, the protien level in the plant increases from around 9% to over 17%. You should also identify mast producing plants and trees and fertilize these as well. But, keep in mind, a beautiful green field in winter is a sure way to attract and hold all kinds of wildlife on you place.

As far as genetics, this is the area of deer mgmt that is the hardest to control, of all the deer mgmt techniques used today, genetics is the one area that deer managers control the least. Most of us have small properties and/or no control over mgmt activities, unless you control enough land to manage several different herds of deer, you will not be able to effect any changes in genetics, besides, the strongest always survive withing an area. The best thing to do is be selective yourself and encourage others to do the same.

Let the small ones grow, shoot a doe!