Gobbler, you quote Gary Alt to discredit him but then you come off with other ridiculous statements to discredit yourself. You claim QDM started in Texas in 1969. Are you saying TWP had an official QDM program in 1969? I know that even well before 1969 Texas was putting out some whopper deer. But that was “private land management” and, as far as I know, not an official state sponsored management program. If, however you show me where the state of Texas officially starter QDM, I will admit to my mistake. See my comments to Mike concerning this also.

Back to that term “void of deer.” Just what are you trying to say there? Shooting mature does, “early.”
What’s the difference – they are still dead whether you shoot them early or late. Unless of course you are thinking we should wait until after they’ve had their fawns in May and June! Is that what you are implying? Heck, that would still be “early” into the following year!
You would have to shoot one heck of a high percentage on mature does in order to see a significant drop in population accounted for, after fawns are born.

On one hand some whine about shooting button bucks as antlerless, on the other hand they whine about shooting mature does. If that is happening consider this:
“HOW” can we continue to kill too many button bucks and too many does – if there is a “void?”
Better yet, how could we consistently shoot too many does, never mind the bb’s, and have a void? If you have that “void” then you have no does, or bb'sto shoot the following year.
We’ve been doing Herd Reduction for six years now and the harvest numbers remain good. How can that be?

I wasn’t paying attention, and screwed up,when I posted the dispersal comments, but of importance is the fact that you state; “young deer disperse.” I hope you will acknowledge that is “IS NOT” the fawn-bearing does that disperse. It is bucks.

You cited several examples of increased road kills. Your very own examples are what prove you wrong!
“If” there are fewer deer and more drivers, dogs running deer, construction altering their travel routes and “if” that is the reason for increased deer/vehicle losses then, consider this:
HOW COULD YOU BE CONTINUING TO KILL MORE OF A LOWER HERD AND THEN --- STILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE THAT KILL?
You can’t continually take more from less and the then, in following years, keep increasing that number of kills.

Those so-called “variables” you mentioned have always existed.
Our driver numbers have increased every year since cars were invented, with the greatest increases following WWII.
Our roadways are always being expanded and repairs being done, again, with the greatest highway expansion during the Eishenhower administration.
Dogs are not a new invention and in years past virtually every farm and many rural homes had dogs and they were not as well restrained as the laws today require them to be.
Deer are not stupid when it comes to dogs. Of course a dog can chase a deer onto a highway but deer immediately know when an area has dogs. If you are positively aware of dogs chasing deer it is your obligation to report it. There are heavy fines, especially so if it is so evident that these result in human-animal conflicts, causing accidents.
Why would deer be “running all times of the day?” Do they run and then come back to be chased again?
You claim deer numbers are “down” in your area but then, conveniently state that a farm near you has “decent numbers of deer.”

You really need to reassess your critique of Alt’s “similar habitat” approach. Your example is ridiculous. Of course, within any area there are going to be micro areas of varying terrain and development density.
Are you suggesting, as you described, we manage for each tiny neighborhood variance?
Incidentally 10-acres is not urban and farm country is not suburban.

Can you imagine three management units? One being 2 miles from you, one being 2 miles the other direction, (in your neighborhood), and one being 25 minutes from you?

How about state forests or SGL’S that are bordered by farmland and small towns? The variances you describe are all across the state in one form or another --- these units are set up based on “majority” typical.

You need to re-think what you are saying.