RE: qdm=loss of hunting skills?
QDM is:
1. Adequate buck age structure
2. Populations maintained at or below the carrying capacity
3. Adequate sex ratios
EVERY deer herd (and many others animals, fish, birds, etc..) need those 3 aspects to produce optimum health. Some areas have populations way below carrying capacity, and can be raised, some areas have great sex ratios, and some areas already have adequate buck age structure. But, where a QDM plan fits in, in an otherwise decent herd structure, is to insure the long term maintainance of that decent herd structure. Those 3 principles are the model, and a plan for any area just needs to be maintained, or improved, to insure the successful implementation of those 3 principles.
It sounds like VT' s area may already have most of the pieces of the puzzle in place to satisfy the necessaties of a QDM plan, but that doesn' t mean a QDM plan is not appropriate. On the contrary, a QDM plan is needed to insure the quality of VT' s area is maintained at it' s current high level. A QDM plan will set concrete numbers of maintainance to insure a quality herd, and develop a plan that can be constantly referred to cut off any potential problems of herd dynamics that may arrise.
Unfortunately, QDM is commonly misunderstood and put into the same management plan as trophy management or unlimited doe harvest, and this is simply untrue. Just because a QDM plan is being developed for a certain area, it does not imply that anything at all even needs to be done, it just means that the 3 proven principles of QDM will be followed, and maintained.
It' s really pretty simple. Follow the 3 principles and you have a QDM plan. In most areas of the country changes need to be made, but not all areas need the same changes, and not all areas needed to even be changed, but that doesn' t mean QDM is good for one area, and not for another.
QDM applies everywhere it is used......but that doesn' t mean all of your does will be shot, or that you don' t have decent age structure or decent sex ratios already.
Jeff...U.P. of Michigan