Quality Deer Management (QDM) is a management philosophy/practice that unites landowners, hunters, and managers in a common goal of producing biologically and socially balanced deer herds within existing environmental, social, and legal constraints. This approach typically involves the protection of young bucks (yearlings and some 2.5 year-olds) combined with an adequate harvest of female deer to maintain a healthy population in balance with existing habitat conditions and landowner desires. This level of deer management involves the production of quality deer (bucks, does, and fawns), quality habitat, quality hunting experiences, and, most importantly, quality hunters.

A successful QDM program requires an increased knowledge of deer biology and active participation in management. This level of involvement extends the role of the hunter from mere consumer to manager. The progression from education to understanding, and finally, to respect; bestows an ethical obligation upon the hunter to practice sound deer management. Consequently, to an increasing number of landowners and hunters, QDM is a desirable alternative to traditional management, which allows the harvest of any legal buck and few, if any, does.

QDM guidelines are formulated according to property-specific objectives, goals, and limitations. Participating hunters enjoy both the tangible and intangible benefits of this approach. Pleasure can be derived from each hunting experience, regardless if a shot is fired. What is important is the chance to harvest a quality buck - an opportunity lacking in many areas under traditional management. When a quality buck is taken on a QDM area, the pride can be shared by all property hunters because it was they who produced it by allowing it to reach the older age classes which are necessary for large bodies and antlers.

ORIGINAL: Plus One

You know, I was sitting here eating pretzels and enjoying the tennis match until I read this one and for some reason it got to me.

HuntingBry, I'm not trying to poke at you or anyone else on here, please don't take this personally, but its smarmy parting shots like this that will turn people off. If people are from the Brown/Down clan or QDM clan, it doesn't matter, you reap what you sow.

Ken

ORIGINAL: GMMAT


These kinds of articles HURT QDM as much as they help......and like I said.....I will be on board, this year.....and in the subsequent years.

Just my opinion.

That is funny because it came from the QDM website

ORIGINAL: NEW61375

Well I might as well get a couple of licks in on this old horse.

Why is it that the QDMA specifically says that QDM is not for every hunter or every piece of property. They even give a list of questions i.e Do you have the resources? Do you have enough land? Do you have landowner cooperation? etc. etc. The inventors of the whole QDM strategy know it is not for everyone but apparently some oftheir members and advocates didn't get the memo or bother to read through the QDMA site thoroughly enough to wrap their brains around that fact. Well just in case you skimmed through and missed this part from the QDMA website:

Is QDM Right for You?

Quality deer management is not a panacea and many things should be considered before implementing QDM practices on your hunting land. If you answer yes to the following questions, QDM may be right for you. · Do you have enough acreage to manage your deer population without being severely affected by hunting pressure on adjacent properties? If not, will your neighbors join you and possibly others in forming a QDM cooperative? · Is the habitat on your hunting property adequate to produce and maintain a healthy deer herd? If not, do you and your hunting companions have the funds, equipment, and commitment to manage and improve the habitat? · Do the deer-hunting regulations in your state allow enough flexibility to manage your herd? Does your state wildlife agency encourage and assist landowners with management and allow adequate doe harvests? · Are you and your hunting companions prepared to commit to a long-term (often five or more years) management program? · Do you and your hunting companions understand the financial, time, and energy commitments and have realistic expectations regarding a QDM program?
When considering QDM, realistic expectations must be stressed. Management goals should be set with the potential of the local herd in mind. As a quality herd becomes established, it is important not to let expectations exceed the capabilities of the herd or habitat. Significant changes to deer herds and deer habitats do not happen overnight and often take several years to become obvious.

ORIGINAL: wolfen68

That is funny because it came from the QDM website

Not the health of the herd or the sex ratios or the age ratios but the "chance to harvest a quality buck"?

ORIGINAL: GMMAT

I don;t believe THAT, either, Bruce.....to be fair.

ORIGINAL: HuntingBry

My statements were basically to say that a trophy hunter needs bucks to be let go to grow to their standards.

Those that shoot anything legal are not restrained by anything but the law, so their actions are interfering with the trophy hunter's goals.

While what they are doing is perfectly legal and there is nothing wrong with it