Times change. Our fathers went hunting and happily harvested the first buck that came by. Meat was a need and you couldn't eat the horns so big antlers were little more than a pleasant aside. Little thought or concern was given to deer nutrition, herd management, age/sex ratios et cetera. All they wanted was venison and a safe, successful deer camp.

Today many of us still want venison and a successful deer camp but our goals have evolved. Quality deer management, deer nutrition, habitat management/improvement, trophy deer production, genetics and highly technical monitoring equipment provide us more information than ever before and the ability to manipulate that information to dramatically impact our deer camp experience. Many of today's hunters want to be involved in deer hunting year 'round. We want to turn every  deer season into a fascinating and satisfying four-season pursuit. 

Let's discuss some of the ways to keep deer season open.  Probably the most talked about hands-on approach to creating and controlling an optimum hunting season is the quality deer management movement. Sometimes incorrectly construed to be strictly concerned with 'trophy' production, this biologically sound program espouses overall deer herd health through proper carrying capacities, correct buck to doe ratios, appropriate herd age distribution, hunter safety/education, ethics, collaboration with wildlife professionals and the continuation of our wonderful hunting heritage. The fact that more, larger bucks result from a herd that is in proper balance is not a happy accident but rather an indication that nature knows what she's doing. In the past, some of our more traditionally held ideas about deer management created an unbalanced, even unhealthy herd. Quality deer management establishes a scientifically supported plan to improve the health and condition of our deer population. 

Once you embark on a commitment to improving your deer hunting experience you'll probably want to address the next piece of the puzzle- deer nutrition. Happily, this is one area you can have an immediate and dramatic impact. Herd health and quality can be influenced profoundly through judicious use of pelleted feeds, food plots, mineral supplements and nutrient blocks. Hunter interest is at historically high levels and this has created an explosion in research and products designed to improve herd health and  maximize genetic potential.  This is resulting in more satisfying deer camp experiences for more of today's hunters. 

Next time we'll delve into the science behind deer nutrition and describe 'the deer nutrition cycle'. 

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