Quality (QDM) vs. Trophy (TDM) vs. Traditional Deer Management

[BornToHuntAndFish]

In case some hunters are trying to decide which way they want to manage whitetail herds on areas they hunt, or if some are in the process of reconsidering changing their approach, here's some helpful guidance below.

Good luck & wish success to all.



https://www.qdma.com/qdm-vs-trophy-traditional-deer-management/

QDM vs. Trophy and Traditional Deer Management

Buck Harvest

• Shoot mostly young bucks in traditional deer management
• Shoot mainly 2½- to 4½-year-old bucks in QDM
• Shoot fully mature (5½ to 7½ years old) in TDM

Doe Harvest

• Shoot few if any in traditional deer management
• Shoot an adequate number in QDM
• Shoot high number in TDM

Adult Sex Ratio

• Generally heavily skewed toward does under traditional deer management
• More balanced ratios in QDM, though still favoring does
• Nearly equal ratios in TDM

Traditional deer management works when the deer population is below the habitat’s carrying capacity, and the goal is to increase the deer herd and provide recreational hunting.

QDM works best when the deer population is at or exceeding the habitat’s carrying capacity and the goal is to improve the health of the deer herd and balance it with available habitat.

TDM works best when the goal is to produce mature, trophy-class bucks with high-scoring antlers.

Each strategy has its place in deer management, but evaluation of the deer herd and habitat is necessary to correctly choose the strategy that will be most effective at producing a healthy deer herd and healthy habitat.

AND



https://www.qdma.com/mapping-antler-expectations/

Mapping Antler Expectations

Deer from northern latitudes do have the framework to be larger because antler size and body size tend to be related. However, the map clearly shows that deer habitat (in this case soil quality and food) can have a bigger impact.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Hunters are the original conservationists. If you love watching wildlife, #ThankAHunter pic.twitter.com/J948Qiuk0J</p>— QDMA (@TheQDMA) September 17, 2017</blockquote>
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[spurrs and racks]

The state of Georgia

Given the liberal doe limit and combine that with the buck limit and state wide antler restrictions of 1 buck must be 4 points on one side.....

Exactly which one of these deer management programs to you think our game laws closely simulate?

Just asking?

s&r

 

[catch22]

thx for sharing

Spurrs..........I'd say GA is leaning toward qdm if I had to pick from the 3

 

[Crakajak]

Given the liberal doe limit and combine that with the buck limit and state wide antler restrictions of 1 buck must be 4 points on one side.....

Exactly which one of these deer management programs to you think our game laws closely simulate?

Just asking?

s&r

Between traditional and QDM.

 

[spurrs and racks]

the state of georgia

is in a state wide QDM deer management program.....though tweaked somewhat.

IMHO

I have been chastised more than one time for making that statement. But, it is true.

You don't have enough deer. You don't want to shoot doe deer....don't shoot them.

I am of the opinion it's more about the deer habitat that you are hunting, than the deer limit. In other words, your property has the ability to hold (x) number of deer. And that factor will determine how many deer are calling your place home.

s&r

 

[Crakajak]

is in a state wide QDM deer management program.....though tweaked somewhat.

IMHO

I have been chastised more than one time for making that statement. But, it is true.

You don't have enough deer. You don't want to shoot doe deer....don't shoot them.

I am of the opinion it's more about the deer habitat that you are hunting, than the deer limit. In other words, your property has the ability to hold (x) number of deer. And that factor will determine how many deer are calling your place home.

s&r

theres not that many places in Ga that you can be the only one that can control the herd by trigger control.
Most don't own enough land. What your neighbor does effects everyone around them for several thousand acres.

 

[spurrs and racks]

trigger control

is the logic behind the liberal limit. I think the DNR uses the hunting population to keep deer population under control as best to their ability.

Unfortunately, it is an after the fact management organization. Reactive rather than proactive. It’s not their fault; they are understaffed and over worked. ( I cannot believe I just wrote that)

Nobody has all the answers, QDM vs TDM vs traditional. I think the traditional deer management tools are out of date, antiquated, ideas that everyone has advanced from. Frankly unless you draw a tag for a barrier island deer over population is not a factor. And that truly is by design. And unless you end up playing a very large amount of money to hunt a high fenced operation you will never experience a TDM environment.

So....QDM is our answer. It's perfect for some and not so perfect for others. I equate it to fishing, keep what you can eat and throw back the rest. If I could have a voice and could change something, both of your bucks would be 4 points on both sides...statewide.

s&r