CONSERVATION THROUGH MANAGEMENT
Deer management program

Deer Management Program Overview

There are three major components to a Whitetail Associates Deer Management Program (WADMP): Education and Communication, Science, and Deer Population Reduction. Each component supports our main objective: systematic and sustainable deer removal to achieve safety and balance for the ecosystem.

Education and Communication

Without a basic knowledge of the options in a deer management program and the rationale behind it, public or landowner support is unlikely. Whitetail Associates conducts public information meetings for all stakeholders, as well as presentations for private individuals, businesses, and homeowners associations.

Science

Data recommended for collection during the implementation of a deer management program includes biological data, deer age and weight and the health of the deer herd.

Additional data can be collected and analyzed on the current and future condition and health of the plant and animal community that is caused by over-browsing whitetail deer.

Deer Population Reduction

There are two options for landowners that wish to participate in the deer removal aspects of the Whitetail Associates Program: the “Landowner Cooperative” and SURE Archer.

The “landowner cooperative” is for landowners that already allow hunting. Whitetail Associates has no interest in displacing hunters or affecting the relationship landowners have with their hunters and vice-versa. The “landowner cooperative” is generally considered for municipal deer management programs and simply makes hunters and landowners aware of the goals of Whitetail Associates during the program.

The other option is for landowners that don’t allow deer removal on their property.  SURE Archers are screened and tested archers, who operate on the basis of being Sincere, Unselfish, Responsible and Ethical. All Archers go through a series of steps (application, criminal background check, interview, 12-hour safety/ethics course and skills test) before they are “Whitetail Associates Certified Members.”

Vehicles and Deer

Autos and deer can be a lethal combination. With the increase in urban sprawl and more roads being built through wildlife areas deer have been displaced from their natural habitat, leading to a rise in deer-vehicle collisions, according to the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I) An estimated 1.23 million deer-vehicle collisions occurred in the U.S. between July 1, 2011 and June 30, 2012, costing more than $4 billion in vehicle damage, according to State Farm, the nation’s leading auto insurer. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) noted that deer-vehicle collisions in the U.S. cause about 200 fatalities annually.



All Members Are Committed to the Following S.A.F.E. Hunter Code of Ethics

I pledge to adhere to a S.A.F.E. hunter code of ethics, serve as a mentor to youth hunters, and be someone that other hunters aspire to emulate. Safety is, and will remain my highest priority. Attaining certification as a S.A.F.E. (Skilled, Accountable, Focused, Ethical) hunter means I have demonstrated the necessary decision making prowess, learned advanced skills to work in sensitive environments more effectively, will hold myself to a higher ethical standard, will be a leader, and I am dedicated to sustainable harvest to achieve management goals. I will hunt with integrity and conscience. I will continually strive to improve my hunting skills through practice and education. I will know, and stay within, my personal shooting limitations. I will treat the non-hunting public, including anti-hunters with courtesy and respect. I understand that as a suburban deer hunter, I have a civic duty to use my skills to serve the community and the public interest. I pledge that the public interest shall rise above my own. Not only do I promise to lead by deed and example I will follow by the same standard. I will follow all state game laws, sound deer management practices, land owner determined restrictions, and rules specific to any managed hunt of which I am a participant. The Code of Ethics will be a constant reminder of this pledge and I understand that any violation thereof will result in immediate dismissal from a Whitetail Associates. Membership. I understand that this menbership is earned, and so is the privilege of keeping it.



Contact Us Today For More Information on a Deer Management Program Tailored to Your Needs or to Schedule a Presentation