The future of managing ungulate species: White-tailed deer as a case study

The future challenge to managing ungulate populations to meet objectives is likely to become more difficult as participation in recreational hunting declines and ungulate populations become more abundant. The authors use the white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in North America as a case study to illustrate the management challenges facing decision makers. In states with fewer licensed deer hunters and large urban areas, changes solely to season length and bag limits may be insufficient to control deer populations. Incentivizing antlerless harvest beyond traditional reasons of recreation and sustenance may be necessary. The chapter provides a description of a future in which multiple methods will be required to control deer populations that likely will require an adaptive management approach. Methods other than hunting will incur higher costs to landowners and government agencies, and acceptable methods will depend on resident attitudes toward lethal and nonlethal control measures and costs.