qdm = quality deer management
QDM vs. Trophy and Traditional Deer Management
Source: deerassociation.com/qdm-vs-trophy-traditional-deer-management/
QDM vs. Trophy and Traditional Deer Management
May 29, 2013 By: Kip Adams
Quality Deer Management (QDM) is a household name to modern day deer hunters. You can’t pick up a hunting magazine, watch outdoor television, or talk to the guys at camp without seeing or hearing the letters QDM. The rise in popularity of QDM is a good thing for deer, other wildlife species, habitats and hunters. While today’s hunters are more educated than ever before, there are still many who don’t fully understand how QDM differs from traditional or trophy deer management. The following information compares and contrasts the three management strategies using seven measurable variables.
Traditional Deer Management
Under traditional deer management, any antlered buck is harvested, regardless of age or antler quality, and few does are harvested. Deer researcher Dr. Grant Woods refers to traditional deer management as “Maximum Buck Harvest Management.” This is the strategy that every state in the country used and some continue to use today. This strategy may work when the deer herd is below the habitat’s carrying capacity but fails when the herd equals or exceeds the carrying capacity.
Quality Deer Management
Quality Deer Management is the approach where young bucks are protected from harvest, combined with an adequate harvest of female deer to produce healthy deer herds in balance with existing habitat conditions. QDM is first and foremost about having the biologically appropriate number of deer for the habitat. If a habitat will support 20 deer per square mile, QDM says put 20 deer per square mile on it. If a habitat will support 30 deer per square mile, put 30 deer per square mile on it, but don’t put 30 deer on habitat that can only support 20. (Of course, habitat can be improved so it can support more deer). QDM also improves age structures by allowing bucks to reach all age classes – not just 1½ and 2½ years. QDM accomplishes this by not shooting the majority of yearling bucks each year.
Trophy Deer Management
Trophy Deer Management (TDM) is the approach where only fully mature bucks, 5½ to 7½ years old, with high scoring antlers are harvested (with the exception of low-scoring middle-aged bucks) and does are aggressively harvested to maintain low deer density and optimum nutrition for the remaining animals. TDM is not practical in much of the United States, and the strategy is negatively viewed by much of the hunting and non-hunting public.
Acreage Requirements
• None for traditional deer management
• Varying acreage requirements for QDM
• 5,000-plus acres for TDM
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
Deer vs. Habitat
• Deer herd often greater than habitat’s carrying capacity in traditional management
• Deer herd in balance with habitat’s carrying capacity in QDM
• Deer herd often less than habitat’s carrying capacity in TDM
Influence on Habitat
• Moderate to severe habitat damage in traditional deer management
• Minimal habitat impact in QDM
• Minimal habitat impact in TDM
Deer-Human Conflicts
• high deer-human conflicts in traditional deer management
• reduced deer-human conflicts in QDM
• low deer-human conflicts in TDM
The seven items above show how the different management strategies affect our deer herds and habitats. Each strategy is unique and shouldn’t be confused with the others. For example, QDM is as different from TDM as it is from traditional strategies, even though many hunters and non-hunters incorrectly consider QDM and TDM to be one in the same.
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. 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. TDM works best when the goal is to produce mature, trophy-class bucks with high-scoring antlers. 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. Fortunately, QDM also provides tremendous hunting opportunities, and unlike TDM, is a realistic goal for most hunters.
About Kip Adams:
Kip Adams of Knoxville, Pennsylvania, is a certified wildlife biologist and NDA's Chief Conservation Officer. He has a bachelor's degree in wildlife and fisheries science from Penn State University and a master's in wildlife from the University of New Hampshire. possible.
Fall Line Forestry manages hunting leases on approx 10,000 acres of timberland
sample hunting lease
Fall Line Forestry manages hunting leases on approx 10,000 acres of timberland
Contact Fall Line to Lease or Rent hunting land
S A M P L E
STATE OF _____________
COUNTY OF _____________
HUNTING LEASE
THIS AGREEMENT, effective the __st day of _______,20__, between ________________________ hereinafter called "Lessor" and acting through Fall Line Forestry Consultants, LLC, as agent; and ___________ of ________ County, ________, hereinafter called "Lessee."
W I T N E S S E T H :
For and in consideration of $ ________ paid to Lessor, receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, Lessee, upon and subject to the terms, provisions and conditions hereinafter set out and referred to, hereby leases from Lessor, only for hunting purposes for the period beginning on _________, 20__and ending at midnight on _________, 20__, the following described property:
ALL THAT TRACT OR PARCEL OF LAND lying and being in __________ County, __________, containing _____ acres more or less, and being more particularly described as set forth in Exhibit "A" attached to and made a part hereof.
TERMS, PROVISIONS AND CONDITIONS:
1. Exercise of rights and privileges and use of the leased premises must comply with all Game and Fish laws and regulations of the United States and the State of ________ and other appropriate governmental authorities. This lease shall include all game species which may be legally hunted in the State of ________.
2. Lessee, for himself and his agents, servants, employees, and guests, will exercise due care to prevent, control, and eliminate forest fires, and will not cause or permit damage or injury to fences, crops, trees or equipment, and will not commit or suffer or permit waste or damage or injury.
3. No commercial hunting or fishing activities or operations may be permitted, on or from the leased premises by Lessee or guests, agents, servants, or employees of Lessor or any guest, agent, servant, or employee of Lessee.
4. Neither Lessee, nor anyone else other than Lessor, shall ever sell, directly or indirectly, any hunting or fishing permit, or any other right or privilege hereunder or in, or for any of leased premises, nor sublease any or all of the rights and privileges granted hereunder. Lessee acknowledges that all or portions of the leased acreage may be sold at any time. In this event Lessor may, upon 30 days written notice, terminate this Lease and refund to Lessee, on a prorated basis, that portion of the lease fee corresponding to the time/acreage thereby rendered unavailable to Lessee.
5. Neither Lessor nor Fall Line Forestry Consultants, LLC, as Lessor’s agent shall have any responsibility or liability to Lessee or any other person, firm, or corporation for any claim, loss or injury resulting from anything done or omitted or in any manner arising hereunder; and Lessee hereby agrees and binds himself to indemnify and hold Lessor and Fall Line Forestry Consultants, LLC, as Lessor’s agent, harmless from all such, whether in favor of Lessee or others.
6. No structures, unless approved by the Lessor or his agents, of any kind or character shall be permitted at any time on any part or parts of the leased premises, and no nails or spikes or other objects for tree stands shall be driven into or otherwise attached or fastened to any Pine tree on such premises. ONLY mobile structures shall be permitted on leased premises (No permanent structures allowed).
7. Lessee and his Club Members shall have the right to utilize “4-wheelers” and/or motorcycles for hunting purposes only, during hunting season only. This lease does not give Lessee or his Club Members the right or authorization to use motorized vehicles of any sort, during or outside or hunting season, for recreational purposes.
8. No one other than Lessee or the guests of Lessee shall at any time be permitted to exercise any right or privilege under this Agreement; and guest of Lessee shall not at any time exercise any such right or privilege except after having executed and delivered or mailed to Lessor or the agent or person designated by Lessor, a release and indemnity agreement in favor of Lessor in a form approved by Lessor.
9. Lessee shall not on said leased premises do any land harrowing, plowing, cultivation or cleaning, with the exception of food plots or game feeder strips to be approved by Lessor or his agents. Lessee may put out feeders for game.
10. Any and all debris and garbage, including debris and garbage at Lessee’s camp site, left by Lessee, shall, not later than the date this lease terminates, be removed by Lessee from the leased premises. In addition, Lessee shall assist Lessor and Fall Line Forestry Consultants, LLC in generally keeping the premises in a clean condition and help in the removal of debris.
11. Lessor reserves and at all times shall have the full, free, and absolute right and authority, by himself or his agents, servants, and employees, and others from time to time authorized by Lessor or his agents, servants, or employees, to go on, upon and over the leased premises for any purpose or purposes, including but not limited to planting, cutting, removing, protecting, caring for and dealing with any part or parts or all of the leased premises.
12. Lessor agrees to give Lessee a set of keys/combinations to the locks on the gates. Neither Lessee nor Lessee's agents, invitees or employees, shall have any right under this Lease to prevent any party, whether said party be an agent or employee of Lessor or not, from traversing the leased property on existing public roads and rights-of-way. Lessee shall nonetheless have the right to prevent others from exercising hunting and/or fishing rights granted herein but shall have no further right to prevent other parties from crossing the leased premises. Lessee shall be solely responsible for posting the perimeter of the leased property. Neither Lessor nor Fall Line Forestry Consultants, LLC, as agents of Lessor, shall be responsible for posting, patrolling, or enforcing the exclusivity of this lease.
13. Any violation of any provisions of this Lease by Lessee or any guest, agent, servant or employee of Lessee shall, at the option of Lessor, terminate this Lease and Agreement, and Lessor shall thereupon have no duty or obligation to refund or repay any part of the consideration for this Lease. No failure to exercise such option and no waiver by Lessor of any right or privilege shall operate as a waiver of any right, option, power, or privilege as to any other, further, or future violation.
14. It is understood that the Lessee accepts the land in an “as is” condition and further, the Lessee understands that hunting is a dangerous activity and that there may be hidden hazards such as holes, fence wires, snakes, wells, swamps, ponds, harmful plants, unauthorized careless persons on the land, other hunters, or other risks that may injure him or cause death and the Lessee assumes all these risks as his own responsibility. Lessee agrees to hold Lessor harmless against any and all claims of loss, damages, liabilities or other expense of or as a result of Lessee’s occupancy and activities. Lessee shall provide proof of hunting insurance with minimum coverage of $1M per occurrence and $2M aggregate.
15. This Lease is not assignable.
16. A Non-Refundable deposit of fifteen percent (15%) of the lease amount shall be paid no later than ____________, 20__. Payment of the balance of the lease fee shall be due in full no later than ___________, 20__.
17. Lessee shall have the option to renew this Hunting Lease for one(1) additional one-year period at a lease rate of $______ per acre.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Lessor and Lessee have hereto set their hands and seals, and executed this agreement, in triplicate, each of which shall for all purposes be the original.
LESSOR(S):
_______________________ ______________________
Landowner 1 Landowner 2
ACCEPTANCE:
We acknowledge Ourselves the undersigned Lessee(s) to be bound by all terms and conditions of this agreement. All persons using the property must sign the Addendum. Persons who have not signed the Club Roster or Addendum are not authorized to hunt on nor enter upon the property described herein.
LESSEE:
____________________
Hunting Club president
__________HUNTING CLUB
CLUB ROSTER 20__-20__
The following constitutes a complete list of all members
(TYPE OR PRINT LEGIBLY)
MEMBER NAME
ADDRESS
PHONE
CERTIFICATION OF MEMBER LIST
Attach additional list if necessary - Must correspond
with number on application. Insurance Coverage is
afforded only to members of record named above.
New members must submit in writing within one week _________________________________________________
of joining. All members must be at least 16 years of
age or provide certificate of completion of an approved hunter safety course)
CLUB OFFICER & TITLE
ADDENDUM TO HUNTING LEASE
ATTACHED HERETO is a list of guests of __________ Hunting Club, whose signatures indicate that they have read the lease agreement and accept the terms outlined above, with particular emphasis on items number 5, 8, 13 and 14.
“I have read the lease and I agree to abide by all the terms and provisions within it, and my acceptance of all the terms and provisions is indicated by my signature below.”
Name:
Name:
Address:
Address:
Date:
Date:
Signature:
Signature:
Name:
Name:
Address:
Address:
Date:
Date:
Signature:
Signature:
Additional guests of __________ Hunting Club must comply with term 8 of the lease agreement before hunting on the leased property described above. productivity.
Buck and Does