White-tailed Deer Management Workshop scheduled May 1

Thursday, April 10, 2014

It may not be deer season in Oklahoma, but hunting enthusiasts never stop thinking about their four-legged freezer fillers.

Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension is providing some tips of the trade to ensure landowners' property is suitable for white-tailed deer in an upcoming workshop.

“This field day would be beneficial for anyone interested in improving white-tailed deer habitat or deer populations on their property,” said Dwayne Elmore, OSU Cooperative Extension wildlife specialist.

The workshop will be held at the Okmulgee County Fairgrounds, May 1 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Those interested should contact Elmore at (405) 744-9636 or dwayne.elmore@okstate.edu to RSVP by April 21.

The professionals from OSU Extension, the Noble Foundation and the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) will discuss forest management for deer, quality deer management, key food plants for deer, the Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) and food plot management.

“Forest management will cover the various types of harvest and timber stand improvement techniques and how they impact white-tailed deer forage,” said Elmore. “A field trip in the afternoon will illustrate many of these concepts.”

The food plot management session will discuss the pros and cons of planting supplemental forages for white-tailed deer along with recommendations. The DMAP, administered through the ODWC, will be explained to landowners so they can decide if it is a program that will help them with their management objectives.

Quality deer management will also be covered with an emphasis on age structure and sex ratios of white-tailed deer.

“The workshop will provide landowners an opportunity to interact with knowledgeable professionals who have years of experience managing white-tailed deer,” Elmore said.