Have you ever wondered how tag numbers are determined?
QUESTION: My state is proposing a 40% increase in doe tags this year. That seems like a lot. How do they decide how many to give out?
ANSWER: Wildlife managers take many things into account when determining harvest goals. One is population status in relation to population objectives. If they believe the existing population is too high and needs reduction, they may implement measures to increase harvest. The easiest and quickest way to reduce numbers is to remove does, since they represent the reproductive potential of the population.
Biologists also may look at recent harvest rates in relation to harvest objectives. If they didn’t think enough does were harvested in the previous season(s), they may increase opportunities for hunters to take more. In most cases, they’re using trends based on years of data and often have a good idea of expected harvest based on the number of any-deer permits, doe days or other opportunities available.
They may also look at winter severity, particularly in northern areas. A mild winter usually means better survival and more deer available for harvest. In general, the overall goal is to keep deer populations balanced with what their habitat can support – something called biological carrying capacity.
In some cases, like areas of higher human population, they may base target objectives on what humans will tolerate, or cultural carrying capacity. It doesn’t always work in the best interest of deer and deer hunters, but we have to remember we’re only a fraction of the general population.
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