Population Management

There are three pillars of hunting property management: habitat (includes food plots), population, and hunter management.

Carrying capacity, nutrition, cover, and predator removal are all part of population management and need to be considered on a hunting property.

Dense forest with tall bare trees and green underbrush, partly cloudy sky visible through the branches.

Predator Management

Trapping and removing predators is not always about reducing predator numbers. It is about removing those individuals at a critical time in order for deer, turkey, or quail to sustain or increase their populations.

In the Southeast, we must acknowledge the fact that predator management is important and habitat management alone is not always the answer.


Population Surveys

Matt also uses population surveys, specifically the Jacobson Camera Survey and Fall Covey Call Counts, to assess populations and make future management recommendations.

Deer Population Management

For deer populations to reach their maximum potential, long-term high-quality nutrition and cover must be a priority, and predator management is important.

A pile of scattered corn on the ground in a wooded area with trees and greenery.
Aerial view of a farm with multiple fields outlined in black and divided into different shapes and sizes. The fields are colored green, and the image includes labels indicating the size of each field in acres, such as 7 acres, 5 acres, and 3 acres. The distances from a red dot to each field are marked in miles, with purple lines connecting the dot to various points on the fields. The image also shows some farm structures and surrounding forested areas.

Covey count & deer movement an increase in soft edge is needed on 100 to 200 acre scales.

Discuss Population Management for Your Property

Every property is different. Population levels, predator pressure, and habitat conditions all influence how wildlife management should be applied.