Missouri Department of Conservation

Deer Management

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Deer Management

The white-tailed deer is one of Missouri's most valuable wildlife resources. Each year hunters spend around 3 million hunter-days in the field pursuing the whitetail, contributing millions of dollars to the economy in the process. Public viewing of deer attracts thousands of visitors to our state's public lands annually. A recent survey of urban and rural Missouri citizens revealed that of all animals outside a zoo, people most prefer to see the white-tailed deer. It also is a favorite with children. The whitetail was selected as our state mammal by vote of school-age children.

Deer Cam

What's the best way to learn about an animal's behavior? More

Managing Land for Deer

A question often asked by landowners is, “Can I effectively manage deer on my property?" More

Planning Ahead for Wildlife Survival: White-Tailed Deer Management

Deer management should be directed toward insuring adequate food supplies during all seasons of the year. More

Related Information

  • Chronic Wasting DiseaseChronic Wasting Disease (CWD) belongs to a group of diseases known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). TSEs cause a degeneration of the brain in deer, elk and moose. Get the facts about CWD in Missouri here.
  • Deer Hunting

    Learn more about Missouri's whitetailed-deer population and Missouri's deer-hunting seasons.

  • Deer DiseasesThis section covers only a few of the more common parasites and unusual conditions that people, especially hunters, might observe in deer: chronic wasting disease, cutaneous fibromas, hemorrhagic disease, Lyme disease, nasal bot flies and tapeworms.
  • White-Tailed Deer

    The white-tailed deer is aptly named because the white undersurface of its flaglike tail is about all that we see in the fleeting glimpse we get of this superb mammal as it bounds across an opening in the woods.

External Links

  • Deer Ecology and Management

    This MU Extension web publication is the first in a series of white-tailed deer management guides for landowners and wildlife enthusiasts. The series provides research-based information to help landowners make informed decisions and achieve their management goals.

  • Estimate a Deer's Age

    The age of a deer can be estimated from the dental characteristics of the lower jaw. The two techniques used to determine the age of deer from the jawbone are tooth replacement and wear and cementum annuli. This MU Extension web page shows you how.

  • Estimate Your Deer Population Using Harvest Data

    By comparing harvest and observational data from your land over a number of years, you can evaluate the effectiveness of harvest recommendations in meeting management objectives. This MU Extension web page shows you how.

  • Estimate Your Deer Population Using Observational Data

    Recording observational data on a log sheet is one of the easiest and most cost-effective methods for gathering information on the composition of a deer herd. This MU Extension web page shows you how.

  • Estimage Your Deer Population With a Camera Survey

    A camera survey can be used to monitor population demographic trends of deer densities, age structure, sex ratio and fawn recruitment. This MU Extension web page shows you how to conduct a camera survey on your property.

  • Implement Quality Deer-Herd Management

    Although many deer management problems are complex, the solutions often involve the application of several simple biological principles. This MU Extension web page shows you how to implement quality deer-herd management.

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