DNR Will Seek Final Round Of Public Input On Deer Population Management Plan

The Department of Natural Resources is holding a final round of Deer Advisory Council meetings this month in every county to hear how the public wants to manage their deer populations.

DNR Big Game Ecologist Kevin Wallenfang said that participation has been low, but that they hope the December meetings will pick up.

“Basically, these objectives are … do they want to see more deer, fewer deer, or are they happy with the number that are out there? And once that objective is set, it’ll be approved by the Natural Resources Board this winter and we will set quotas for the next three years based on that population objective,” said Wallenfang.

Wallenfang said DNR biologists will provide data to aid the councils, which will make county recommendations. Final deer hunting quotas will still be set by the Natural Resources Board.

Here’s a schedule of when the advisory council meetings will be happening around the state, and an online survey state residents can take about deer populations.