DEER MANAGEMENT IN INDIANA

10 COMMON MYTHS

By Chad Stewart

Many deer management myths have surfaced
and resurfaced over the years. Some are based
on a small bit of truth. Others are completely
false.

One common thread is they’re often shared
from person to person and rarely based on
facts.

So, if myths lack truth, why do they continue
to be told and believed?

Shankar Vedantam, a reporter for the Washington
Post, explored that question a few years
ago and cited several studies that show the
more people hear false rumors the more likely
they are to believe them.

“The research also highlights the disturbing
reality that once an idea has been implanted in
people’s minds, it can be difficult to dislodge,”
Vedantam reported. “Denials inherently
require repeating the bad information, which
may be one reason they can paradoxically
reinforce it.”

In other words, the harder you try to set
the record straight with facts, the more some
people think myths are truths.

Regardless, let’s bust 10 myths about deer
management in Indiana.


Myth 1: The DNR manages deer for deer hunters only.

Indiana law mandates that the DNR manage
deer and all wildlife for everyone in Indiana.
The goal of the white-tailed deer management
and research program is to maximize hunting
and viewing opportunities while maintaining
a deer population at a level consistent with
ecological, social, and economic values of all
Indiana citizens.

Myth 2: The DNR does not take input from the public.

The DNR listens to feedback and input
through our Got INput process on possible
rule changes, and through phone calls, emails
and social media. Before any rule changes
are adopted, the public has opportunities to
provide additional comment either online or at
public hearings. The Division of Fish & Wildlife
also sends out regular surveys to hunters and
landowners to collect input, opinions, and
hunter-effort information. The survey results
are important tools used to help decide deer
management at the county and state level.

Myth 3: The DNR is trying to reduce the deer herd across the state.

The DNR’s deer management program is
currently working to reduce conflicts between
Indiana residents and deer where they are most
problematic. This is being done in a strategic
and targeted manner (through bonus antlerless
quotas), not statewide. Currently, many counties
have regulations set up to maintain or even
increase deer numbers within the county.

Myth 4: The DNR needs an accurate count of deer to effectively manage
them across the state.

Wildlife biologists and statisticians have
recognized that population estimates are not
necessary for effective deer management. Many
states do not conduct population estimates for
their deer herds. Rather, the DNR manages
deer by evaluating trends over time. From those
trends we’re able to estimate whether the deer
herd is increasing, stable, or decreasing. These
trends, along with public surveys, are used to
determine deer management objectives.

Myth 5: Antler-point restrictions would improve the quality of genetics
in Indiana’s deer.

Restricting buck harvest to only animals with
a certain antler configuration (for example: 8
points or more, or 16-inch spreads or more) has
often been proposed to improve the quality of
bucks in an area. The thought is that by only
focusing efforts on older deer, more yearling
bucks will survive and grow to older ages and
produce larger antlers. The intended result
will likely fall short, especially in the Midwest,
where yearling animals may produce 8 points
in their first year of growth. Point restrictions
would instead focus harvest on large antlered
bucks, protect only the smallest-antlered deer
and cause high levels of accidental or illegal
kills. Point restrictions will not change the
genetic characteristics of a population as it
relates to antler size, meaning only certain
bucks would have these large antlers regardless
of restrictions.

Myth 6: High antlerless quotas are solely responsible for reducing the
deer herd.

Indiana historically has had high antlerless
limits available to all hunters. Hunters have
been allowed to harvest eight antlerless deer
in many counties. These limits are high to
allow individuals experiencing deer problems
the opportunity to solve their problems in the
hunting season. It is not meant to be a limit
that is reached by all hunters, and it rarely is
reached. Despite high quotas in some counties,

Surveys repeatedly show the vast majority of
hunters (85 percent) take three or fewer deer,
and less than 1 percent ever take eight deer in
a season.

Myth 7: Indiana cannot produce trophy and record-book deer.

Although the DNR does not specifically manage
for trophy deer, the agency recognizes
this is a desirable byproduct of deer management.

The comparatively smaller number of
deer from Indiana in current record books
is likely a result of the small size of the state,
not a result of management. The Quality Deer
Management Association (QDMA) looked at
the estimated number of record book bucks
submitted per thousand miles of land area from
1999 to 2009. QDMA found that during this
period, Indiana ranked third in the country
in submissions per thousand square miles to
Pope & Young (archery-harvested deer) and
sixth in Boone & Crockett (gun-harvested deer)
record books. On a mile-by-mile basis, Indiana
compares favorably with many other reputable
states that produce record-book-quality whitetailed
deer.

Myth 8: The DNR is bringing back mountain lions to help manage the
deer herd.

The DNR has never reintroduced mountain
lions or any other predator to manage whitetailed
deer. Reintroduction of these predators
into areas where people live would likely not be
tolerated by residents or a majority of citizens
in the state. Although the DNR did confirm the
sighting of a mountain lion in Greene County
several years ago, it is unknown whether that
animal was an escaped animal or a nomadic
individual.

Myth 9: Insurance companies are to blame for the lack of deer in Indiana.

A common myth is that insurance companies
are behind many directives to reduce the number
of deer on the landscape. This is not true.
Refer to Myth 4 on how the DNR determines
deer management goals.

Myth 10: The summer deer damage program is hurting deer hunting across
the state.

Qualifying farmers and landowners can get
summer damage permits that allow them or
their designated shooter to remove deer during
the summer months when their crops are
growing. The program is designed to help these
individuals protect their agricultural investment
during a time in the growing season when
it is most vulnerable. It is not meant to be a
population control method or to replace hunting.
Over the past several years, approximately
2,400 deer or fewer have been reported annually
on these permits, or less than 2 percent of
the total reported harvest during the