Estimating Deer Populations on Your Property: Population
Dynamics Robert A. Pierce II Fisheries and Wildlife State
Specialist School of Natural Resources Missouri Department of
Conservation Missouri Department of Conservation Although
landowners frequently want to know how many deer are on their
land, knowing exact numbers is not realistic, nor is it
necessary for successful deer management. However, having a
basic understanding of population dynamics is important, as it
can help a landowner identify how and why the population may be
increasing or decreasing. Knowing whether the population is
larger or smaller or whether it includes more does or older
bucks over time is more important than knowing the exact number
of deer. Determining the population demographics over multiple
years and understanding the relationships that influence trends
can help a landowner make appropriate decisions to reach
management objectives. The Missouri Department of Conservation
(MDC) manages and monitors the statewide deer populat