Management Workbook for White-Tailed Deer

The Deer Management Workbook, -- “the Redbook,” as it is often called – was designed to be a working document for wildlife managers, researchers, administrators, and the interested public. The first version of the “Redbook” was written and distributed in 1987. Several updates were made in subsequent years. Much has changed in our deer management program since 1987. This new version of the Deer Management Workbook provides an update and more accurately describes our deer management program as it exists in 2001. In it is described the philosophy, laws, policies, procedures, and assumptions we use in our deer management program. New issues in deer management are ever emerging and the looseleaf format enables additions and deletions to the workbook as our deer management program changes and improves. The information in the Workbook is designed to provide a foundation of information needed to understand, conduct, and participate in the Wisconsin Deer Management program. Wisconsin’s deer management program is often viewed as a model of deer management in the country. A major component of our deer management program is harvest management. The state is divided into areas that are ecologically similar called deer management units. Overwinter goals are set for each deer management unit with input from the public and approval by the Natural Resources Board (a group of citizens selected by the Governor to review DNR policies). These goals are then used by wildlife managers to develop harvest recommendations to keep the deer population within the unit at the goal. This workbook was developed by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

Click here to get the file