Quality deer management: Ethical and social issues
- 1 December 2000
- journal article
- thought pieces
- Published by Taylor & Francis in Human Dimensions of Wildlife
- Vol. 5 (4) , 62-71
- https://doi.org/10.1080/10871200009359195
Abstract
Quality Deer Management (QDM) is emerging as a paradigm for managing white‐tailed deer populations. Examining ethical and social issues is an integral part of evaluating QDM theory and practice. Hunters’ perceptions of QDM often differ from wildlife managers’, especially with respect to the role of trophy deer, yet hunters’ cooperation is essential to successful QDM. Implementing increasing antlerless harvest while restricting buck harvest requires changes in hunters’ attitudes and behaviors. We address these human dimensions by discussing ethical and social issues, including the significance of trophy deer in hunter motivation and public perceptions of hunting, concerns about increasing privatization and elitism, enforcing QDM principles through regulation, and economic consequences of QDM. Our recommendations to wildlife managers include educating hunters and the public as well as suggestions for further research.Keywords
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