Just curious. What would you consider a good deer to acre ratio? 1 deer every 5 acres? More/less? Just wondering for those that manage your property if you have a target number.

That’s going to depend heavily on the quality of the habitat. Some places can surely support one per few acres, on average, and others more like one per 30 acres. And the hat trick is to have property that meets the varied needs of a deer all year. I think my area is supporting around one per 10-15 acres but only because of the nearby clearcut regeneration.

In heavily managed properties with superb habitat I don’t like to see more than a deer per 4.5-5 acres. That’s pushing it. A deer per 5.5-7 acres in real good habitat is where I like to stay if possible.

With this kind of number, would you struggle to see deer in this case? Sure, quality would be better, but I have hunted props that I saw 1-2 deer all season (killed both 8s) but still sucked to hunt as I hunted correctly with the wind etc

At 7 acres per deer, I should would have 150 on my lease, which I don't. I doubt I have half that.

It’s hard to say you don’t if you don’t know for sure.

No. Those are EXTREMELY high densities and can only be supported in superb habitat. A more realistic expectation is a deer per 10 acres in most of this state, which still equates to 64 deer per square mile. You start getting to 120+ deer per square mile and you are getting into pretty high densities the habitat can’t support.

Interesting. Good to know.