90% of Bankhead has no cover and near zero food except for early fall when acorns are falling. Deer can’t survive in that.
Then how is it putting out such large deer?
Bankhead don’t have a habitat problem. It’s got areas of complete canopy cover within the Sipsey Wilderness, but there’s plenty of hardwood regen, forbs and woody plants on that place. Way more than what the deer can utilize. I NEVER saw browse pressure on even the most highly preferred deer plants there. That population has always had a hard time increasing in number. It’s not habitat related.
