So I have done a search on here and can't find much on how to determine deer density. I have seen the threads talking about using a chopper, but I am not going to do that, plus it doesn't seem that accurate either.

We control our herd primarily by ratio and how hungry we are. We have plenty of deer running around, but it would be cool to know what our density is.

While on the subject, what is the optimum deer density and what is the optimum doe to buck ratio?

Thanks!

I'd submerse your deer in water and measure the displacement. Divide the deers weight by the volume you measured. Voila, you've got your deer density. Probably be easiest if the deer is dead first.

Wait... You're referring to the population density of deer aren't you?

Well, if I do it while they are still alive, and if I do it fast enough then I can release them for hunting....but then how do I catch the deer for this experiment?

Yes....I am referring to population

You live in SA so you should know how this works...

Set up a booth on the corner of your main road through the ranch and advertise free cell phones. All the female deer will come running and you can get the doe count that way.

Then open up a strip joint across the way and you will figure out the buck population real quick.

Haha, just teasin, lived in SA for 7 years so I know it is a good city.

What county do you hunt in? What is the habitat like? Food plots or protein feeders?

Deer drives, camera counts, observations and plug em into an equation. There are deer density maps online that will get you relatively close. Combine all the data to come up with an educated guess.

Protein feeders will tell you about how many deer you are feeding, but not necessarily how many you have.

From what I have gathered and been told, most people think they have less deer than what they actually have.

I shot at this little buck twice and missed twice. He came back and the third time I punched a three bladed hole in his heart. Talk about dense.

Hunt in Bandera County. Typical hill country terain: hilly, rocky, and more cedar than I know what to do with. There is a creek that runs through our property, it might get slow, but in the 100+ years of the property being in our family it has never gone dry. We feed corn and protien out of spin feeders year round. We have 7 feeders on our 270 acres. I also throw out other supplements pretty regular. Protein blocks, minerals, salt blocks, etc.

Your local TPWD biologist can give you better numbers than I could on density and CC for your acreage. CC is at what you are at right now since it has been in the family 100+ yrs and you still have deer. You can do several different survey methods to get an estimated density. I would take TC pics and document every buck you have on the place. That will give you a number that will be close. You can do incidental counts late this summer into early fall and do blind counts also for ratios. A spotlight survey will give you some density figures but more ratio information. Once you have the incidental, blind and spotlight numbers you can then take the buck to doe ratio and fawns per doe numbers to use with your TC buck numbers. Simple math will give you some better numbers for density. It can also you give you some numbers to work your harvest quotas off of.

I don't think deer density is probably a big concern on 270 acres low fenced unless all around you is wide open. Probably better off trying to manage age classes for mature animals.