ABSTRACT
Reducing deer density and impact by public hunting is by far the cheapest and most effective way to manage deer impact on forest resources. Some hunters, termed alpha and beta hunters, and novice hunters hunting for subsistence rather than for trophy deer (identified as locavore hunters), are more accepting of science-based deer management and support the need to control deer density to reduce impact on forest resources, including deer. These are the hunters most effective in reducing deer density and impact and need to be identified, recruited, and rewarded for reducing deer density through their hunting efforts. Omega hunters are older and less accepting of science-based deer management, get their philosophy of deer management from peers, and want maximum deer density. Managers need to identify needs of alpha, beta, and locavore hunters, and develop timely and effective communications with them to make hunting work.
