ABSTRACT
It was once believed that communicating relevant facts would convince people to manage deer based on science. However, perception is reality, and one person's facts may be another's fiction. As discussed in Chapter 11, managers must recognize and incorporate the culture and values of the disparate groups of stakeholders that will influence their deer management. Some stakeholders (legislators and administrators) may constrain or enhance deer management via legislation and regulation; some (hunters) provide an essential service (reducing deer density); some (farmers and foresters) provide political and practical support; and some (outdoor writers) may promote (or question) facts, goals, and management actions for deer. If managers are managing someone's forestland, the owners of those landscapes form another stakeholder category. All must be cultivated, informed of the requirements regarding deer management, involved, and motivated in ways that are effective.
