ABSTRACT
The Adirondack Mountain ecoregion has a long history and tradition of deer hunting and forest management. Deer thrive in early successional forests because of the readily available browse and the security that the dense cover provides for them. In 1956, P. C. Neth analyzed several factors that were directly related to deer population levels. Similar to Neth's findings, browse surveys completed by Debbie showed high densities of spruce and beech in the sample plots and high percentages of available palatable tree seedlings being consumed. In 2004, Cornell University staff established a research project to evaluate the Quality Deer Management program and forest regeneration at Adirondack League Club (ALC). White-tailed deer are key regulators of forest regeneration based on their preference for, and avoidance of, different tree seedlings. ALC members were initially interested in increased deer harvests and scientifically based deer management.
