2025 Southeast Deer Study Group

Regional efforts to understand the causes of disease in white-tailed deer and the impact of those diseases on populations have a long history in the Southeast. The deer health/disease challenges faced by state wildlife management agencies over the last 50+ years have varied. Once upon a time, a primary challenge was the lack of a basic understanding of deer health and disease in recovering populations. Today, managers often face challenging aspects of deer diseases that go beyond biology and are instead rooted in a variety of social, political, and economic factors. Appropriately interpreting and communicating complex disease topics is of increasing importance. Further, strong partnerships and interdisciplinary collaborations are critical as deer managers navigate the abundance of differing perspectives, opinions, and motivations related to deer health and disease.

Historically, deer managers had a full plate with responsibilities related to hunting, seasons, and stakeholders. In recent decades, looming disease issues have stretched responsibilities further. How can “we” tackle these challenges together? Solutions may include minimizing risks, data coordination, decision-support tools, and communication strategies, but require a forward-looking perspective on time investment and agency administration priorities.