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The Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) is a brand-new program dedicated to assisting hunt clubs and landowners with deer management on private lands, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division.

DMAPs are not a new concept in the Southeast.  In fact, more southern states have them than not. This program gained traction in Georgia during the development of the Deer Management Plan 2015-2024, and as hunters and landowners expressed interest in getting advice from wildlife biologists.

How will the program work?

Georgia’s DMAP has several levels, each with its own fees and acreage minimums that provide increasing levels of service and deer harvest flexibility.

Services the program offers will include deer herd and habitat management plans, property mapping, harvest data analysis, assistance with camera surveys, and harvest recommendations.

Highly trained DMAP biologists will stay up to speed on the latest deer research and deliver that knowledge to hunters and landowners through this program. DMAP will allow staff to resolve site-specific deer management issues, and simplify hunting regulations across larger geographic areas based on hunter desires. 

Meaning, this strategy can protect more casually managed properties from over-harvest (e.g., reduced doe bag limit), while affording increased harvest flexibility on intensively managed properties. 

To get started, a hunt club or landowner can schedule a site visit with a biologist to view the property. Contact information for DMAP biologists can be found at https://georgiawildlife.com/dmap.

For more information on Georgia’s DMAP, visit https://georgiawildlife.com/dmap.