George Reserve Deer Herd

By Dale McCullough

This classic was first published in 1979.

In 1928, six white-tailed deer were introduced to the Edwin S. George Reserve, a two-square-mile fenced area in southeastern Michigan. Six years later, in 1933, the first drive census showed 160 deer. This remarkable growth of deer population became a landmark in the young field of wildlife management.

In this book, the author reassessed the results of previous studies on this deer herd done over the years and reported on his own studies over a twelve-year period. The latter period involved an intensive effort to elucidate the relationship of population density to birth and survival of offspring. The author’s empirical population model, derived from his experiments, is compared to traditional population models used in ecology.

The book is an account of the methods used, analyses performed, and models synthesized from the population data gathered at the Reserve.

"I think this book is a must for all wildlife managers and for others interested in the population biology of large mammals. It should also be valuable to those generally interested in animal population ecology as it reads well and presents techniques and philosophical perspectives that are important beyond the narrowest perspective of white-tailed deer. McCullough’s book will be widely quoted, and thus a necessary addition to many of our personal libraries." Journal of Mammology 62(1), 218

"The book is well written. Research workers, professors of population dynamics, and simulation modelers will all find this book of great value." Journal of Range Management 33(4) 318

"A technically sound, thorough evaluation of the subject matter makes this book a valuable contribution in the field of large mammal ecology and management." California Fish and Game 67(1) 68