The Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) is a comprehensive management program consisting of data collection and cooperator education to help deer hunters on private lands (owned or leased) manage for a healthy deer herd while maintaining habitat integrity. Mississippi was the first state in the country to create a deer management assistance program to pair deer hunters and wildlife biologists together to help manage the state's deer herds, and continues to lead the way in innovative deer management efforts.

How It Works

"You Can't Manage What You Don't Measure"

The starting point of DMAP is for cooperators to set their own deer management goals, and collect information such as harvested deer (e.g., number of bucks and does, weights, antler measurements, whether does have been lactating or not, and/or a jawbone pulled to determine the age of each deer harvested), observation data, camera survey estimates, and/or biologist habitat evaluations. Data collection requirements may be different depending on the level of DMAP the property is enrolled in (see requirements and services for DMAP Level 1 & 2 below). After wildlife biologists from the MDWFP, or other DMAP-approved biologists, analyze the data, the biologist will often provide an annual report with recommendations and meet with the landowner/cooperator to discuss harvest strategies that are designed to meet their specific goals within the limitations of maintaining a healthy habitat.

Data from the program is also used in research projects to help better understand deer biology, and help inform statewide deer regulations.

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To meet with a wildlife biologist and sign up for DMAP, request a site visit using the button below.
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DMAP's Success in Mississippi

MDWFP's Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP), as the country's first deer management assistance program, has been one of the most successful ventures affecting deer management in Mississippi. The DMAP's widespread success has been credited to program design that directly involves the sportsman in the collection of harvest data and ultimately in the management of the deer herd.

DMAP's implementation started as a deer research project by Mississippi State University in Kemper and Noxubee counties in the 1977-1978 season.

The DMAP became available as a statewide program in approximately 1980. About 430 cooperators who hunted on approximately 1.3 million acres were active participants in the DMAP at that time by 1985. From 1985, total cooperators and their corresponding acreage grew exponentially until peaking in 1994 at close to 1,200 cooperators on 2.8 million acres. Since 1994, total cooperators have stabilized at approximately 650 properties on 1.7 million acres. 

Explanations for the rapid growth of DMAP until 1994, and the ensuing decline thereafter, seem to be related to antlerless hunting opportunity. During the late-1980s and into the early-1990s, liberal statewide antlerless opportunity was only available if a property was enrolled in DMAP. This changed in the mid-1990s.

An aggressive effort to provide statewide antlerless hunting opportunity during the entire deer season was initiated in the mid-1990s. This effort began with opportunity in the still hunting season, added the first gun season in the second year, and was fully implemented in a majority of the state at the end of year three. No requirements were placed on landowners or hunting clubs to harvest antlerless deer during these periods. As a result, fewer properties needed to enroll in DMAP just to get management doe tags.

DMAP Success by the Numbers

Looking at Over 45 years of DMAP Data

Recently, a DMAP deer data deep dive was conducted looking at almost 50 years worth of deer harvest data. 

The dataset included 2,395 properties and 692,076 deer. 

Here are some of the results: 

 

On average...

 

Within 5 years, 

✅️ Doe harvest increased (Avg. = +44%)

✅️ Lactation increased (Avg. = +8%)

✅️ Buck harvest increased (Avg. = +26%)

 

Within 10 years,

✅️ Buck age increased (Avg. = +40%)

✅️ Antler Score Potential increased (Avg. = +13%)

 

As doe body weights increased, antler score potential increased

✅️ For every +10 lbs in 1.5 yr old doe body weight = +7 inches in buck antler score potential 

▶️ On the low-end: if the average 1.5 year old doe body weight = 80 lbs, then the average antler score potential for mature bucks was 100-105 B&C inches

▶️ On the high-end: if the average 1.5 year old doe body weight = 120 lbs, then the average antler score potential for mature bucks was 130-135 B&C inches

 

As average doe body weight and average buck antler score potential increases, the frequency of higher-end quality bucks are produced:

▶️ Average frequency of 170+ inch potential bucks = 0.4%

▶️ If 1.5 yr doe body weights average 80 lbs = frequency of 170+ inch potential bucks = 0.04%

✅️ If 1.5 yr doe body weights average 120 lbs = frequency of 170+ inch potential bucks = 2.6% (64x higher frequency)

✅️ After 10 years in DMAP the 170+ inch potential average = doubled

✅️ After 20 years in DMAP the 170+ inch potential average = tripled

 

When comparing properties that met greater than >90% of the biologist's recommendations, vs all other properties:

✅️ Buck age was greater (Avg. = +50%)

✅️ Beam lengths were longer (Avg. = +14%)

✅️ Antler score was greater (Avg. = +20%)

✅️ Score potential was higher (Avg. = + 7%)

✅️ Potential 170+ was greater (Avg. = +43%)

✅️ Doe harvest was greater (Avg. = +210%)

✅️ Year old doe body weights were higher (Avg. = +10%)

✅️ Adult doe lactation was higher (Avg. = + 15%)

 

In summary, DMAP works. Using deer harvest data to inform deer management decisions works. 

If you're interested in hearing or learning more about deer harvest data and DMAP programs you can follow these links:

https://youtu.be/iJc-SFW0meU?si=3UohGtfnAJmJjvre

https://dailyleader.com/2025/04/03/dmap-works-to-increase-healthier-deer-herd-antler-scores/

New Age of DMAP in Mississippi

Today, DMAP functions as it was intended. The cooperators who remain on DMAP are, as a rule, genuinely interested in deer management, and those that still need management doe tags can receive them through DMAP level 1 or 2 (management buck tags are only available through DMAP Level 1). Currently, biologists are able to devote the necessary time to provide quality management information to DMAP cooperators. Additional innovations in the DMAP data system continue to evolve as more types of data, such as observation data, camera survey results and habitat evaluations, can be included in the data management system to provide a more comprehensive analysis of a properties deer herd.

For more information about DMAP, please contact a Private Lands Biologist.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the qualifications for DMAP?

For a property to be considered for DMAP, the landowner/lease holder must be interested in deer management and have the ability to perform the necessary activities to reach their goals. The property must collect and submit certain data to the assigned biologist, such as their property boundary, harvest data and jawbones, camera survey data, observation data, and/or harvest numbers. Biologists will also collect habitat evaluation and browsing intensity data during subsequent site visits.

DMAP applications will be evaluated by the assigned biologist to determine the recommended level of participation needed to meet the property's goals and viability of services that can be provided.

DMAP Level 1

Requirements:

Initial site visit consultation and habitat evaluation with a wildlife biologist.

Annual DMAP application, including a map of the property boundary.

Harvest data on all deer (weights, lactation, antler measurements, etc.) with jawbones for aging, observation data, and/or camera survey data can all be included in data submission.

Services Provided:

Annual report with recommendations based on data collected (harvest, observations, and/or camera survey).

Additional habitat management consultations and management plans.

Deer browse intensity assessment every few years.

Additional Management Doe Tags starting in Year 1.

Additional Management Buck Tags starting in Year 2.

Starting in Year 2 of DMAP, hunters can use a weapon of choice during the November Antlerless Only Primitive Weapons season on the enrolled DMAP property.

DMAP Level 2

Requirements:

Initial site visit consultation and habitat evaluation with a wildlife biologist.

Annual DMAP application, including a map of the property boundary.

Deer harvest count (bucks and does) is mandatory.

Observation data and/or camera survey data is optional.

Services Provided:

Additional habitat management consultations and management plans.

Deer browse intensity assessment every few years.

Additional Management Doe Tags starting in Year 1.

Starting in Year 2 of DMAP, hunters can use a weapon of choice during the November Antlerless Only Primitive Weapons season on the enrolled DMAP property.

What does DMAP cost?

The cost of DMAP is essentially free, except for the collection of data for the MDWFP. This data includes harvest numbers, sex, weights, antler measurements on bucks, lactation data on does, jawbones, observation data, and/or camera survey estimates for deer from the property. Without proper data collection from the cooperator, the biologist cannot give proper harvest recommendations.

DMAP Reviews

DMAP Customer Surveys

Overall, how satisfied are you with your DMAP Biologist(s)?

2005 = 66.4% Satisfied

2025 = 92.7% Satisfied

 

Do you find the annual harvest recommendations provided in your DMAP report (e.g., the suggested number of deer to harvest) clear and easy to understand?

2005 = 89.9% Yes

2025 = 97.5% Yes

 

Overall, how satisfied are you with your DMAP Report?

2005 = 74.4% Satisfied

2025 = 94.7% Satisfied

 

What do you find useful in your DMAP report?

89.3% = Comments and Recommendations

88.2% = Deer Ages

62.4% = Data in Tables

59.1% = Data in Graphs

 

Please indicate which of the following reasons are important to participating in DMAP:

To improve the health of the deer herd
2005 = 99.7%
2025 = 91.1%
To produce quality bucks
2005 = 98.9%
2025 = 89.3%
To receive data analysis and management recommendations
2005 = 97.0%
2025 = 81.6%
To improve hunting opportunities
2005 = 99.7%
2025 = 76.2%
To learn more about deer management
2005 = 95.9%
2025 = 72.0%
To receive professional habitat site visit surveys
2005 = 90.1%
2025 = 67.3%
To better document deer harvest
2005 = 97.3%
2025 = 58.9%
To reduce the size of the deer population
2005 = 65.7%
26.2%
To receive additional doe tags
2005 = 61.6%
2025 = 25.6%
To reduce deer damage to crops
2005 = 37.4%
2025 = 11.9

 

How do you restrict the selection of bucks harvested by hunters on your DMAP property?

Age = 66%

Beams = 32%

Spread = 30%

Points = 16%

 

Have any habitat management practices been implemented on your DMAP property?

2005 = 64.6% Yes

2025 = 76.3% Yes

Testimonials

"We have a great biologist and we rely on him and the DMAP program to improve and control our deer population."

"DMAP is a great program and gives us tangible tools and harvest goals based on data.  The support given by our biologist has been invaluable to help shift the mindset of club members to harvest more does and reinforce the importance of food plots.  The biologist site visits are very helpful to pinpointing specific next steps that we should take to improve habitat.  We are grateful for the support that MDWFP provides via the DMAP program."

"The doe tags are very important for us because we have very few hunters that are willing to harvest the necessary number of does. It is also really nice to have a longstanding data set of past harvests from the past 20+ years that this property has been on DMAP. We are very thankful for the assistance from DMAP!"

"My biologist does an absolute amazing job!!! He always makes time for me and always answers my text. Yall are very very lucky to have him and so am I!"

"Our biologist does an excellent job for us. He quickly answers any questions we may have and is really good to get back to us. We have always had great DMAP folks working with us."

"Every biologist we have had since we began dmap has been very helpful and informative."

"Fantastic program.  You will learn a lot from the state biologist about deer and habitat management."

"I am a very big supporter of my biologist, but also of the program in general. Very beneficial as a landowner and hunter, 5 star!!"

"Our biologist is a local guy and knows our property and the area around us. He has been  to our camp and surveyed our property with us. We trust his judgement."

"We have worked with our DMAP biologist for a number of years now. His work and knowledge with this program has been extremely helpful and we as participants could not be more pleased."

"Our DMAP biologist is phenomenal.  I could not ask for him to be more accessible.  He answers any questions I have, explains things in a manner I can understand.  He provides me multiple options, explains pros and cons of each option. I have informed all of my neighbors of his abilities and most of them have reached to him as well."

"Our new biologist and seems eager to work with us. We have been communicating well and are planning a site visit. Thanks for all y'all do for us."