State wildlife agencies face growing urban white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) populations and deer-human conflicts become common as populations grow. Agencies and
community decision-makers are continuously pursuing methods to mitigate deer-related conflicts
while maintaining stakeholder engagement. My research explores three dimensions of urban deer
management including examining state agencies’ urban deer management resources available
across the U.S., exploring residents’ views toward deer management techniques to identify their
acceptability, and investigating if a formalized decision-making framework can help decision
makers make effective urban deer management decisions. Throughout my research, I examined
the quality and content of urban deer management resources, distributed a questionnaire in one
suburban and semi-rural community to ascertain residents’ views toward deer in their
community, and united expert and stakeholder input to inform management actions. My research
highlights how agencies can improve urban deer management resources and planning, define
acceptable management techniques, and streamline community-level deer management
decisions-making.
