An undisputed icon of the Hill Country, the white-tailed deer perfectly embodies the wild beauty and raw elegance of this part of Texas. This popular native wildlife provides immense enjoyment, abundant hunting opportunities, and a huge economic benefit to the residents of the Edwards Plateau. But in the wake of expanding development and consequent reduced natural predators, the numbers of white-tailed deer have exploded, making deer overpopulations one of the most critical land management issues facing the region. Without the same thick and in-your-face reality of dense Ashe juniper growth, for example, many landowners often don’t recognize the vital importance and obligation to the land and the deer to manage deer population growth. But for those who do, the rewards are great.
In addition to a strong land ethic, managing a deer herd requires hard work, persistence, and, ultimately, the willingness to utilize help. Few landowners better exemplify these attributes than Marika and Jonathan Schoolar, and their land shows it.
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