Skip to main content

Forest Management for White-Tailed Deer

Hancock, Wis.

Forest Management for Creating a Deer Hunting Paradise

Oct. 8, 2025 | 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

This workshop will dive into the habitat requirements of white-tailed deer and how to incorporate their needs into forest management plans. Through a combination of presentations and field tours, we will cover:

  • Basic deer ecology, including habitat requirements and how those requirements vary seasonally.
  • How to use silvicultural treatments to increase forage production and where/when they are appropriate.
  • How to use these techniques to avoid the negative impacts of deer browse.
  • Where and how to incorporate cover to meet the year-round needs of deer.
  • How to account for deer home range size within forest management plans.

WORKSHOP DETAILS

Registration Closed.

Cancellation Policy

Requests received prior to October 3, 2025 will be granted a full refund. No refunds will be granted to requests received after the registration deadline. To receive a refund, a request must be made to the Wisconsin Forestry Center.

Target Audience

This workshop is designed for professional foresters. It counts toward the Forest Management for Wildlife Certificate.

Continuing Education Credit

The workshop counts towards the Forest Management for Wildlife Certificate program and has been approved for the following:

We are also seeking pre-approval for the following:

 

               

WORKSHOP INSTRUCTORS

Mike Demchik

Professor of Silviculture, UW-Stevens Point

Michael Demchik is a professor of forestry at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. He teaches a wide range of courses at UWSP and is involved in research that addresses using silviculture to reach landowner goals. He is particularly obsessed with developing methods to teach students to mark timber better, faster, and with more confidence in their decisions. He has had several jobs across federal, state, and private natural resource management in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.

Matt Esser

Private Lands Deer and Habitat Biologist, Bureau of Wildlife Management, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Matt Esser graduated from UW-Stevens Point in 2002 which has led to professional experience as a deer and wildlife biologist, forestry consultant, and wildlife technician. This career path has afforded him great opportunities to work extensively with numerous species of wildlife and their habitats. His passion for wildlife and habitat management has led to educating biologists on a state-wide level at deer trainings, assisting in the continued progression and success of DMAP (Deer Management Assistance Program), and helping with the development and implementation of several new deer research efforts in Wisconsin.

Fred Hengst

Tax Law Forestry Specialist, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Fred Hengst has 24 years of experience in forestry after graduating from UW-Stevens Point with a Forest Administration and Utilization Major in 2001. After running a consulting forestry firm in Central Wisconsin for 19 years, he was hired by the WDNR as a Tax Law Forestry Specialist in July 2023. Fred has spent his career working with private forest landowners and the Managed Forest Law (MFL) to manage their forests for timber and wildlife. Some may say Fred is obsessed with invasive plants and the negative impact they have on forest ecosystems.

WORKSHOP PARTNER