The Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA) this week wrapped up its 2017 Deer Steward Program with new offerings and locations highlighting the year.
“This is the eleventh year of the Deer Steward program, and we are thrilled to be nearing 2,000 graduates who have achieved one or more levels of certification,” said Matt Ross, QDMA’s Assistant Director of Conservation. “I am excited we also added a third Module this year to the program and held very successful classes in Arkansas, Georgia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina and South Carolina in 2017. But, even more exciting things are in the future for Deer Steward, especially in 2018.”
QDMA’s Deer Steward program was launched in 2007 and was designed to offer hunters an opportunity to learn advanced deer hunting and management skills from the nation’s top experts.
The course offers three levels of educational instruction.
Level I can be completed online or in-person. It provides a comprehensive understanding of the Four Cornerstones of QDM. The online Level I Deer Steward courses are offered through a partnership with Clemson University, giving hunters the opportunity to complete it at their own pace. The program is a digital recording of one of the previous Deer Steward Level I courses and gives students up to 180 days to complete a series of six sessions.
Level II teaches students how to apply the principles learned in Deer Steward I through field experience. Because it involves hands-on learning, Level II is only available in-person.
The third and final level of the Deer Steward program is reached through personal achievement and long-term service to QDMA or the while-tailed deer resource. Qualifying for this prestigious level often takes years. To date, 50 QDMA members have achieved Level III status.
In addition to the three levels, QDMA also began offering Deer Steward Modules for specialized training in specific areas. The 2017 Deer Steward Modules included deer habitat enhancement, predator management, as well as deer herd and habitat survey techniques.
Both Level I and II courses, and all Deer Steward Modules, include continuing education credits for professionals either through the Society of American Foresters (SAF) or The Wildlife Society (TWS).
For questions about Deer Steward courses, content, enrollment, or the online program, contact:
Matt Ross
QDMA Assistant Director of Conservation
(518) 391-8414
QDMA will announce 2018 Deer Steward course and Module dates soon. For information, visit: https://www.qdma.com/steward/