CDFW Expands on State Deer Management Plan Goals

SACRAMENTO — On Tuesday, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) hosted a public meeting to outline its intent to draft a Deer Conservation and Management Plan for the state. The session allowed participants to ask questions and provide suggestions that could shape the draft, which is expected to be released in early 2026. Additional opportunities for public comment will follow once the draft becomes available.

During the presentation, Dr. Brett Furnas, who supervises the science support unit at CDFW, explained the methods used to model the state’s deer population. The agency relies mainly on fecal DNA from scat collection for surveys, supplemented by helicopter and fixed-wing aerial surveys, camera traps, GPS collars, and other techniques. Random sampling informs population models, incorporating elements such as habitat quality. The CDFW estimates that California’s deer population ranges from 500,000 to 1,000,000. Although surveys and scientific data guide decisions, Dr. Furnas noted that conservation and management ultimately depend on public input.

Brian Leo, the statewide deer coordinator, highlighted that the plan aims to offer a modern, science-based framework for conserving and managing California’s deer. Key goals include ensuring long-term population viability, conserving habitats, supporting recreational activities such as hunting, and fostering collaboration with agencies, tribes, and the public. Leo stressed the importance of adaptive management in the strategy. He explained, “We’re going to make decisions based on monitoring and research, and then adjust as conditions change.”

Ultimately, the plan seeks to support regulatory changes through precise population assessment and modeling. The approach will draw on data from surveys and monitoring to estimate annual trends in deer abundance, composition, and vital rates such as survival and recruitment. The models will account for various stressors, including fire, forest management, human-wildlife conflicts, diseases, genetics, species interactions, and climate change. By identifying how these factors influence population dynamics, the framework will help guide targeted conservation efforts across the state’s diverse regions.

In response to public questions, Dr. Furnas affirmed that the plan and modeling would account for predator interactions. However, he clarified that the document focuses on informing management decisions rather than enacting regulations. CDFW Wildlife Branch Chief Scott Gardner added that the plan would examine all factors influencing deer population dynamics, including the effects of predators like mountain lions, bears, and wolves. He emphasized maintaining a scientific approach without delving into specific regulations to keep the plan robust and enduring. Insights from the plan will aid the Fish and Game Commission in its decisions.

Dr. Furnas also discussed limited data for the northern Sierra D and X hunting zones. He described these areas as previous gaps in the dataset but noted recent investments to address them. Although some gaps remain, Furnas believes them to be primarily in the central coast and southern deserts, where the agency plans to redirect its resources next.

Tuesday’s presentation offered a broad overview of the Deer Conservation and Management Plan’s intended scope. More details will emerge with the draft’s release. Chief Gardner closed the meeting by revisiting predator dynamics, humorously stating, “No, we can’t capture all the lions and move them to another state. But, we are going to look at it and do what we can, and we’re certainly not going to shy away from science.”