Once you have identified the objectives of any deer management program, it’s time to implement the necessary practices. Often times, the major component of most deer management programs is deer population regulation, and the only economically practical method of population regulation is hunting. The number and type of deer harvested by hunting can be adjusted through imposition of various hunting regulations including restrictions on the sex of deer harvested, types of legal equipment, season starting dates, and season lengths. Historically in all states, including West Virginia, hunting regulations have been restrictive during the period of deer restoration with mainly short buck-only seasons to protect does and encourage deer population growth. As deer become more abundant, more liberal hunting regulations including antlerless harvests are required to limit population growth.