Model Description
The DMS is a spatially-explicit modelling environment for evaluating white-tailed deer
management strategies. It was designed with the resource manager as its intended user. It
is comprised of five major design components with 83 executable computer programs and 37
interface menus with associated help files. A diagram illustrating the relationships
between the various modules and program options is included in the DMS user's guide.
Version 1.0 of the DMS was programmed in Visual Basic for DOS (Microsoft Corp.), and will
run on any IBM compatible personal computer (see Hardware Requirements in the manual for
additional details). Data structures and specific information about the management area
and the deer population are provided by the user, interactively, through an integrated
hierarchical menu system.
Table 1. Descriptions of the primary modules comprising the Deer Management Simulator.
Model Component |
Description and Function |
| Landscape Module | Specify the name and location of GIS map files, define map coordinates and resolution, delineate seasons and assign relative values to delineated habitat types for each specified season. |
| Deer Population Module | Create and characterize the initial deer population for use in the simulator. User-specified input data include population size or density, sex-age composition, and age-specific reproduction and mortality rates. |
| Map Utilities Module | Permits users to interactively delineate areas for treatment and census, to create barriers to animal movement, and to modify habitats within specified areas on the vegetation map. |
| Data Evaluation Module | Allows the user to visualize how the model deer population and assigned seasonal habitat values interact to influence the dispersion of animals over the landscape. |
| Simulation Module | Allows user to design management "treatment" scenarios, and to specify exactly how the treatment will be applied (i.e., intensity and duration). The user also specifies the number of replicates to be run for each management scenario. |
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Comments or questions about these pages should be directed to Ken L. Risenhoover