National Deer Alliance merger with Quality Deer Management Association

The NDA was formed in 2014

The future of white-tailed deer stewardship is undergoing some changes in July 2020, thanks to the Covid-19 economy, and the strength in numbers that comes with a National Deer Alliance. On Tuesday July 7, right after the patriotic July 4th weekend that outdoorsmen cherish as a time for fishing, news that the Quality Deer Management Association would cease to exist in its current form began reverberating with hunters. Considering that the QDMA was founded in the Lowcountry of South Carolina, this news does hit close to home, especially for this humble blogger.

QDMA was founded in 1988 in Walterboro, South Carolina. It was only by chance that I was a landowner in western Colleton County and an avid deer hunter, when a small local group began holding dinner meetings to discuss the future of deer management. Some of those memories are fleeting, such as the now defunct steakhouse at Exit 53 on I-95 where we met, while some are still tangible like my trusty deer rifle that I purchased then. It was a least a few years that this group of charter members met before the actual organization of QDMA ever formed.

Back in the 1980's Joe Hamilton was working for the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, and his passion for deer management inspired him to found the QDMA. He went on to national acclaim, winning many awards including the 2011 Budweiser Conservationist of the Year. Hamilton struck me as a kind, wise and friendly fellow and I owe him my gratitude for his friendship and for his guidance as a wildlife biologist over the years. During a site visit with Hamilton at my hunting land, he identified Florida pusley as a weed that is preferred forage for white-tails, and he also shared other insightful knowledge such as how to skin a wild turkey for a trophy mount. I attended his wedding to wife Donna at a Lowcountry plantation and still admire their outdoors style.

Deer hunters need more of this spirit

After years of practicing quality deer management, I'll never forget that magical October afternoon in 2004 when a mature buck in full rut came into view from my deer stand. Using the rifle that Joe had recommended for me, my shot placement was accurate, and suddenly the practice of passing up smaller bucks came to fruition. I took my trophy buck to Joe to be scored for the S.C. record book and his one word of praise still rings true today - "Superb!"

The 2020 merger press release doesn't spell out all of the details, but it is clear that the CEO from the NDA is taking over the leadership, since the QDMA CEO position was vacant. The first time that I ever heard about NDA was when Hamilton brought word of it to the 2014 Walterboro QDMA branch meeting. Other conservation groups still exist concerning deer such as Whitetails Unlimited and The Mule Deer Foundation, and will exist independent of the NDA.

To view past blog entries about the QDMA click on 2013 ACE Basin QDMA Native Vegetation Workshop - 2013 Lowcountry QDMA Camera Survey - 2011 ACE Basin QDMA Coyote Seminar -   QDMA 25th Anniversary Membership Drive -