Episode 46: Justin Folks of the VA DWR on Doe Harvest, Herd Health & Buck Growth

About this episode

Mike interviews Justin Folks about doe management and its impact on deer herd health and buck growth.

In this episode, Mike interviews Justin Folks, Deer Project Leader of the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (VA DWR), for a deep, informative conversation on one of the most important - and oftern misunderstood - topics in modern whitetail management: doe management. Justin breaks down the science behind maintaining a balanced deer herd, why doe harvests matter, and how it all ties back to producing healthier deer and bigger bucks . Whether you are a new hunter or a seasoned land manager, this discussion is packed with insights that can transform the way that you look at whitetail populations.

People in this episode

Host: Mike Davis

Guest: Justin Folks

Topics covered

• whitetail management
• doe management
• deer herd health
• buck growth
• hunting education

Keywords

• whitetail
• doe harvest
• deer management
• herd health
• buck growth
• hunting
• wildlife resources

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources

Places: Virginia

More episodes of Virginia Carolina Deer Tracts

• Episode 56: Filming Hunts & Archery Tips with Joshua Lawler of Carolina All Out! · May 4, 2026 · 59 min
• Episode 55: Turkey Hunting Tips & Strategies with Robert Bondurant of Limbshaker Custom Calls · April 20, 2026 · 57 min
• Episode 54: Turkey Tips, Stories & Calling Strategies w/ Justin Elliott of Lenhart's Handmade Calls · April 9, 2026 · 47 min
• Episode 53: Talking Bow Fishing and Turkey Hunting with the NCBA · March 17, 2026 · 32 min
• Episode 52: Talking Land Finance with Dwight Dean of Colonial Farm Credit · March 5, 2026 · 39 min
• Episode 51: Carson Koury of Final Draw TV · February 23, 2026 · 1h 13m