re: What percentage of hunters manage their deer populations?

Bigger ears = bigger racks

Outside of a high fence, managing genetics is pissin in the wind.
You can manage for maturity on a large tract or with cooperative neighbors.
you can supplement the diet on any size tract to improve the herd and get better hunting.

I hunt for the enjoyment of being in the wild and pursuing deer in their element. All that management stuff seeks more like ranching to me. I'm not against it and would like to experience hunting like that for a couple seasons. But to me, hunting is about being in the wild and taking what nature's bounty provides, not just harvesting what man's hand can engineer.