The arrangement of habitat types is important and is termed interspersion. The greater the habitat interspersion, the higher the habitat quality for deer. For whitetails to utilize habitat improvements they must be available within the deer's home range. Permanent openings are in forested tracts not only provide edge but produce high-quality forbs for feeding. These openings should be no larger than 5 acres and rectangular in shape for whitetails.
Rectangular openings create greater edge.
Larger openings are not generally used extensively by deer during daylight hours, since they do not like to venture far from protective cover. On many leases or clubs in Mississippi, if the landowner is managing the land primarily for timber, it may be difficult for the lessee to clear large openings of 3-5 acres. Most land managers advise about 8 to 10 percent of the area be in permanent openings. Mississippi is about 60 percent forested. Consider present day silvicultural practices and how they relate to forest and deer management.