Habitat should be arranged on a tract of land to meet the daily needs of white-tailed deer. Proper habitat arrangement can increase efficient deer use of an area. In general, we use the woods-edge, interspersion, or habitat diversity to describe habitat arrangement. An edge is where two different habitat types join and are used heavily by White-tailed deer. An example is where a hardwood stand meets an adjoining pine stand.
Some edges occur naturally, while others are artificial.
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.