The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks and Mississippi State University will host an in-depth workshop on deer management on June 2 at the Mahannah Wildlife Management Area north of Vicksburg.

Bronson Strickland, a wildlife ecology and management professor at Mississippi State, said a few spots are open for the workshop, which will bstart at 8:30 a.m. and end at 4 p.m. Among the topics covered are camera survey photograph analysis, food plot management, and butchering and meat handling.

“It’s going to be divided into small groups with a lot of one-on-one instruction,” Strickland said. “We’re going to show how to age a deer from the jawbone and show how to get the most of your venison for the best flavor.”

Another key topic will be on determining the health of the herd. By using techniques to determine the age, hunters can manage the resource more effectively.

“The age ratio is key for determining the health of a herd,” Strickland said. “You want to have a good ratio between the younger and the older deer.

Tuesday is the deadline to sign up for the workshop and the cost is $95. For information, call Strickland at 662-325-8141.