So do you shoot a doe this weekend or keep them around?

[Deerguy]

For anybody management-minded, it always better to remove does early in the season. Every doe walking around is eating 5-7 pounds of food per day, every day. Most properties have too many deer to begin with so the longer you keep the does around, the greater the impact to the habitat. Too many people wait til the end of the season, and then don't end up shooting the number of does they need to. Those of you still seeing spotted fawns are doing so because of late breeding activity, which is largely due to high sex ratios nd too many does. Kill a bunch of does to improve the sex ratio and you'll stop seeing them. Also, the notion that the presence of does will help increase buck visibility is misguided. The more does you have the less the buck activity and resulting visibility. Basically, with a skewed sex ratio, bucks don't have to look as hard for does as when the sex ratio is tight and the bucks have limited opportunities to breed. Since the season is essentially open earlier this year, there will be some fawns that can't afford to lose the doe (again, mostly a function of a poor sex ratio), but, but fawns greater than 6 weeks are fully functional ruminants and can get along fine without mama. If the fawns have lost spots or have faded spots, the doe is eligible for harvest. Plus if you really have a lot of does to kill, many times you can get the fawn as well as the doe. Just make sure he doesn't have bumps on his head. Lots of reasons to kill does, the earlier the better.

[Pushbutton2]

Here's how it was explained to me.

Does before = Not pregnant you're taking 1 deer from the herd

Does after = Most likely pregnant you're taking 2-3 deer from the herd

1 is less than 3

[BigThicketBoy]

Before or after it's the same really.

Here's how it was explained to me.

Does before = Not pregnant you're taking 1 deer from the herd

Does after = Most likely pregnant you're taking 2-3 deer from the herd

1 is less than 3

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[HoustonHunter]

As soon as i see one without fawns, I'm shankin

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Err time.

The more does there are before the rut, the less the bucks have to work to get some. The less does there are, the harder the bucks actually search for them. More searching = more traveling = more visibility.

[Skinny]

Here's how it was explained to me.

Does before = Not pregnant you're taking 1 deer from the herd

Does after = Most likely pregnant you're taking 2-3 deer from the herd

1 is less than 3

[emoji102]


Skinny

[Passthrough]

Here's how it was explained to me.

Does before = Not pregnant you're taking 1 deer from the herd

Does after = Most likely pregnant you're taking 2-3 deer from the herd

1 is less than 3

But she would have been pregnant if you didn’t kill her. This theory doesn’t hold water to me. It’s all about removing mouths if your doing doe reduction. Quicker off the feed bill the better in my book!

[kd350]

Soon as I get the opportunity. We can only shoot does during bow season

[hogslayer78]

Here's how it was explained to me.

Does before = Not pregnant you're taking 1 deer from the herd

Does after = Most likely pregnant you're taking 2-3 deer from the herd

1 is less than 3

You kill her before she breeds, you stopped her from getting pregnant. Therefore you still eliminated the baby from the equation. So either way your taking 2 from the herd.

[tmstuk]

Not shooting a doe yet. He could be 30 yards away.

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Wow! Nice buck. Good luck!
I’m shooting first opportunity.

[AntlerCollector]

Good luck BOB

[Raleigh]

Yes sir, first mature doe without fawns is going to deer heaven

[Colton]

Shoot them before they’re bred in my opinion

[PEC]

For anybody management-minded, it always better to remove does early in the season. Every doe walking around is eating 5-7 pounds of food per day, every day. Most properties have too many deer to begin with so the longer you keep the does around, the greater the impact to the habitat. Too many people wait til the end of the season, and then don't end up shooting the number of does they need to. Those of you still seeing spotted fawns are doing so because of late breeding activity, which is largely due to high sex ratios nd too many does. Kill a bunch of does to improve the sex ratio and you'll stop seeing them. Also, the notion that the presence of does will help increase buck visibility is misguided. The more does you have the less the buck activity and resulting visibility. Basically, with a skewed sex ratio, bucks don't have to look as hard for does as when the sex ratio is tight and the bucks have limited opportunities to breed. Since the season is essentially open earlier this year, there will be some fawns that can't afford to lose the doe (again, mostly a function of a poor sex ratio), but, but fawns greater than 6 weeks are fully functional ruminants and can get along fine without mama. If the fawns have lost spots or have faded spots, the doe is eligible for harvest. Plus if you really have a lot of does to kill, many times you can get the fawn as well as the doe. Just make sure he doesn't have bumps on his head. Lots of reasons to kill does, the earlier the better.

Nice!

[RShockley]

I hunt public so I shoot my does as soon as they choose to walk in front of me. The area I hunt only allows does during bow season so I really don't have the option of waiting if I want to harvest one.

[stickbowcoop]

Early. I like having meat in the freezer, it helps me hold out for a nicer buck because I know I already have meat, early season button bucks are smaller still and easier to distinguish from does (bb's always get a pass from me), and lastly I feel it helps intensify competition with bucks having less does pre-rut.