Taking of Does

[nighthawk]

Maryland rifle season opened up yesterday,we had 4 hunters and took 4 deer,3 does, 1 buck.We have a standard rule here on this property.We only take 8 pointers or larger.And my rule is, it has to be larger then the last or it's a doe.Here in Md.We can take 10 does,2 bucks per season.12 deer Bow,12 deer Rifle,12 deer muzzleloader. That's a total of 36 deer,so we eat alot of does around here.
I think we (hunters) all should shoot more does,that way the buck to doe ratio well be in tune,allowing You to harvest larger Bucks,but that's my opinion.
Have a great hunting season! Nighthawk

[one shot scott]

It opened yesterday and you already have 4 down?!! Congrats!

[longwinters]

Wow, that is a lot of deer in a season. Congrats on your opener. How about some pics?

Long

[Bambiblaster]

And if you shoot all the does what happens is the ratio is 0 deer or very hard to find deer... I used to hunt Md public land and the decline in deer was so great I quit... Same here in Pa.. public land deer are getting too thinned out...you got to have limits... Just my opinion.. Big racks are fine and all but havnt found a recipe that works yet for them...

[Stosh]

I agree. This 2 week doe and buck season in Pa has ruined the hunting in my area, Hunted the first week of archery in my favorite spots and seen 1 deer. Cant get rid of the breeders.

Stan

[saxman]

I hear that some states have a "Earn-a-buck" program where you must Check in a doe before a buck tag is issued.
That is not the case here.
If I could find some doe's I would gladly do my part.

[sumner4991]

No way to make a "blanket" policy for all. The game regulations for each state is OK . . .however, the deer herds need to be managed more specifically for every five square miles. No way the state can do that.

In the last ten years we have been taking more and more does on the farm. However, this year, deer were hard to find on the farm. After the season, it's left us re-thinking our program. Coyotes have moved into the area in the last five years or so too.

We hunt mainly for the meat. Not having deer to harvest is a bad thing. We may have to let the does walk for a couple of years on the farm.

I have a little 20 acre patch 10 miles down the road from the farm and it has plenty of deer on it. I took 4 out of 5 deer off this little 20 acre tract. Four does and a seven point buck. I let several small ones and a large 6 point walk. I have the same self imposed limit, well, it has to have at least four points on one side. If the 7 point had been going in the opposite direction, he may have lived.

Man, that 6 point will be ready for a large wall in a couple of years . . .if he makes it.

[Dumbazz]

Parts of Southern Ontario are even different. SW Ontario and there seem to be lots of numbers and lots of bucks. South Central, we have lots of deer, but not a lot of bucks.

I believe in our area, they need to cut back on the buck tags.

[vinemack]

congrats on all

[Arkbow]

We have so many does here where I live in Arkansas that the buck-to-doe ratio is way out of hand; we are only allowed 2 bucks {must have 3 points on 1 side to be legal} and 4 deer total; not enough hunters killing does; they kill their 2 bucks and put their bows up for the season; we must kill more does to balance the herd;

[yakman$]

Im my opinion

The best way to manage a good doe program is to shoot all the old smart doe's they are the ones teaching the young deer. On my property 7 years ago the deer were looking up in to tree stands on a regular basis. After talking to a friend he advised me that i should shoot all the old doe's or any older doe with a young buck that i see.

This management program will do two things.

1. It will stop teaching the younger bucks all the wisdom the old smart does know.
2. Shoot the doe's with the young bucks will in turn keep that buck in your area. In as little a one or two years the Does will chase off the young bucks in the group. They do this for the sole purpose of claiming TERRITORY.
Shooting the doe will grantee that the young buck is they to stay and grow.

This system has worked extremely well on my property and have noticed a huge change in the amount of bucks around with little time invested.

Killing all the does will in turn thin out the deer....

Shoot the key teachers and buck pushers and leave the young hotties to breed....

[peter p]

What we do is shoot the fawns and let the does walk.

I started practicing this type of deer management on a 100 acre property my dad owns and we have lots of deer.

The way I see it is that if you kill a mature doe you are actually killing three deer, especially after the rut when they have been bred.

The fawns have a higher mortality rate and may or may not make it through our winters.

Don't get me wrong, we do take does but would rather shoot the fawns.

After the rut we don't shoot does.

[huntone]

Does and bucks are about 60% bucks to 40% does at my farm. I don't keep the old does cleaned out, just try to harvest a even ratio. I have plenty of doe and young buck shooters in my area so it's kinda hard to let the big one grow up. However, the higher ratio of bucks gives a better chance for a nice buck. I will not shoot a doe with fawns. The 9pt. I shot this year was after a older doe.

[phil]

...i hunt central NJ and in my area you cannot shoot a buck with less then 3 points on one of its side!...this rule has been in affect now for about 5 yrs. This has been working great and we are noticing a lot nicer bucks!...i wish more zones and states would adopt this policy.

[nighthawk]

Hey thanks for all the advice.The property owner has called in our local DNR (dept.of natural resource) officer and will ask his advice.Then we will all add our 2 cents worth,and come up with a plan. Again thanks for all the imput,this forum has been a great source of info for me. Thanks and have a merry xmas to all.