The last 4 years I have been concentrating on the harvest of does. We have had quitea bit of crop damage and the buck to doe ratio is not what I'd like to see.I haverecruited friends to help harvest does, too.

In regards to the meat, I usually butcher two young does for our freezer. I gave 4 deer (I butchered/boned them out) to coworkers last fall. There is a local meat locker that participates in the HUSH (Hunters United to Stop Hunger) program. I donated a couple of deer to them this past fall. I gave another one away to a friend, he came and picked it up out of the field.

As to what I plan to harvest when I go afield, I try to give a pass to immature bucks (1.5-2.5). I say try as some 2.5 year olds can be carrying some decent head gear. If I have an antlerless tag in my pocket (which I can buy a pocket full), I'll usually try for a mature doe. Shooting yearlings opens the door for the harvest of an occasional button buck, so unless they are so close that I can get a positive ID, I'll usually pass on yearlings. If a doe with fawns come by, I might take the doe. The hunting season is late enough in the fall that fawns can be weaned.

Last fall I did not buy as many tags as I normally do and regretted it later in the season. I had many easy opportunities to fill tags when I was out of them (isn't that the way it goes!) There are county quotas for antlerless tags and they tend to sell out as the season goes along. I won't make the same mistake next year.