I have heard more differing opinions on this subject than you can imagine. Almost every person(even the so called experts) have different opinions. So here goes. We have a large deer population where I hunt in WV, and in MD. The population where I hunt in PA is less than it used to be, and the county went to "trophy management" hunting. This is Greene county, PA. We are definitely seeing larger buck's this year in PA, but that only makes since. If you let the deer live they will grow(common sense).

We have a lot of acreage we manage in WV, and MD. About 600 acres in WV, and about 1,000 acres in MD. We subscribed to the theory of more does-then more deer-then more bucks. IMO we were wrong. We select the deer we shoot during hunting season, and our deer herd has flourished in quality(bucks, in number's and size). Here is my opinion:

IF you notice whenever you see a mature doe she will have a fawn or fawns with her. Alot of times she will also have her DOE fawns from the past year. How many times do you see her have her BUCK fawns from the previous year. NOT VERY OFTEN. Normally the does we pick for the freezer are the does that have buck fawns. A MATURE DOE WILL RUN OFF HER BUCK OFFSPRING. So what you are doing is letting that mature doe run her buck fawns off your property and on to the neighbor's place. That is not what I want to do. I want the buck's to stay on my property. That is how we select which does to shoot.

We select the buck's we shoot, but we can do that because we own the property. We do it this way because this is how we enjoy doing it. As far as your situation is concerned I would do it based on what I wanted to do, and I would give no consideration to what some one else think's about your actions. After all the only person you have to satisfy is yourself.

IMO Cayugad is 100% correct about the DNR's.I believe they are more intersted in the money thanthe actual deer and hunting conditions. However you also have to keep in mind that many hunter's could care less if they shoot a buck or a doe. The are in itfor the meat.And then other hunter's are only in it for the funhunting. The bottom line is this, if you want to do things your way then you have to bite the bullet and buy some property. If you are not willing topurchase property, then IMO youhave no right to criticize another hunter's way's(I have seen alot of this)-as long as it is legal. Tom.

I agree with cayugad,on what he said and I manage my own property by the number of deer I am willing to feed beyond the natural available and my food plots; this year I am going to let a neighbor[friend] hunt with me because their are more deer than I think is good for the herd so will take only does and any BIG bucks that come along.Lee

Where i hunt, its overly populated with doe's. 3 of us have doe tags for sept 8th-16th and we know where they'll be. We only shoot the plump doe's.

chapman I live in augusta co.

I see everyone is saying they are overly poplated with does and i have seen only one buck. I think myself I would that a doe in my spot. I go out with my uncle, he has a good spot.