Breechplug

Nope....do you think I'd actually post a Pic of a Button Buck. It weighed 107lbs dressed. If you look at the Pic of the 5 Deer hanging, this one is the last one on the right. It does look small in the Pic of the MLer and Him though. Im guessing with his rack still on he was a Spike or just a little bigger, 3 or 4 Pointer. I never said he was a Mature Deer, just a Buck who shed his antlers. I was after a Big Doe and a 107lb Doe was good enough for me on the last day, even though he turned out to be a Buck.
(BP)

Grouse45

I didn't see the 107lbs.

jaybez101099

BP,
Not quite sure of how the saying goes but kill a buck kill one deer...kill a Doe..you kill 3. something like that.
Great season and enjoyed the stories.
Chuck

Breechplug

I agree with you on that one. I usually only take one Doe mabey two between the Wife and I during Bow, Gun and Late ML Season combined. We eat between 3 and 4 Deer a year. If the Wife get's lucky and she sometimes does there's 1 Buck = 1 Deer. Next if I get My Two Bucks between Bow and Gun, Muzzle Season Combined that 2 more Deer, that's 3.
Now if I need a 4th it's usually during Late ML Season, and during our Late ML Season it's the (Second Rut) The Doe's that have'nt been bread are on there second eterous now, the Bucks are with or after those Does. So if I have My Bucks already I can watch the Bucks that are Rutting and with those Doe's. If a Buck is chasing this Doe then I know she's unbread and I can take her. So taking a Doe that has'nt been bread yet is not 3 Deer but 1.
Also the Land I Hunt is Managed By Us. We have to take a certain number of Does to try and balance the Herd. We try and take the Older Does that no longer Can have Fawns. And we never take a Doe with Fawns.
We also only take certain Bucks, the Big One's, the Old one's going down hill or the young one's that show no potential to be all they can be. We let the rest grow to there potential befor Harvesting them.
I let about 99% of the Deer I see during our Season walk. Do we sometimes make a mistake, sure. But we have done a pretty good job over 20+ years and there's no lack of Deer on our Properties. We know the Breeders, the Nursers, the Hangers and the Eaters. But sometimes when we have a Season that is Windy every day with Cold Temps and Lot's of Snow and the Deer just ar'nt moving during the day we have to do what we have to do to get some Deer. We love to eat Venesion.
(BP)

Breechplug

Oh I forgot to mention this one.....if you accidently take a Fawn your name goes on a Plaque that we have. You have to hang it on your Wall at Home for all to see for the whole year untill next Season. We give this Plaque out during our Annual befor the Season starts Hunting Party, and all will see who receives it, Wives, Kids and all. It's our way to make you make sure befor you pull the Trigger that it's a Deer that should be taken. And Im not condeming anyone who shoots Young Deer, they Taste Good and I know some Hunter's also prefer a Young Deer. But we do have certain rules amoung our Hunting Party. Also if you wound a Deer your Tag gets Burned that was to be used for that Deer.
(BP)

Semisane

In my view, the only real difference between killing a fawn and a mature deer is the amount of meat you get for that tag. So if a hunter wants to use an anterless deer tag for a tender young deer that's fine with me.

Kill a doe fawn and you take out a deer that won't breed until next year. Kill a mature doe and you take out a deer with will likely produce one or two fawns next year.

Kill a fawn buck and you get a little tender meat. Yes, you eliminate a buck from the herd. But it's a buck that will not likely be in your area next year anyway.

Numerous studies indicate that as he approaches maturity a buck fawn will travel several miles from his momma's home area before establishing a home area of his own. There's a good article on the Quality Deer Management Association regarding this, along with a recommendation that if you take out the mother of a button buck he is much more likely to remain in your area as he matures. Similar studies indicate that yearlings that are near or at the end of the nursing stage who lose their mother do quite well, and in many cases better than those that remain with the mother for a longer period of time.

Outdrdave

Some bucks start dropping in December every year.

yes. Here in NJ, where I grew up in MD and in the Midwest (Illinois) all first hand seeing shed bucks or picking up fresh sheds in December.

add.... first started seeing this first hand in 2007 and every year since. Peak shed hunting season for me is V-day through March 14.

Gotbuck

February is the month to start looking for sheds here in MO. It may just be the harsh winter you are having up there. Either way you have some great meat there. I have seen plenty of deer but not on our property to harvest. I shot at a doe last weekend and missed she came up on me while I was napping and well I just flat missed.

skillet01

I Shot a buck in western ny on 12/11 and went to pic it up buy the antler and they both fell off. Last year shot a buck on the same weekend and found the antler in the blood tail and the other had been gone for at least a few days.