hey Guys,
I know...I'm full of them today! Anyhow Ive allways have used the philosophy of passing up does in the early season so I can keep asmy bait there when the rut comes. Make sense? Let me add that this philosophy is always used behind my house...but I may go against it on other properties that I do not hunt that often..

After I shoot or miss the buck in that area...I usually will take the big Doe out in the next few days. Give me your feedback.

Henny

This may start a page turner, but i don't shoot does. (duck, cover ...here come the flamers)

I hold off till after the the rut has been going on a while myself. If some big does are in my area than it's just a matter of time before the dominate buck comes for a visit.

Whats wrong with shooting does?

Depending on the property make s a difference on ifI take a doe before the rut starts.If there is a lone doe then yes i will take her.

In my area we have a high population of does. By killing some off in the early season we increase our buck to doe ratio which gives us a better chance of seeing that big boy during the rut.

I would shoot a doe early, where I'm at there are plenty of others around to keep the bucks near by.

Badatta. Let me be the first to say, good for you. If you have no desire to shoot a doe and get no satisfaction from it, then what is the point. I personally do for the meat but I know plenty of deer hunters that don't like the meat, just like I know plenty of fishermen who don't like to eat fish. Do what makes you happy, as long as it's legal.

I subscribe to the does as bait theory, but since we have plenty of deer and a pretty good sex ratio, I don't worry about shooting them early season if I want to. I'm going to have plenty of "bait" anyways, and am more concerned with taking the proper animals out of the herd, such as barren does, etc. (oh crap, there goes that management thing again, sorry).

I knew a guy that uses a real doe he raises as bait. He lives in the country and raises deer. he takes out a young tame doe in the rut and ties it to a tree where he is huntin

Theres some innovation for ya. Is that legal? Wish I had a doe