shootin does
 

does anyone know the theory behind why people dont like to shoot does???
i got permission to hunt on this nice piece of land but the landowner doesnt want any does taking off the land and i have heard this before about guys not taking does.

RE: shootin does
 

The only reason that I can think of is, he wants more deer on his property in the future.

RE: shootin does
 

and misinformed about herd management....




B

RE: shootin does
 

lots of old timers think that if you shoot does you ruin your chances of killing a buck and you hurt the heard population. and in some places that have very low deer populations this may be true to a point. but most places that have low deer populations dont allow doe shooting by law. but as the deer heards in every state have increased to record proportions it is now a valuable tool in maintaining a healthy heard as well as the lower the ratio between doe and buck the more likely we are to see and take bucks. and bigger bucks as well.

RE: shootin does
 

Early in the season, cull the does. The bucks aren't chasing them and it is a good time to cull them.
Just prior to the rut, stop shooting them and wait for the buck to follow.
That is how I do it anyhow.
R
Hank

RE: shootin does
 

I do the same as ahankster does.

RE: shootin does
 

I take them early as well

RE: shootin does
 

Buy your own land and kill them all you want.

RE: shootin does
 

that's exactly what i'm going to do. unless i get my only buck in ky then i'll start taking does in the rut...

RE: shootin does
 

In mississippi we can take 5 does and 3 bucks with a bow. So i try and kill every doe i can, where i hunt we have an 11 to 1 doe/buck ratio.

RE: shootin does
 

I shoot does early and often. I'd rather shoot 5 does in a season than onlyone buck.

RE: shootin does
 

gonzoo... he is an oldtimer thats watmy dad and bigrax uncle said

RE: shootin does
 

My lease used to be ran by a bunch of old timers and to them shooting your does was shooting your breeders. They came from a cattle background and didn't really get it.
Times have changed and now we take out the does as the law allows.

RE: shootin does
 

To fully understand the reasoning it helps to have studied the history of wildlife management. Back in the teens, twenties and thirties market hunting had severely depleted populations of many game animals. In fact many were depleted to the point of huntable populations not even existing for long periods of time. Through game laws (harvest regulations) and transplatation efforts nearly all of these species have recovered and are thriving, and in fact in many areas now have reached nuisance levels.

Alot of these feelings on doe harvest come from older gentlemen who learned to hunt back in the days when game populations were still on the mend and there wasn't a deer behind every bush. Kind of like how people who grew up in the depression feel about saving money. You have to remember this was the same era also. Fathers also teach their sons, and if thats what dad said it must be true. The main problem is that many people with this belief do not realize you can't stockpile deer and save them for a rainy day.

At any rate this is a very interesting post and to fully discuss it would be space prohibitive, but I like interesting subjects!:D

RE: shootin does
 

Because they are clueless[&:][&:][&:][&:][&:][&:][&:][&:][&:][&:][&:][&:][&:][&:]!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

RE: shootin does
 

I think most of it is old timers that were raised in an atmosphere AND LAWS of bucks only. In my early days, only the criminals and poachers shot does. Everyone knew who they were and treated them like dirt. It's hard to break old habits. Also, a lot of people only want or need a deer a year. They don't have a convenient way of disposing of their extra meat. So as long as they're only shooting one...it might as well be a big one or a buck or anything but a doe. To them a doe is a critter of last resort. Many of us think of it as the critter of first resort and get some meat, then you can go hunting. Different strokes, backgrounds, educationetc.

RE: shootin does
 

I agree with what both you and crittr are saying. Old info based on what has always been done. Hard to get new ideas implemented sometimes even if biologically proven.

RE: shootin does
 

On the western end of the U.P where i hunt the doe to buck ratio is about 50 to 1 does taste great and there less filling too!!!!!

RE: shootin does
 

Just because you stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night, doesn't mean you know more about the land than some one that spends their life there.Some of you might be smart to spend some time with one of these ole timers you might learn something.

RE: shootin does
 

You people that are lucky enough to have an abundent deer herd are lucker than you know .Here in PA we had a problem in some areas with to many deer .So me we payed a man to convince the hunters that if we killed all the big doe we could , all our deer problems would be solved.So we did .Now the areas that had to many deer still have to many deer because of land access,but the areas that did not have to many deer now have none.The jerk that started this plan has of course now quit.

So be carefull what you wish for you just might get it!

RE: shootin does
 

Tons of resources out there for deer mgmt. Read it, learn it, and live it!! Some of the posts that I have seen in this thread are off the wall lol.

RE: shootin does
 

You are correct davidmil, I did not put that in my post, but it was the the law then. A law aimed at increasing the deer population, which was sorely needed at the time. And it worked well.

The problem is that human nature is such that we resist change, and for the most part we get worse about it as we age. I know I do. It is hard to tell people that what they grew up with is not what is needed anymore, that circumstances have changed requiring new approaches. Especially if that land has been in their family for generations. To them it is the same place it was when they were a kid, why don't the rules stay the same? By the same token, my father-in-law is in his 70's and is one of the more open-minded people I know.

Now we could make this a real hot topic by getting into state wildlife departments and how regulations are set Well, maybe not.

RE: shootin does
 

And just for the record, my degree in wildlife biology was taught to me by old timers who had "seen the elephant", back before Holiday Inn Express even existed.

RE: shootin does
 

:D:D:D:D

RE: shootin does
 

I was always told that if you shoot a doe that 3 less deer you will have next year.. blah blah blah.. my dad and grandfather were believers in that theory.. F that.

My theory is the first thing that walks by me is dead. Shooting a buck is nice and all, but i want the meat in the freezer. I am just as happy to shoot a doe as i am a buck. You cant eat the rack.

Another thing i was told by someone else is that you shoot the smaller doe (this years fawn) because its unproven whether she can breed or not.

Whatever.. I dont care young doe, big doe, Buck.. Its dead.. it goes in my freezer and feeds me all winter!

RE: shootin does
 

You can't hang'em on the wall and I don't like venison that much!





That outta start some discussion;)

RE: shootin does
 

I guess it depends on where you are. In my area, we had a 20:1 doe/buck ratio not too many years ago. It is more like 5:1 in my area now. Even with that, a lot of people won't take does. I guess it is a holdover to the time where we didn't see many deer period back in the 60's and 70's and a doe was like gold. These same people wonder why the quality of the bucks isn't as great. I have no problems sticking a doe (with an arrow).:D

RE: shootin does
 

Sure you can.....our local taxidermist said he does about 30 shoulder mounts on does/fawns a year. I personally wouldn't though.:)