Lil help with the does.......
 

I just talked to a neighboring hunter/farm owner, yesterday.His farm is onthe other side of the samearea I hunt and he applied for and received a depredation permit, this year. He's already killed 8 does out of his beans.

This will do nothing but help me on my side. I need to reassess with the wildlife bio. It probably won't change my outlook for this year....but if he continues to get the permits every year.....it may make it more fruitful for us, earlier.

RE: Lil help with the does.......
 

That's definately some help. I just hope nothing is going to waste. Is this the same one your hope'n to get onto. Being there and knowing your area now, I can't say I blame the farmer at all but at the same time, hopefully that might be a great in to help the farmer. Let him know that your trying to do the same thing on your side. Good partnership.

RE: Lil help with the does.......
 

I'd be careful. If he's taken that many already, he'll probably take more. Now add in your, I dunno 8-10. You'll have your own little Pennsylvannia going.
One day your complaining about ratios and seeing too many does and the next your whining cuz you sit all day and see nothing.

As I see it your areas micro-management is more complex now as more people get involved, individually. It becomes more of a wait and see than quick fix. Your reducing the herd by what? Say, a conservative40 deer afterthis falls breeding?Maybe 80 or more by next year, This is why biologists study this trickle down effect for a while before making recommendations.

RE: Lil help with the does.......
 

I'll admit, I don't know much about the depredation tags, is this a doe only tag? Are they shooting does with fawns in tow? Not trying to stir things up, I just don't know much about it.

RE: Lil help with the does.......
 

GR8:

Like I said....I'm going to contact the wildlife biologist before I take as many as I was going to. He told me, when I spoke to him, that we could take 15-18 out of there, this year.....and probably not notice a discernable difference.

It wouldn't bother me a bit to not see as many deer......if the deer I was seeing were a healthier herd. Right now.....they're fine. Come Nov....the browse line is non-existent from 6' down. They need thinning. The only thing this means for me is......maybe I don't have to kill as many as I thought, now. I'm fine with that. HOPEFULLY.....I can whack 'em Sept./Oct......and sit back and buck hunt from there on out. I'll do whatever he tells me to do, though.

RE: Lil help with the does.......
 

Good for you GMMAT, hopefully things work out just GREAT!!

RE: Lil help with the does.......
 

BBM....

I missed your question. I know he's shooting does......and I didn't have the heart to ask him if they had fawns. I'd rather not know.

I do know it's "doe only" (the permit).

RE: Lil help with the does.......
 

Some of those does probably are fawns, and possibly a buttonhead or 2. His concern is number reduction, and probably takes the ones who show up indiscriminately.

RE: Lil help with the does.......
 

Jeff, that's good. That can do nothing but help you. Gr8 has a point, but the biologist can give you guidance there. Out of curiosity, between the property you have, and the farmer's property, how many acres is that together?

RE: Lil help with the does.......
 

His farm is about 200 acres. The land between us is about 200 acres. I hunt a small portion of about 65 acres on the "other side".

We're likely seeing the same deer over the period of a season......but they do have food options on both sides. We have beans over here on my side.....and right now there's nobody shootin on my side!;)