PreacherTony

The idea is less doe, less attraction for the local buck population ....... thoughts??

GMMAT

Less does = More need for bucks to be on their feet to find them.

2 way street. Less does = more competition.

Your herd dynamics will dictate if you need to take does or not. The ONLY way "I" wouldn't shoot does.....is if I thought my buck:doe ratio was 1:1 or even 2:1. Anything higher than that....and I think "I" up my odds of seeing a buck during the rut by killing does.

Germ

I disagree with this one. I would love to take 30% if doe population out in my area before the rut. Love watching those bucks fight over the ones that are left

PT if you are out bar hopping, and you come to a bar packed with ladies, you are going to stay. If you come to bars and they are a sausage fest, you are going to keep hopping until you score Then move on to the next one[:-]

Less does = more buck movement IMO

DoePeeSteve

Good question. Does your doe estrus now become a super attractant because bucks can't find the scent,do they leave the area looking for a more populated doe area, or do they stick with the same doe longer lessening their roaming around. On this I will ponder.

twildasin

I agree with Jeff. I have plenty of does so I ttry to take all mine early! The less doe the more the bucks got to move!

mauser06

i can see how it could go BOTH ways...

spooking the other deer/scent/ etc after shooting....

minus 1(or more) does in that area...

my big thing is scent and tracking and dragging etc etc...i definently wouldnt take a doe in an area i planned on BUCK hunting....thats just me though....id LOVE to take does...just dont have areas i bowhunt right now that need any thinning done...maybe my new area at school will prove differnt and i'll get to take a doe...but i might not because i wanna buck hunt there...

but then again, if you got a pile of bucks and only a couple does, theres gunna be some competition to get those few does...

the rut used to not mean much in PA because we had soooooo many more does than bucks...why chase and seek when theres does EVERYWHERE...dont get me wrong...the bucks definently acted different and did some seeking and chasing....the rut just wasnt as intense as its getting to be now that the buck to do ratio is much much better...

PreacherTony

That makes sense to me .... I read the article and I thought, "I'll see what the guys on HNI think" ....

BTW, Please don't EVER say sausage factory again!!![:'(][8D]

GMMAT

I don't understand this line of thinking. You HAVE to shoot does where they ARE. If that's also where the bucks WILL BE......how do you get around this? If you're not taking does from the area you expect to see bucks.....what have you done to heighten the level of competition by taking does from OTHER areas?

IMO .....you've done nothing.

BigJ71

I think it does lesson your chances for a buck only because by shooting does you are alerting them to your location and there is a pretty good chance they will no longer take that route by your stand. This in turn will also change the routes the bucks take when they come to call. I may be wrong but I don't take the chance. I go out of my way to not disturb the doe movements and patterns (where they eat, sleep, rest, etc...) until I've killed a buck. I want them does to feel like there is nothing wrong and go about their daily routines while I watch high above them.

Come the rut, where the does are so will the bucks (for the most part) and THAT'S where I want to be.

I have the luxury of having a lot of deer in the woods I hunt, I've always taken multiple does year in and year out so holding off on them till I kill my buck is not hard to do. I also think it (not shooting does first) has helped put me in spots to kill bucks. If I had started shooting at does and spooking them early, I think it would be harder to get on the bucks....Just my opinion.

robbcayman

+1