Thank you VERY much guys!!

This is a lot of info that helps and answers ALOT of questions!

So approximately...how many does would you say a buck breeds on average during one rut??

Ok so behind my house, I have2 mature bucks that I KNOW of this year but Ive only had my camera up for a month up there, and quite a bit of doe activity, not a TON but a lot and I can defenitely tell that some of these are OLD does, one looks pretty cool....shes got a double patch neck and Ive had her in bow range more than once, but my question would be, if the Buck to doe ratio isnt to bad probably 1:3, 1:4....what would it do to the herd to take a doe? Would it hurt it, or strengthen it?

Thanks again!

BHB, go ahead and take as many does as you want, no one person is going to put a big dent in the population. Taking a few does will not hurt at all, in fact it will probably do the opposite. By there being less does in the area, a buck will have to look just alittle bit harder to find an estrus doe, which means he will be on his feet more often traveling greater distances, thus making it more likely to walk by your stand during daylight hours.
As for your question about how many does a buck will breed, i have read various reports, but they all seem to say that its not as many as you would think. It seems as though the concensus was anywhere from 2-7 does, although one article stated that a mature buck might only sire 10 fawns in a lifetime.

Give me the overall herd numbers you think you have.....and what you "think" your buck:doe ratio is....and I'll do a matrix for you. It'll become eveident.

First off.....it's hard as heck for most folks to age does (myself included). I've gotten to where I can tell the doe fawns really easily.....I can spot a yearling doe.....but after age 1.5.....I'm purely guessing. Take MY scenario out of the equation and let's just say you're trying to manage for a "balanced" herd. Taking representative animals from each age class would allow you to do that. Also....you wouldn't have an exhorbitant amount of fawn does being bred (due to the lack of older does that have been harvested). An older doe produces healthier fawns, also.

Me.....I TRY to take most any doe I can. I haven't taken a doe fawn this year....and most likely won't if my sightings don't go up. I've taken two mature does and one yearling doe. I'll contimue down this path unless I start seeing WAY more than I'm seeing, now. If I see a lot more....I'll target a couple doe fawns, too. Anyone hunting with me is ENCOURAGED () to take ANY doe that offers an ehtical shot. ANY doe.

But....my overall sightings are down....and they were down from '06 - '07. That's a good thing!

I've "heard" 5-7. Gotta understand....when he breeds her....he'll stay with her as long as she's in estrous and continue to breed her repeatedly. He's probably with her for 48-72 hours. So.....if he breeds 6 does....he's using up 12-18 days of the rut ACTUALLY BREEDING (not counting seeking and chasing time).

The only caution I'd throw in here is.....WHY take does if your land isn't at the carrying capacity? I don't have any science to back this up....but each one of those does is a buck machine (think about it). Buck goes in...buck comes out.

Jeff, i agree with you to not take a large amount of does if your land isnt at the carrying capacity. I assumed it was, but you know what they say about assumptions. Anyhow, according to the state for 2007-08, the one property i hunt has roughly 109 deer per square mile. For that same time period, only 12.1 deer were takenlast season and only 3.1 of those deer were bucks. These numbersare about average for years past as well. If i had to guess i would sayour ratio is about 1 buck for 5 or six does, so its not TOO out of wack, but its not toonormal to see bucks actively chasing does during therut, which leadsme to believe that there are a good number more does than bucks.Icould be WAY off though too.

That is INCREDIBLE (the amount/sq. mi.). If you're sure about that....I'll continue.....but that's a LOT of deer.

109 deer!!!

Dang!!!

Jeff, i could be reading this chart incorrectly, but i dont think so. Those numbers are under the column titled, deer range per square mile. Regardless, i have a call into the NJ fish and game to try to see if im reading it correctly, if not what the actual population is and also if they have any ideas what the estimated buck to doe ratio is. Should be an interesting phone call once he gets back to me.