Management Does????
 

I would like to hear some other peoples opinions on doe harvest, and what your opinions are as far as tightening up buck to doe ratio's. For several years now, I've harvested 4 or 5 does per year off of our family farm. These harvest generally occur before the rut. The theory of course is that in a perfect world you want your ratio to be 1 to 1. Or even a few more bucks than does. I know this is not going to happen. My concern is w/ taking these 4-5 does before the rut each year, am I causing my bucks to go to neighboring properties that are not harvesting as may does, in order for the bucks to find receptive mates. I have other properties that I hunt, I've just always taken all my does of this one property, because of what has been preached in magazines to keep the ratio as close to equal as possible. Should I continue to take all of my does off of the one property(is it benefiting me or hurting me), or should I spread my doe harvest out over the other properties as well. Please give me your opinions!! Thanks.

RE: Management Does????
 

I have read input that is similar to your coments about ratios being better at 1 to 1, but I still believe that given the excellent habitat of the midwest and the low stress on our deer that more is better. That is if the land owner is ok with the deer feeding on his property. I personally own two places I hunt and the third I hunt is grass land that has no crops so there is not a crop distruction problem. That being said, I generally take 1 or 2 does from each place and limit the number of other hunters that have access so as to maintain or actually build up the number of deer on these properties. I know this varies from the book on deer management, but this is the way I do it. Good luck.

RE: Management Does????
 

I don't shoot does on my property during bow season thats why I have bagged my Ohio bucks the last 17 straight years. The does on my property bring in the bucks from the other property's during the rut.

RE: Management Does????
 

With the quality of the buck in your pics, I wouldn't think you were doing a thing wrong! ;)

RE: Management Does????
 

By harvesting does, you not only keep the population in check, but make the rutting behavior of the bucks more intense. They have to compete more for the available does. Your concern of bucks running to neighboring properties is moot, because during the rut they are going to do that anyway. The tricky part, is how many does to harvest. Obviously you are doing something right because of the quality of the bucks you have harvested. The more competition there is, the more scrapes are made and utilized, the bucks have to fight more, making rattling more effective, and they are forced to be up moving even more than they already are. Just my 2 cents, which, by the way, is all I had left this week. [&:]

RE: Management Does????
 

Depending on how big your place is the does are probably moving off your place anyway at times. More does means less buck activity; they don't have to travel very far around in search of hot does. Most of the activity we see from bucks is the seeking and chasing stages of the rut. The tending stage usually has them secluded and breeding for 24 hours at a time sometimes.

RE: Management Does????
 

Like I said I understand the theory on why several does should be removed. My only concern is that if my neighbors are not doing the same, I could be causing the bucks to travel over to the does on their property on a more than regular basis. I know they are going to go over there alot anyway, I just don't want to be the cause of them doing it more often than they would have otherwise. The property I hunt has by far from what I've seen the best sanctuary in the area. A spot that was logged to nearly clear cut a few years ago, yet the surrounding woods was selectively logged, leaving great stand areas on the out skirts of the sanctuary. Come on guys lets hear some more of your opinions!!

RE: Management Does????
 

Sorry guys and gals, I can't let this question go to page 2 yet. Please give me some more opinions on whether small scale doe managment on a 300 acre tract is benefecial or potentially negative. PLEASE let me know what you think!!!

RE: Management Does????
 

I think we already gave them, harvesting does IS beneficial, even on a small tract of land. You can't do a thing about what your neighbors do. A deer's home range is about 1 sqaure mile, and that is when they are not seeking out does. 300 acres is a lot smaller than 1 square mile, so there ain't anything you can do about it. Like we have said, though, by harvesting does you force the bucks to move more, increasing your chances of seeing them. Just my opinion.

RE: Management Does????
 

Does make button bucks-- button bucks grow horns -- I hunt for horns

RE: Management Does????
 

Wow, thats a clever way of thinking...............

RE: Management Does????
 

I say, if it ain't broke don't fix it. Doe management is key to herd management. Say you were to which to taking no doe. Your area begins to get overpopulated; food/nutrition becomes less available; lees nutrition = smaller racks; etc. Like several others said, the deer are going to be moving in and out of your property regardless of what you do. If the permits are there to havest doe, harvest them. There will be plenty more to take their place, because doe make doe, too.

RE: Management Does????
 

If you plant food plots you'll increase the number of does times ten. Buck = sex Doe = food. If you have food, water and bedding areas, (provided they feel light hunting pressure) you'll always have both sexes. Mommas want their kids to eat good too so no matter what the time of year a doe is always keying on food.

Unless your property and your neighbors is separated by a high fence what keeps the does from going on both places? You both share the same deer herd so thinning the does will make the bucks search harder on both properties. I would say 5 -6 does for 300 acres probably isn't enough for that size of timber. When you start talking into the 20's harvested than it gets to be a cause effect. Once again, provided your timber is 300 acres and all by itself without touching any other tracts of land. Shoot, shoot and shoot some more!

RE: Management Does????
 

This has been a great post. I clearly understand your concern. I have always been a firm believer in blasting the does down at a rate of 3-4 does for every buck. So for example I was once in a club that hunted 17,000 acres and we would kill about 300 does a year and about 50 bucks. The land could handle that amount of harvest, it was extremely good hunting ground. Next, I hunted a 5,000 acres island and we would kill around 100 does and about 20-25 bucks. This also seemed to help out.

Now, I own and hunt 470 acres and I find myself in the same position as you. I KNOW I have a preferred buck bedding area. I have the food, the water, the cover. But if I don't have the does, they will leave. I've been struggling with the amount of does to take off the property. This year, we took 5 does and 1 buck. I don't think we hurt the herd at all, but I also don't see a need to increase the kill quota for next season. IMO, it all depends on what you are seeing on the stand and what your food plots look like. If you are seeing 6-7 does every time you hunt, you've probably got way to many.

I feel your pain, it's a tough decision.

RE: Management Does????
 

My views are if you land has good habitat it will hold deer. Bucks and does are oblivious to property lines so if you are killing 5-6 does per year on your property there are other deer still looking for good habitat and they will soon disperce to fill the void of the does you've shot. IMO you've got quite a task ahead if you're the only one thinning does but also IMO you are helping the herd and I do not believe you are hurting yourself. By thinning the herd you're lessening the impact to the habitat you have to hunt and that will ultimately improve overall herd health and should also attract deer. It's kind of a circle effect.

When bucks are rutting it really dosen't matter how many does youu have on your property. What matters is how many does you have in esterous. If a buck is cruising and dosn't find a doe in heat it will continue to cruise until it finds one. By increasing the buck/doe ratio you also make the bucks more responcive to calling and ratteling.

I say stick with it and incourage others to also help out thinning does. The animals will be healthier and it should make hunting better on your property over the long haul.

RE: Management Does????
 

I would go to neighboring properities and manage hunt there b/c you would have more doe on you family farm thus causing more bucks to come over to your place and in the long run raising you buck to doe ratio...

RE: Management Does????
 

I hunt an area that is bordered on three sides by a Illinois Waterfowl Habitat Hunting Area. It is only hunted by waterfowlers through late November. The does are safe in the Wildlife are and in trouble once they hit my timber. Although they are probably well aware of this difference they still key on the corn fields that surround my timber. At 3:00 every afternoon here the does and yearlings come from the sanctuary. Although they are pressure free in the Wildlife area they will forget safety and chance it in the corn fields.

This is why I stick to the though of hunting food sources early and late and hunting downwind of bedding areas during the rut periods. I think the problem of hunting pressure is solved by offering irresistable opportunities at quality food. Overall, the bucks will become more aggressive to grunting and rattling and will travel just as much.

RE: Management Does????
 

I would shoot the smell out of them. Especially late in the season when they are with button bucks. Button Buck don't stay were they are born (for the most part). They leave due to their mother harrassing them. This is to prevent inbredding. So if you kill these mothers, the button bucks are more likely to stay. If you shoot 5 does on your property, more does will come in from the neighbors property. The more does you have the worst the rut is.

RE: Management Does????
 

As someone stated earlier the does probably travel back and forth between propertys anyway. If you minimize the does on your land it won't hurt because does from other properties will come back on. Its not like you have 10 does and if you shoot 5 you'll only have 5 left on your property. If anything does from other properties might be more likely to come over now that theres not as many. I agree with adams, if you have good habitat then it will hold deer no matter what.

RE: Management Does????
 

I thought it was to prevent a mature buck from killing him....