RE: Letting Does Walk
 

In Iowa, during the 2006-2007 seasons, 60% of the deer shot were does. That is one reason why we have big bucks here. I always have a doe tag and reserve the any sex (antler) tag just in case.

If you are willing to shoot does, you are more likely to let little bucks pass. (Next year they may be big bucks.)

I got my doe this year and my antler tag went unused. It was a great hunt.

RE: Letting Does Walk
 

if you don't keep the does thinned out you may not see that big buck during the rut . genetics is a joke unless you have a fence around your property you will never control there genetics. hunting unfenced land you must hunt what happens along,the only thing you can do is make sure there is food and water on your hunting property. one thing i always do is to leave atleast one good thicket as a hidding place for deer,they need a place they feel safe day and night. i will hunt around it and NEVER go into it. after the deer learn this they will run straight to it when spooked and will not leave the property . if you have to many does early in the season is the best time to take them out,i love sticking a few with the crossbow before the rut. some of those old herd does are smarter then most of the bucks ,if you let them get old and smart they will hide out with the big bucks and you will never kill them.

RE: Letting Does Walk
 

yummmm I have two packs of steaks off of a little doe marinating(sp?) right now...cant wait till saturday to eat them!

RE: Letting Does Walk
 

I guess it's more of a moral thing. I don't want to cut open a deer and see little ones that never got a chance to mature. One of them could have become a booner. You never know. I'm definately not going to shoot oneduring the rut. You never know who may be nearby. There is nothing wrong with taking late season does, I just prefer not to. Now, I may take a doe fawn late in the season. More than likely she has not been bred. It does happen though, just not that often.

RE: Letting Does Walk
 

if you are going to try to appease anyone other than yourself, it should be the owner of the land you hunt on. It sounds like your landowner is fine with does, so you should be too.

RE: Letting Does Walk
 

It really does matter. Breeding is alot of stress on bucks and when there is alot of does those bucks breed for a long time and dont eat much. Then here in the north winter kicks in and snow can become a problem for those bucks to eat. Anotehr note is that one of the pens near by had a breeder buck get into a pen with alot of does and no other bucks by accident, dont know hte whole story but that buck went from a 180 inches to 145-50 the next year and he was not goin down hill age wise. They said it really messed that buck up. WCL

RE: Letting Does Walk
 

It doesnt really matter if you takeem early or later. Those does you took early would have been bred later, also those fawns are the most likely ones to be coming in heat in that second cycle for their first timealong with some does that may not have been bred the first time around. So really it doesnt matter when you decide to harvest your does. WCL

RE: Letting Does Walk
 

Unfortunately, our region still has the "Cattle Rancher" mentality! One bull to 10 cows! Works fine for cattle, but not for deer. One thing is the bucks don't have to move to find does, so you don't see them. Most counties in our area have a 4 deer limit, with a maximum of 2 bucks. So if you kill your limit, you are still not thinning the herd of does to get the ratio right. Many leases in our area will let you kill 2 bucks and only one doe! So what is that doing for an already out of balance deer herd!#@%#@$. We would be much better off taking 2 does and one buck for a few years.But, it ain't gonna happen!Protect them mommas! Thats the way they have done it for over a hundred years, so I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for them to change!

RE: Letting Does Walk
 

Have you ever seen a deer assembley line? Then how are bucks made? It comes down to being serious about your hunting, knowing your heards. If you really get out there and scout, mount trail cams, and check for signs you'll know or have a good idea of what you could take or shouldn't take. We cant give the insurance people what they would love to have(very few deer anywhere). Check your ratios best you can, watch fow how many does throw twins, how often are they buck doe combos? Do what the area needs for you to do not just what you want. AGE IS THE ULTIMATE ADVANTAGE. Pass the bucks up as often as possible. A true trophy is just like a classic car or bottle of wine, over coming the urge to splurge makes for greater rewards.

RE: Letting Does Walk
 

That guy is a moron. Don't think twice about what he said. If he's shooting small six's and fours he's the one shootin himself in the foot. Too many does is not a good thing. And here in WV I don't think we will ever have too many bucks. Seems like everyone comes here to shoot one. Spike or otherwise!! All we can do is hope for antler restrictions or higher out of state license. Both would help.