Since does carry 50% of a bucks antler genetics, if you have some genetics you don't like on the bucks (some are only 8 pointers), you should harvest as many does as you can each year that are over 2.5 years old. Then take out any 3.5 year old bucks you do not want breeding, like big 8 pointers.

Eventualy you will have taken out all of the older does, and all of the bucks with inferior antler genetics - and the only deer left are those with good antler genetics.

I hope that makes sense.

God bless,

T.R.

It all makes perfect sense. I guess my main concern was whether we should leave the big doe with the buck twins. I was thinking yes, since she had the twins. If i am right about her, she had a button buck with her when we moved in here last year and this year, he is a big fork, so I think she carries great genes. there is only one more doe with a female fawn and all the other does, no fawns. So, after reading all of this, I guess we would take the does that didn't have babies, and leave the two BIG ones alone. The both of them are huge and look old to me, well older than the rest running around. I know the one with twins is the queen of the woods around here, she is always chasing everyone else away. I will upload her baby from last year, or at leat I think he is. Maybe you can tell me how old he looks. I will also put in her and the other momma . The bucks we see are either spikes or forks, except GOLIATH, who is a big 10, the biggest I've ever seen here in NY. If I get a chance at him, or my husband does, I think he will be watching television with us in our living room for the rest of our lives, lol.
The 1st picture is Goliath, 2nd is dominant doe with twins, 3rd is the fork, how old?? If the 4th came didn't post, it was the other doe with a baby girl. I'll try again.

This one looks really old to me, what do you think?

Since you have too many does, shoot everyone you can regardless of wether they have fawns or not. In most states, once hunting season is open fawns no longer need their mothers to survive.

IMO Goliath is probably 2 1/2, but it's a little hard to be certain from the camera angle. The little 4 pt is 1 1/2. I can't tell about the age of the doe from the picture but my guess is probably 2 1/2 or maybe 3 1/2 since these are her 1st set of twins.

In Southern Michigan we are overpopulated with deer. That is a good thing because my family & relatives really like venison. That being said we do try and manage the doe herd and take as many does as we can. I will usually let the does with twin buck fawns walk. We have so many car deer accidents and other hurdles for the fawns that I let that doe go. Hoping that gives them a better chance to make it until next spring with the mother. If it is a doe and does not have buck fawns with it... goes in the freezer.

The whole point(well, besides the eating) of shooting does is to decrease the deer population. The older (or more productive) does are the very ones you need to remove to decrease the number of deer in an area because they are more likely to reproduce successfully.

brown is down IMO when thinning the herd. However if an older doe and a young doe are there shoot the older one.

Young does tend to have a a single fawn where as older does tend to have twins. On the other hand older does tend to have fewer bucks. So the right doe is the one that gives you a good shot.

That sounds like very SOUND advice! Thanks. My husband agrees.

Shoot the one you see first....and second...and third and so on until you get the ratio to your pleasing...doe meat tastes fantastic!