Pass on a doe?
 

Tomorrow is opening day in Ohio!! I've been watching a few nice shooter bucks in my area. My delima is if I have an oppertunity to take a doe do I take it or wait a few weeks and see if one of the shooters come into range. I dont want to spook them from the area shooting/tracking a doe but it will be hard to not fill my early season tag.

Certainly a dilemna I think about as well. For me, if it is opening day, early on, say before 4:00, I'll whack a doe. After that, for maybe the first few days, I don't shoot until I have a better idea of what's around and can see what kind of patterns are developing. I'm a fan of shooting the first doe that comes out so as not to spook a field full of deer, and in an ideal world, this can be handled fairly early in the day, assuming it's afternoon hunting this time of year.

My best spot sees a good amount of morning movement, so at this spot, i've shot many does around 9:00 a.m. which is nice because then I can shoot them, and recover them at mid-day when there isn't much going on, movement-wise.

I can usually lay off the does for the first few days, but then the finger gets itchy. Good luck on your season!

Never pass on the opertunity, especially if your filling the freezer... But thats coming from an archery only hunter... Ive passed and wished I wouldnt have when I didnt fill out my tag, and Im down to only ground venison in the freezer... Bucks are gunna show on your rut hunts... (IMO)

I will take a Doe let her lay and hope for a nice Buck and if possible get both. But the Does are my favorite table fare I will take them in a heartbeat Buck be spooked or not.

i only bow hunt but 95% of the time i don't shoot my does until i tag out on my buck. i also hunt for different reasons then people that go out and whacks every doe they see. but when the other 5% comes into play is if i'm with in an hour from getting down and i can get it on video i will stick her.

Unfortunately in Ohio you must tag the down deer before you can shoot another one. So if he shoots the Doe he will have to tag her but he can let her lay then and get another one.

CVG Ohio