I have a post up asking how to get big buck on my property and stay. I have another question on witch I've gotten mixed reviews from fellow hunters. I seem to have a good amount of doe on my property and I know it's good to have them around to attract the boys. But I've gotten good points on both sides on weather to shoot more doe on my property or not. I don't mind doing if it will help the herd breed bigger more dominant buck I can always use the meat. I've heard it will help and I've heard it will hurt. I personally belive thinnig out the mature does who no longer reproduce is a good idea. More food to go around and more compitition. What do you think?

Look fella..................i dont care whoever else post on this topic, SHOOT THE DOES!!!! Even shoot them when they are with there young, except if the fawns are in spots then you might wanna let her go and take care of her young until there big enough. But if there at the point to where momma is gonna kick em out like next week, then take her down. This will do two things: 1-it will keep those deer in that area for years to come, and one of them could be a trophy buck. 2-It will lesson the heard providing more food for the rest, and more competion for the bucks. If you have alot of does, then they could lead the bucks to who knows where? Good luck, and kill a doe for me!

Does have to be harvested to keep the balance between available food and the number of deer that have to survive on it. Iys not a pretty sight when deer overpopulate and start starving. I take 99 percent does because I think they are much better to eat. I like to see the bucks on my property I like to watch them walk away alive. I like to take pictures of them. I am a meet hunter and the bucks on my land are safe. I can;t eat the horns and have no desire to have them laying around just to say I shot a buck.

It sounds to me like you definately need to thin some of the does out of your herd.

I second the motion.

mmmmm. Tasty does. Shoot them. About the only time I wouldn't is in pre-rut if I was looking for a monster buck....who may be following them.

SLAMMM!!!! Motion carried![8D]

10-4 good buddies i'm reading yall loud and clear.

SHOOT THE DOE!!! With less doe in the area, the rut will also intensify because the bucks will have to run around more to find doe to breed. In turn you will see more bucks. Another thing that it does is allows less opporunities for the younger, insubordinate bucks to breed thus pumping the stronger and more dominant buck's genes to be passed on. Unless you are certain your doe to buck ratio is in check(probably 2-1....3-1), shooting doe will only help!! But try and make sure that your age structure isn't totally messed up in a few years if you whack ALOT of doe. We ran into that a little. Also there isn't any shame taking out a doe fawn.

Shoot the does! Deer populations that are out of balance are no good for the deer or the hunters!
This has always been a problem in my neck of the woods, and seems to be in many other areas! I call it the "cattle ranch mentality!" They seem to think shooting does thins the herd. Well it does but in a good way, you will see more and better bucks with a balanced population! When you manage for cattle, you can afford to have one bull and 30 cows! With deer, if you have a banced population you will not only have more and better bucks, you will see more bucks, because they will have to move more during the rut!
Shoot them does!