Shooting mature does vs shooting small deer
 

Where i live alot of people shoot small bucks and small deer period.If just hunting for meat why not shoot a big mature doe during anterless season wish the DNR here would change the law to only shoot mature deer does any body agree with me?

RE: Shooting mature does vs shooting small deer
 

that would be good but it wouldnt be possible to only shoot mature does. If you see one deer by it's self its very hard to judge size you may think you shot a big mature doe to walk up on it and find you shot bambi. It's a nice idea but it wouldn't work...

RE: Shooting mature does vs shooting small deer
 

Kill a mature doe, you really killed 3 deer.....her, and most likely are 2 twins

RE: Shooting mature does vs shooting small deer
 

In a QDMA meeting I asked "If a mature doe and her two yearling doe fawns are in the food plot together, which one should you shoot?" I forget the biologist name, but he said "Shoot all three of them."

RE: Shooting mature does vs shooting small deer
 

I like the young deer! The meat is awesome!

RE: Shooting mature does vs shooting small deer
 

think about it..
small doe vs big doe. if you shoot a big doe, she wont have a fawn in the spring vs the lil doe wont next year. she will the following year. the big doe could give birth to a buck this spring vs the lil doe wont till a year later.

RE: Shooting mature does vs shooting small deer
 

I prefer to shoot an old, mature doe -- and the best way to do it is NEVER shoot a doe that's alone unless you're positive its a big one. Does usually travel in groups of 3 or more, so wait 'til several are around and pick out the biggest one. Statistically, one out of every 3 yearlings shot ends up being a buck - so let the little ones walk. Look for pot bellies, square bodies, and long noses ;)

RE: Shooting mature does vs shooting small deer
 

Where I hunt they want many many more does taken. The herd is out of control and extended seasons for Doe only have been going on for several years. The reason that so many want to shoot a less than trophy buck when most of the country is overrun with does escapes me completely. Is shooting a small buck more macho that shooting a big doe? Not to me.

RE: Shooting mature does vs shooting small deer
 

Thanks for all the comments IMO James B said it best thank yall!!!!!!!

RE: Shooting mature does vs shooting small deer
 

We try to shoot only MATURE does. Its hard to age a doe on the hoof while she is in the field, but you can tell the young ones, the middle aged ones, and the old does apart. A bucks rack is also made up of his moms genes (about 50%). When you take an old doe, its much the same as taking an old mature buck. They have served there breeding purpose, there at there prime, and now there just competing with the younger deer for food. We also prefer taking old does rather then young ones because the older ones seem to have twins. So when you take out an old doe your helping to keep the buck:doe ratio and the carrying capacity of the land under control. Plus when you take a mature doe your helping to "stir the genetic pot" in the herd.