Mature vs Young does?

[SwampRanger]

This is a really good example of a type of discussion that leads to not enough does being killed; folks waiting around for the 'right' doe. We just want the old ones, or the young ones, or the barren ones (that don't really exist by the way), or the ones that snort at us, etc. Whatever the recommendation is, shoot the first ones you see while you are seeing them. If the number is 30, shoot the first 30 that you see and don't get too worked up about which is the 'best' to take.

The reality is that you are only removing a relatively small percentage of the doe population anyway (even if its several does), so whatever harvest influence you would think might exist is lost in the harvest intensity. Besides, you can't really age does accurately anyway beyond really young and really old. The genetic discussion gets thrown out a lot, but as we've learned with bucks, you can't really change the genetic makeup of a deer herd through selective harvest. If you can't do it with buck (with obvious discriminating identifiers like antlers), you sure can't do it with does.

We used to have a “draw” for the doe tags and they wouldn’t all get used not because people didn’t see the does, but because they waited on their buck. We changed three years ago to first come, first served and we have our does killed by November. So it’s not a matter of not keep killing them it’s a matter of beat practice.

We have been trying our best to kill 4.5 year old bucks and have really seen a payoff in our age and size of bucks.

We are an East Texas lease that’s about 6k acres and we have 35 members. We feed corn and try to plant a few food plots, but no protein (just couldn’t keep the coons and pigs out of it). Our best buck last year scored 138 and had a large portion of antler broken so he would have gone well over 140. Two other scored in the upper 120”’s. We know our limitations with the “program” we have and have been happy with our success so far.

Good info and discussion here!

[DUKFVR]

I asked the TPWD biologist for our co-op this exact question last spring. He said shoot the closet one & keep going down the line, basically a doe is a doe. He said young or old, just take them out of the herd.

[glen]

Rancher I worked with had the best theory on this. Shoot one that just list her spots and get rid of multiple mouths to feed for years. Shoot and old for and she may be about to die anyway.

[Ryan81]

Whichever one presents the first broadside shot.


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[tmurray]

I don't get real worked up over aging does. If a 2.5 year old does presents a good shot and we need to kill 20 does, she gone.

[TxAg]

A doe is a doe is a doe

[SwampRanger]

Thanks for all the information!

[BrandonA]

I don't get real worked up over aging does. If a 2.5 year old does presents a good shot and we need to kill 20 does, she gone.

My thoughts

[Drycreek3189]

Which ever one presents the best shot.
Realistically how many are y'all going to kill?

This. You can study all you want but Mother Nature will make a fool out of you. The only surviving twins that I have this year (2 sets) have young mothers.

[mrc]

I am going to take out some old does this year and leave my young ones to breed. I am trying to increase my herd and these does didn't have fawns on them this year.

[Bowtech38]

My freezer wouldnt care how old she was

[BigL]

First one that gives me a shot opportunity.

[txagyotebuster]

Mature does may be your breeders but if your genetics are getting better with management practices. Therefore your younger does should have better genetics.