Management Question - Lots of Young bucks - What to do

[TB80]

I have been hunting about 200 acres in the Kerrville area this past year. We keep seeing lots of young bucks (1.5-3.5 yr old 4 - 8 points) while we hunt and on the cameras. We also are primarily seeing young doe. In addition, the bucks tend to outnumber the does 3 to 2. Further, we are seeing very few to no old bucks.

The place is high fenced on two sides (neighbors high fence) and low fence on the other sides. I'm not sure how management minded the neighbors are with regards to the deer.

Should we shoot the young bucks or let them go? Any suggestions?

[Cbb1722]

Are you in an antler restricted county?

[TB80]

Are you in an antler restricted county?

Nope.

[breederbuck33]

IMO... It never hurts to let them go!

[mpotts]

let them grow

[8pointer]

IMO... It never hurts to let them go!

let them grow

This

[Puncher51]

If you aren't seeing any older bucks on camera(when I say "seeing" that means not on game cameras or stand sits throughout the entire year, not just during the season), then that means something happened to them. Usually it means over harvest of bucks. It could also mean 4-6 years ago almost no fawns were born, or very few survived. Do the math, 2011 was almost a zero on fawn recruitment throughout much of the state.
I would start doing actual surveys(spotlight, helicopter, or game camera) and see what the sex ratio is. Once you have actual data you can start making decisions on harvest.

[TB80]

Thanks everyone. I have been letting them go and will probably continue to do so. Won't have time to do a survey this year

[bow4my2]

sell me a hunt

[gingib]

if you want to shoot a younger buck, shoot one with no brows

Otherwise let them live

[d_e_smith]

Younger bucks tend to have more range and be more active, probably has something to do with seeing a lot of them. When you start seeing the same ones constantly, morning, noon and night on small acreage, leave them be. Those are the ones you stand a good chance of getting some age on.

[Trinity Outfitters]

All good advice above. We've used QDM our 150 acre low fence ranch since 2001. We started by balancing the sex ratios, then age ratios, to ultimately produce 5yr old 150" deer for a string of years. One key to our success was working with neighbors in a coop to use best practices to manage the collective herd. I'd encourage you to meet/coop with neighbors and let the young ones grow.

[millman]

I have been hunting about 200 acres in the Kerrville area this past year. We keep seeing lots of young bucks (1.5-3.5 yr old 4 - 8 points) while we hunt and on the cameras. We also are primarily seeing young doe. In addition, the bucks tend to outnumber the does 3 to 2. Further, we are seeing very few to no old bucks.

The place is high fenced on two sides (neighbors high fence) and low fence on the other sides. I'm not sure how management minded the neighbors are with regards to the deer.

Should we shoot the young bucks or let them go? Any suggestions?

can't get old bucks if you kill young bucks...

[deer farmer]

patience is the key here.

[jabel]

The drought from 2010 to 2012 may have something to do with your situation. The fawn survival rate probably was not very good and it may have affected the older animals as well.