Making Progress: getting work done in Coleman county

[Sippy]

does are definately something i need to get in check as well, still wading through all the talk about which does to shoot, young ones or mature ones. but thats a discussion for another thread i suppose...lol.

Heres my input, and it is just what Dr. Kroll taught me.

Old doe are good mothers, but tend to be more likely to drop doe fawn. Old doe are also more "migratory" and can carry the herd off easier than a young doe.

I am going to target mature doe only this year, and see if my fawn sex ratio changes from this year to the next.

[KactusKiller]

I thought bucks determined the sex of the offspring genetically, similar to humans.

[jshouse]

Heres my input, and it is just what Dr. Kroll taught me.

Old doe are good mothers, but tend to be more likely to drop doe fawn. Old doe are also more "migratory" and can carry the herd off easier than a young doe.

I am going to target mature doe only this year, and see if my fawn sex ratio changes from this year to the next.

are there numbers or studies to show that old does drop does? and anything to support that they are more migratory? i would think that they are like old bucks and run the roost wherever they want.

it makes sense that if you are selectively shooting some inferior bucks that the younger does will (in theory) have better genetics but have also seen where older does tend to have more healthy fawns.

so its kind of a 6 in one hand half a dozen in the other...

[Sippy]

Protein consumption went up drastically since last week!

I can only hope for another 2011!

[BTLowry]

I thought bucks determined the sex of the offspring genetically, similar to humans.

Me too

[jshouse]

i think that is becoming the old school thought on genetics. i have heard of biologists now saying that does could be contributing more than 50% of the genetics. if does had nothing to do with the genes then why do big deer breeders breed their big bucks with that bucks own daughters?


here is a study that talks a a little about the young does not being ready to have fawns...

http://www.ckwri.tamuk.edu/news/news-item/article/maternity-in-deer-harvest-implications-for-doe-harvest/

i saw a study somewhere though showing how u want to keep the genetics fresh and turned over by shooting older does, but cant seem to find it.

both sides make sense and i suppose the best thing is to just have a balanced management plan and take does from every age class.

[jshouse]

good looking buck on the bottom there Sip..

[Sippy]

Just filled 7 feeders. It's hot.

Milo is looking good and we jumped up a turkey when we drove by.

I need rain bad. The lake is about 2" away from being 2 ponds.

[Sippy]

Over the next few weeks I will be compiling a list of landowners in my vicinity and contacting them to discuss management and to gauge interest in forming a QDM co-op.

The management association that was composed of many ranches in the area fell apart when the president and vice president sold out, but I am going to see if landowners are still willing to fallow some stricter guidelines than what the state sets forth. My neighbor to the west of me is on board 100%, so as of this minute that brings us to a total of 340 acres . It is small, but is a start!

The neighbors to the south will be a challenge, but we will see what happens!

[Jp.]

What a wonderful job you are doing out there Sippy.
I was wondering if you have done the bank work on your pond like you was talking about earlier. We had a guy come out with a dozer to do ours and he went to deep in a couple places and we had some leaks till we forced him to come back out to fix them.

[Sippy]

Thanks!

I havent had any work done out here yet. This one holds well, we just havent gotten any rain.

[Sippy]

Not bad for looking in the front yard for 30 minutes.

[Sippy]

Well I got .6" on Sunday. It isnt enough to help my dwindling tanks out, but maybe it will give the deer a little more to eat.

They are at about 300#/week protein consumption right now on top of 250# of corn per week. We never got the good green up that normally occurs.

Pray for rain!

[Sippy]

I have been blessed by some good rain for the past hour.

Forgot how good rain on a tin roof sounded.

[jshouse]

good thing, i think my place got some good rain yesterday too, hoping to get down there later today and check it out.