Killing does on small acreage?

[quackadikt]

Kill them early season before the rut, or wait until late season? I could see pros and cons to both. Kill them early to work on the buck to do ratio before the rut, kill them late to keep pressure down on deer and have more reasons for bucks to visit the property during the rut.

[EliteDriver]

I am a firm believer in kill them early....

[wes122984]

Depends on the numbers. If enough to take a few then I would do it early because less does means the bucks will cruise more to find them.

I have 14 acres and only have 2 does coming in so I'm not gonna kill any. I want them around for rut.

[jerp]

I hunt a small place of less than 150 acres with one other guy. The property does not hold a lot of deer to start with - all does and young bucks on camera. The only time we see mature bucks is during the rut when they are roaming from adjoining properties looking for does. Theoretically leaving all does alive as "bait" during the rut makes sense I guess but I have no problem shooting the first one I can during bow season. The chance of a doe pulling a big buck within 20 yards of me - while possible - is slim. In the past, passing on does early has been a recipe for an empty freezer.

[JhuntsAlot]

Hmmm, I have been contemplating this exact thing since this years season started.

Right now I am seeing about a 1 to 1 ratio. I have passed on several doe's since season started.

Should I think about lowering the doe count?


J

[quackadikt]

Depends on the numbers. If enough to take a few then I would do it early because less does means the bucks will cruise more to find them.

I have 14 acres and only have 2 does coming in so I'm not gonna kill any. I want them around for rut.

I hunt 15 and have 15-20 does at each feed regularly.

[MAP]

On some places I like to shoot does late in the season, because chances are they are pregnant and your essentially taking 2 deer out to help bring numbers down quicker

[tbgascorer]

Shoot the first one that stands still. As for pregnant or not, they are either pregnant or they will be pregnant. Doesn't really matter.

[Jon B]

On some places I like to shoot does late in the season, because chances are they are pregnant and your essentially taking 2 deer out to help bring numbers down quicker

Hmmmm..... using this logic, wouldn't killing them early before they are bred accomplish the same task? I mean if she is dead....she ain't getting pregnant unless we are in deep east Texas.

[MAP]

Hmmmm..... using this logic, wouldn't killing them early before they are bred accomplish the same task? I mean if she is dead....she ain't getting pregnant unless we are in deep east Texas.

No because if the doe is dead early in the year, the buck is going to spend his time breeding another doe. If you shoot them later in the year, the buck spent some time with that doe which kept him from breeding other does.

[HeyMikey]

No because if the doe is dead early in the year, the buck is going to spend his time breeding another doe. If you shoot them later in the year, the buck spent some time with that doe which kept him from breeding other does.

I'm having difficulty following your line of reasoning

[gwellstx]

I have always preferred killing does early. And since I hunt in DeWitt Co., we can't take does in general season anyway. I think we have a rifle weekend now at Thanksgiving, but I don't ever make it to the ranch that weekend so it doesn't affect my doe killin'.

[Jon B]

No because if the doe is dead early in the year, the buck is going to spend his time breeding another doe. If you shoot them later in the year, the buck spent some time with that doe which kept him from breeding other does.

My apologies.....I definitely understand making the buck hunt the does....what I don't understand is how killing them late in the season equals -2 deer but shooting her before she has a chance to breed does not. I'm thinking I'm not the only one confused.....just looking for clarity.

[MAP]

I'm having difficulty following your line of reasoning

thats ok, we all do things different and a dead doe is a dead doe. I just prefer to kill them later in the year, its not a short term plan

[texan16]

No scientific data to support this, but I would think that the percentage of does that do not get bred is less than 10%, which means the bucks are going to find them. I agree with Jon B, it doesnt matter when you kill em...you are still killing em. If you kill her in October or kill her in January....you still kill her.


For the OP's question, I guess it depends on your deer numbers and if you are wanting to use the doe as bait. If using for bait, I would hold off on killing them, but you may not want to pass up an opportunity and end up with tag soup.