horntagger

TAKE MORE DOES AND TAKE THEM EARLY.


Here are 5 main reason to take more does off your property and why each bow hunter should take as many doe as possible. Plus with some multiple reason in each.

Like in my area I still have a limit of two deer with my bow. But the first tag will be for a doe the very first time she pops her head out. The other tag will be for a Trophy Class buck if one presents it self. If I could buy more bow tags early in my area I would just to take more does.

1. To balance out the buck to doe ratio, if you take a doe early in the season by the time the rut comes around there are less doe deer in the woods and that makes the big boys want to roam more and you have the chance to see the trophy deer.

If you don’t then the big bucks don’t have to roam as far when they have a harem of does.

Basically you can start to get a visible rut in which everyone wants to see. Plus you will see more competition between bucks if fewer does are available in which case the dominate genetics which is what nature wants will be passed.

Plus if you are going to harvest a doe late in the season all you have done is waste the bucks energy in chasing does that will no longer exists. So if taken early then the bucks will get his breeding done on time and save energy, which is weight and health, and start the next year even better.

Also when breeding season gets here you don’t have young bucks breeding does. Because to many are available. It has been found that 30% of twin fawns have different fathers.

2. To protect the young bucks.

By late in the season an button buck can be close to the size of an adult doe. So by taking an doe early you cut out the chance of killing it by mistake in the late season.

The adult does will run the young bucks out of the area, to the point of near 80% to over 5 miles away. In areas a large adult doe harvest occurs that drops to around 50%. So you save 30% of your buck population from leaving your property.

3. To stabilize the doe reproductive rates in the area, when high population of does the “RUT or estrous cycle of each doe is out of control” Around a 100 days different on fawn being born.

In areas with a lower doe population study shows the majority of fawns born at the same time frame.

Which means the rut or estrous in the doe population is occurring at the same time. Again back to a visible rut.

4. To increase the food source for the bucks of all ages, and for the deer population that will be left that you want to feed.

By taking a doe early you save in your food plots the following.

Deer eat around 6 to 8 lbs a day of specific forage a day. But lets knock it down to 5 lbs for easy number to work with.

So if your hunting part of lets say 5 bowhunters take one doe each in October.

5 Does X 5 lbs of forage day = 25 lbs of forage a day saved.

25 lbs of forage X 30 days = 750 lbs of forage.

3000 lbs of forage in 1 to 2 acre food plot/ 750 lbs of forage = 4 months you have save an entire 1 to 2 acre food plot just in time for winter when the bucks need it and the does that are breed need it.

When population is in check the deer weight increased by 15 lbs. Does that are healthier have fawns with higher birth weights and buck have stored energy to grow their potential genetics.

5. If you wait then late in the season, you may not hunt as much because you have a buck in the freezer already, it is the holiday/family season, weather not as nice. Apathy

So after reading my opinions do you agree or disagree? If so why?

rebel wolf

Good advice horntagger, I agree whole heartedly, people that hunt with me on our farm know the rule you must tag a doe before you shoot a buck. If they don' t want to follow this simple rule I do not ask them back out to hunt.

DaveH

I agree. And I always strive to take my two does first so my buck tags will both be available when needed. However, sometimes a real " taker" buck steps out early and spoils the plan.

Solax

I agree Horntagger. One other thing I' d like to add if you don' tmind is that later in the season if you get a doe walking by your stand there may be a big buck following. In the early season it' s less likely for big bucks to be hanging out with does.

I' ve already taken a doe and plan on taking 2 to 3 more before the bow opener. Then it' s bucks for a while.

wolfen68

Excellent post...couldn' t have said it better!!! If everyone practiced this as well as letting young bucks walk, the quality of hunting would improve nationwide.

PABowhntr

I agree as well. Heck, I usually have my doe tags filled by the end of our early archery season.

....and sometimes I end up just filling my doe tags and not my buck tag...


...wish I could say that was my decision.

Bowbuck

Here in Ky. landowners can harvest unlimited does, and one buck. This is fine with me because I would rather have my freezer full than have a mount on my wall. (A mount would be nice too)