megalomaniac
Well-Known Member
All the 'biological' craze over the past decade has been to slaughter does in an attempt to get your local herd down to a 1:1 ratio. The thought being is that you can free up additional food resources for bucks to reach their potential.
While that may be true in poor habitats with an overpopulation of deer, I've found that actually running a 1:2 to 1:2.5 buck: doe ratio produces a better outcome for hunting quality as well as sheer numbers of bucks to hunt in the future as long as you have adequate habitat to support the larger herd... all at the same time NOT hurting the bucks being able to reach their top end potential for antler growth.
More deer seen while hunting, intense 1st rut, with enough does going unbred 1st rut to produce an intense 2nd rut hunting opportunity, and more future buck fawns recruited for additional harvest opportunity in years to come
Bottom line, IN MY OPINION, if you can increase your local carrying capacity through habitat management, I would advocate striving for a 1:2 to 1:2.5 buck to doe ratio over the 'sought after magical' 1:1 ratio.
If you arent a deer nerd like me, just keep on killing whatever.
While that may be true in poor habitats with an overpopulation of deer, I've found that actually running a 1:2 to 1:2.5 buck: doe ratio produces a better outcome for hunting quality as well as sheer numbers of bucks to hunt in the future as long as you have adequate habitat to support the larger herd... all at the same time NOT hurting the bucks being able to reach their top end potential for antler growth.
More deer seen while hunting, intense 1st rut, with enough does going unbred 1st rut to produce an intense 2nd rut hunting opportunity, and more future buck fawns recruited for additional harvest opportunity in years to come
Bottom line, IN MY OPINION, if you can increase your local carrying capacity through habitat management, I would advocate striving for a 1:2 to 1:2.5 buck to doe ratio over the 'sought after magical' 1:1 ratio.
If you arent a deer nerd like me, just keep on killing whatever.