Button buck question?

Boone25/06

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Here is my situation I have a 240 acre farm that I try to manage year around for wildlife habitat. The owner before me allowed everyone to hunt and wanted everything shot. 4 years ago at least 36 deer were taken from the property. Since owning it I have not shot but a 2 does. Now my normal trail camera or hunt observation reveals high numbers of yearling and 2 year old bucks probably equal to or higher than doe sightings. Now here comes the question my son has limited out on bucks but still wants to shoot some does. I just now have deer numbers where I want and don't really want any does shot. My thoughts are nearly every doe on farm has twins and even one with triplets. I'm just assuming 50%doe/ buck fawns. So if button buck are usually run off birthing grounds to new home ranges by next fall would shooting a button buck on purpose not be best for this situation? Some studies say their new home ranges average 5 miles from birthing grounds. I understand they might travel back through during rut 4 years from now but not likely with the numbers of bucks already calling my farm home range. I have more than enough habitat / cover and year around food. So tender meat button or not?
Sorry for long read
 

Boone25/06

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Well, you seem to have plenty of bucks, but I was going to say shoot the doe and the button will hang around without mama there to run him off.
Funny you said that, I had the same thoughts 2 years ago. I shot a 4.5 year old piebald buck on the property one year and the next year a piebald buck fawn showed up. I watched him all season with his mom and decided if he was going to stay I would have to shoot his mom so I did just that. I know it was his mom as he wouldn't run off while I loaded her up. He stuck around through winter and disappeared early summer never to be seen again. Don't know if he shifted or something happened to him. But I had same thought as you.
 

Boone25/06

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I don't have the acreage at all that you do, but When it comes to my young children I'd let them shoot whatever, just not kill to be killing though but one or two to satisfy them.
I agree it's all about the kids. My love for hunting turned more to the management part and watching him hunt. He is only seven but loves it and has plenty of opportunities to shoot. Being only seven he has surprised me and shows nearly as much interest in management and improving his future hunting ground as I do.
 

Snake

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Funny you said that, I had the same thoughts 2 years ago. I shot a 4.5 year old piebald buck on the property one year and the next year a piebald buck fawn showed up. I watched him all season with his mom and decided if he was going to stay I would have to shoot his mom so I did just that. I know it was his mom as he wouldn't run off while I loaded her up. He stuck around through winter and disappeared early summer never to be seen again. Don't know if he shifted or something happened to him. But I had same thought as you.
When relating to deer everything is not cut and dried , they will throw you a curve best you can do .
 

DoubleRidge

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I agree it's all about the kids. My love for hunting turned more to the management part and watching him hunt. He is only seven but loves it and has plenty of opportunities to shoot. Being only seven he has surprised me and shows nearly as much interest in management and improving his future hunting ground as I do.

That's great that your son has developed an interest in habitat & wildlife management at such an early age....when I was younger it was more about the kill....later in life I enjoy management of the land as a year around hobby with hunting & killing deer a bonus....as far a shooting a button buck or doe....if your son has killed two bucks off the property already then I'd let him take a couple of does...I've always read that if your not sure of the adult buck to doe ratio that it's safe to take one doe for each buck taken....but I'm like you....I like having mama does around and don't want to hit them too hard....I understand the reservation.... especially when you've made habitat improvements to increase the carrying capacity on your farm.
 

Boone25/06

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That's great that your son has developed an interest in habitat & wildlife management at such an early age....when I was younger it was more about the kill....later in life I enjoy management of the land as a year around hobby with hunting & killing deer a bonus....as far a shooting a button buck or doe....if your son has killed two bucks off the property already then I'd let him take a couple of does...I've always read that if your not sure of the adult buck to doe ratio that it's safe to take one doe for each buck taken....but I'm like you....I like having mama does around and don't want to hit them too hard....I understand the reservation.... especially when you've made habitat improvements to increase the carrying capacity on your farm.
There's probably plenty of does for him to shoot and not hurt a thing but it's kinda hard to watch them go. My does stay on farm year round and are pretty tame from being used to us working on it during off season. They are my mature bucks worst nightmare come the rut. Them old girls don't mind my scent as much as some and will bring him right by me even knowing I'm there. I can see them wind me look up for a second and keep coming. It's almost like they sometimes are trying to get that buck to leave them alone. I probably already knew best answer to this question but was trying to come up with the solution that would effect my property the least not necessarily the local herd. Although it's probably not possible to do one without the other.
 

jharris870

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If you let your son shoot a doe that has a button buck with her, the button will stay at your property and won't run off to find a new territory. That'll then, in turn, add another buck that's living there full time.
 

Remington700

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When it comes to kids I let mine shoot. I think it keeps interest up and going. As they age they will set new goals to fulfill. My daughter (13) wanted a big one this year and did not shoot early waiting. Then connected with a big 7.
 

Madbowh

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Legally anything less than 3"is antlerless I've not ever shot a button and knew that is was a button buck until I walked up to it. Only has happen to me once or twice. I agree with duck dogn kids take whatever
 

Dennis

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In order to reduce a deer population, considering that most mature does have twins, you would have to kill about 50% of the does in a single year. So killing a few does isn't going to hurt anything for you. I would not shoot the buttons but if one is accidentally mistaken for a doe, I wouldn't fret over it.

Also, while 240 acres may seem large to you, it isn't nearly enough land to manage a deer herd. You need thousands of acres to do that.
 

Monk74

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I was just pondering the same thing. Look up the Holzenbein study. I have button bucks out the wazoo now. I need jerky and thought." If they're leaving, why not take them?" That being said, November(rut) is my most hunted month. My preference is lots of doe's. Below is a screenshot of what I just read yesterday morning. If nothing else it's interesting. Not saying it's absolutely perfect but it is a scientific study.
 

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DoubleRidge

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In order to reduce a deer population, considering that most mature does have twins, you would have to kill about 50% of the does in a single year. So killing a few does isn't going to hurt anything for you. I would not shoot the buttons but if one is accidentally mistaken for a doe, I wouldn't fret over it.

Also, while 240 acres may seem large to you, it isn't nearly enough land to manage a deer herd. You need thousands of acres to do that.

Totally agree that 240 acres isn't enough to totally manage or control a deer herd....but at the same time the choices we make can have an influence on the local herd...... positive or negative.
 

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