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Doe management question
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<blockquote data-quote="BSK" data-source="post: 5431592" data-attributes="member: 17"><p>I give credit to states for implementing DMAP programs. However, giving detailed harvest recommendations without detailed population dynamics data is a dangerous game. That's why I'm hesitant to comment anytime someone on this site asks, "How many does should we kill?" That answer would depend on a lot of factors I don't know.</p><p></p><p>Once again, I want to emphatically state I appreciate states that try to help landowners/clubs by implementing DMAP programs. However, if they are not going to look closely at each property's data - that they require hunters to collect - why even collect it? In my opinion, <strong>THE</strong> key piece of data indicating too many does are being killed (as Mega pointed out) is declining harvested doe age. Considering few hunters can identify doe age on-the-hoof beyond 2 1/2, does are basically harvested randomly by age hence their ages are a good random sample. What happened years ago when too many bucks were being harvested? Harvested buck age declined until the majority of harvested bucks were yearlings. The same will be true if too many does are being killed. Their harvested age will decline until the vast majority are yearlings and 2 1/2 year-olds. Just as we biologists/managers harped on how important it was to have a more natural buck age structure for herd dynamics, it is equally important to have a natural doe age structure. If there aren't mature does in the population (which show up in the harvests) problems will arise.</p><p></p><p>The takeaway is there are no set guidelines for doe harvests. Each property is a unique situation, and hard data is required to make harvest recommendation decisions.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="BSK, post: 5431592, member: 17"] I give credit to states for implementing DMAP programs. However, giving detailed harvest recommendations without detailed population dynamics data is a dangerous game. That's why I'm hesitant to comment anytime someone on this site asks, "How many does should we kill?" That answer would depend on a lot of factors I don't know. Once again, I want to emphatically state I appreciate states that try to help landowners/clubs by implementing DMAP programs. However, if they are not going to look closely at each property's data - that they require hunters to collect - why even collect it? In my opinion, [B]THE[/B] key piece of data indicating too many does are being killed (as Mega pointed out) is declining harvested doe age. Considering few hunters can identify doe age on-the-hoof beyond 2 1/2, does are basically harvested randomly by age hence their ages are a good random sample. What happened years ago when too many bucks were being harvested? Harvested buck age declined until the majority of harvested bucks were yearlings. The same will be true if too many does are being killed. Their harvested age will decline until the vast majority are yearlings and 2 1/2 year-olds. Just as we biologists/managers harped on how important it was to have a more natural buck age structure for herd dynamics, it is equally important to have a natural doe age structure. If there aren't mature does in the population (which show up in the harvests) problems will arise. The takeaway is there are no set guidelines for doe harvests. Each property is a unique situation, and hard data is required to make harvest recommendation decisions. [/QUOTE]
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