HELP with my does

[BuckHunter511]

I have 200 acres to kill and I know there is 6-7 does that use my property regularly, but only 4-5 when season comes around? Is it okay to take maybe one doe per year? or is that really hurting my "herd"?

 

[Boll Weevil]

I wouldn't think 1 or 2 would hurt at all but also keep in mind what your neighbors are doing. Several neighbors that also take 1 or 2 could really put a dent in the immediate area around your place.

 

[Bayou Buck]

A doe a year shouldn't hurt anything especially on 200 acres. I wouldn't be surprised if you have more deer using your poperty than you think during the winter.

 

[BSK]

Much would depend on what fawn production looked like in the area. What is the ratio of adult does to fawns that you see on camera and/or while hunting?

How many deer can be or need to be removed from an area is closely tied to how many surviving fawns are being produced.

 

[BuckHunter511]

Well this is my second year, and from what I saw it looked like we had a lot of surviving fawns. And there was a group of four does and it was 2 adults and 2 "yearlings" and those are the regular amount of does. Most people around shoot only 8 point or better. But my neighbor hunts anything that moves, nothing wrong with that. I feel it hurts the herd. So now what do you think. Doe or no doe? I really would like to get a deer with my bow. Last year I passed on does and young bucks, think it would hurt if I got one of the young bucks or does ( preferably the doe).

 

[BSK]

If by "yearling" doe you mean a fawn (a deer that had had spots earlier in the summer/fall), then it probably would do no harm to take a doe.

As long as hunters take as many does as they do bucks, little harm should ensue. If deer density is very low, you probably won't have the opportunity to shoot many does or bucks, hence you wouldn't be able to do much damage.