Killing Does Before or After Rut?

[Andy S.]

That being said, I kill my does very early, very late, or in spots where we don't buck hunt.

Ditto! I'll add a few of my personal desires: if my target buck is shot early in the morning, I typically hunt for a doe or two afterwards. Also, I try to kill more than one doe per "doe hunt" if needed. If I am going to mess with unloading ATV, stinking the area up, getting deer out, cleaning them, etc, I want to do as much work (more than one deer) as possible at one time to make progress on my seasonal doe goals and make the best use of my time. Same theory as catching/cleaning 50 fish, versus catching/cleaning three fish. With that said, I mainly deer hunt alone and rarely want to shoot/mess with more than three does, and most times prefer to shoot two does per hunt, if given the opportunity.

 

[tellico4x4]

Here's a question:

If you do choose to kill does before the rut, do you kill the most mature does or the young ones?

Depends on the goal. If it's to reduce the herd then I target does with fawns, especially twins. Taking out a good breeder plus good chance one of twins is a buck that has been imprinted to area by mom. Our experience is that he won't leave & be there rest of his life. If I just want one to eat, it'll be a doe without fawns

 

[Boll Weevil]

If I am going to mess with unloading ATV, stinking the area up, getting deer out, cleaning them, etc, I want to do as much work (more than one deer) as possible at one time to make progress on my seasonal doe goals and make the best use of my time.

^ This. Our rifle season opens in late Oct and we'll be nowhere near the rut for a month. Getting the doe quota out of the way early allows us to only hunt when conditions are right, manage pressure, and wait on the best time to concentrate on mature bucks when they're most vulnerable.

 

[BSK]

Here's a question:

If you do choose to kill does before the rut, do you kill the most mature does or the young ones?

For me personally, the one that presents the highest odds shot. I really don't care about the age. In fact, selectively harvest one age-range of doe would probably be detrimental. Spread the harvest across all ages of does.

 

[UTGrad]

For me personally, the one that presents the highest odds shot. I really don't care about the age. In fact, selectively harvest one age-range of doe would probably be detrimental. Spread the harvest across all ages of does.

Roger that thank you.

 

[Ski]

Here's a question:

If you do choose to kill does before the rut, do you kill the most mature does or the young ones?

I choose young does if possible. My main reason is because nothing in deer hunting is more predictable than when a doe will hit estrus each year. She hits same time every year almost like clockwork. And the older she gets the more bucks know about it, and the older they also get. Better yet once a doe sets up camp she almost never leaves unless she has to. What better buck attractant can you have than an actual doe that you know where she lives and when she's going to be hot? That's why I don't like killing older does. They're worth more to me on the hoof than in the freezer. There are plenty brand new does made every year that have more tender meat anyways. I'll keep the granny nannies right where they are.

Also I like being able to handle & care for the meat fairly quickly when it's warm like early season, and smaller young does make that easy. I don't want to be dealing with a heifer when it's 80* out.

 

[PickettSFHunter]

My strategy is living somewhere with so few deer that does don't need to be shot there

 

[beefydeer]

I have not shot a doe in about 15 years. They do not have any handles for dragging. Plus no one but me in the household would eat deer so I am not a meat hunter.

 

[WestTn Huntin man]

I've shot a few nice Bucks after shooting a Hot Doe. They came in Nose to the Ground Hot on the trail, They'll come right up and to a Doe that's down sniff and kick at a dead doe trying to get her up. Before, during, or after . If it's a Nice Cold day and the meat will keep and the freezer is empty I don't worry about it.

 

[Hunter0678]

I prefer to fill my freezer early, the meat from a early season doe seems to be much sweeter and more tender in my opinion. It may have something with them getting dogged to hell running from bucks in the rut and toughening them up. I put one in the freezer opening day of bow, the final day of bow and then a buck during the rut last year and it made the rest of the season gravy without the pressure of having to put meat in the freezer.

 

[Ski]

I prefer to fill my freezer early, the meat from a early season doe seems to be much sweeter and more tender in my opinion. It may have something with them getting dogged to hell running from bucks in the rut and toughening them up.

I always figured it was from eating blackberries and poke salad all summer

 

[easy45]

I usually try to take a couple during bow season and then I won't shoot another one till late season. Killing a button really isn't an issue because I won't pull the trigger unless I'm 100% sure it's a doe.

 

[CrossVolle]

I just shoot them any time they are alone and hang around for too long lol

 

[Kirk]

I have a simple afternoon formula:

With more than two hours till dark, all does are on the hit list.

Between 1-2 hours until dark only really big does with button buck fawns are on the hit list.

1 hour until dark I switch over to Buck only.

30 minutes left, really big buck only.

 

[DeerMan66]

I wait until late season. I don't like alerting the neighborhood bucks of human presence until after the rut

 

[Kmushrooman]

I will shoot a doe in the early season and late in the season. That is Sept or early Oct. and late Dec Jan. They taste better in the early season. I used to shoot those young tenderonis. I prefer now to give them time to enjoy their life.