Need to thin out some does this year..when is the?

[alpha male]

I know i need to thin some out this year numbers are getting out of shape. The question is when. How do you guys manage this and still hunt that big buck your chasing?

 

[Shed Hunter]

Stay out of your buck spots and kill them in October

 

[woodsman87]

There is two was to do it, both have positives and negatives.

Easier to kill them in early season because they aren't pressured, but also you have to use a bow. But once you kill a couple the does and the mature bucks even moreso get smart.

You can wait until late season when you are done, if you get done, buck hunting. But by then, at least in my areas, deer and even does are hard to see during the day. Too much pressure.

After the first 2-1/2 weeks of rifle in my area they pretty much only move at night, even though I hardly ever shoot does.

 

[BSK]

Excellent post by woodsman87.

Biologically, it is easier to kill does without accidentally killing male fawns early in the season (the size difference between adult does and fawns is greatest at this time). However, you have to be careful not to hunt areas you plan on buck hunting during the rut. All of the killing and retrieving of does CAN reduce daylight buck activity in the area. Some hunters get around this by only doe hunting around the edges of the property early in the season, and then shift to the core of the property for bucks during the rut. This will work if the property is large enough.

The problems with waiting until late in the season to kill does are:

* Hunters are burnt out and not as interested to hunt post-rut.

* A button buck can be as big or bigger than a yearling doe by December in some parts of TN, making accidental button buck kills much more likely.

* Deer activity is greatly reduced during daylight because of all the previous hunting pressure during the long season.

* By waiting until December, you've allowed does that are going to be removed from the property two extra months of eating away highly preferred food sources that could have gone to those deer that will be allowed to survive deer season.

 

[TheLBLman]

* Deer activity is greatly reduced during daylight because of all the previous hunting pressure during the long season.

Deer activity is typically greatly reduced during daylight late season, even in the absence of much hunting pressure.

I've often found it relatively difficult to kill a doe late season.

During rifle season, an excellent dual-purpose tactic, when all the stars align just right, is to kill an estrous doe where she drops within sight and good range of your stand. One of the factors I want is for it to be cold enough I don't have to worry about leaving that deer for at least several hours without field dressing. Stay on stand, and if the only "disturbance" you made was a gunshot, you have just greatly increased your chances of getting a good buck over the next few hours.

 

[Hunter 257W]

* Deer activity is greatly reduced during daylight because of all the previous hunting pressure during the long season.

Deer activity is typically greatly reduced during daylight late season, even in the absence of much hunting pressure.

I've often found it relatively difficult to kill a doe late season.

During rifle season, an excellent dual-purpose tactic, when all the stars align just right, is to kill an estrous doe where she drops within sight and good range of your stand. One of the factors I want is for it to be cold enough I don't have to worry about leaving that deer for at least several hours without field dressing. Stay on stand, and if the only "disturbance" you made was a gunshot, you have just greatly increased your chances of getting a good buck over the next few hours.

I've heard of this tactic but how exactly do you know the doe is in estrous if she comes walking by alone and you shoot her?? Behavior or what?

 

[BSK]

Yes behavior.

 

[landman]

When one is board side and in range.....

 

[catman529]

Kill em early, might not be the best for buck hunting later but no doubt early season is the best time to kill does

 

[TheLBLman]

Kill em early, might not be the best for buck hunting later but no doubt early season is the best time to kill does

"Early" ----- Biologically speaking and in terms of deer herd management, you are correct.

But early archery season, early muzzleloader, or early gun season?

Practically speaking, the lack of colder weather in early archery can make this a poor time to be processing a harvested deer. Weather often plays a role in my harvest decisions, and tends to favor "later" in the season harvests. I try to balance it out best I can.

 

[redblood]

if I ever kill a doe, it is in the late seaon. weather is my cooperative for me to hang and dress one

 

[landman]

Well since we are killing most of are better bucks during MZ and
then late Gun, its no big deal for us to shoot then early rifle
season

 

[benellivol]

I'll kill two or three with a bow on the edges of fields.

I don't get into the hardwoods until MZ or rifle OR I have patterned a buck that stays on his summer routine and I believe I can kill him the first week of season.

I'm fortunate enough to have around 350 acres that I can manage, watch and pattern nearly every day of the year.

 

[woodsman87]

Weather also plays a role in what I do too, as well as time. I am more likely to shoot a doe on a Saturday morning when its cool all day then a Saturday morning when it will be in the 70s and 80s, which is typical for early southern TN bow season.

Another strange observation I have made, they seem to taste better to me when killed in September-October. I don't know what it is, but I like my backstraps better in early season deer.

 

[woodsman87]

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[woodsman87]

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[woodsman87]

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quadruple post

 

[woodsman87]

Woodsman87, are you sure weather plays a role in what you do?!?

Naww, not really. May bad haha.

 

[BSK]

Another strange observation I have made, they seem to taste better to me when killed in September-October. I don't know what it is, but I like my backstraps better in early season deer.

I wonder if that is a deer diet thing? A deer will probably be eating primarily crops (if they have access to them) in late summer, while they will be heavy on acorns later. I have had people tell me they can easily tell a difference in taste between farm deer that have been eating crops, versus hardwood deer that are eating browse and acorns.

 

[woodsman87]

Another strange observation I have made, they seem to taste better to me when killed in September-October. I don't know what it is, but I like my backstraps better in early season deer.

I wonder if that is a deer diet thing? A deer will probably be eating primarily crops (if they have access to them) in late summer, while they will be heavy on acorns later. I have had people tell me they can easily tell a difference in taste between farm deer that have been eating crops, versus hardwood deer that are eating browse and acorns.

That is my only guess is that it must be. But I don't have much big ag near wear I hunt. Ther is some within 5 miles, but it is across a river. Mostly hardwoods, cedar thicket, hayfield, and cow pasture.
I wonder if them just feeding on wild grasses and legumes, as well as our perrenial clover fields makes them taste different?

I know deer have hardly any fat on them, but during early season they still have more fat than late season. On a normal to good growing season anyways.

 

[Winchester]

This very ? has and is debated heavily in the deer management world. I personally like to kill a few early and a few late, gives me the option to kill some with a bow, which is much more fun, but late season is a much easier time to handle them post kill with colder temps.

 

[Poleaxe]

I don't keep but 1 that I kill in state but all the deer we kill in Iowa I treat like gold. It has a whole lot better taste to it and some of my spots in states have corn and beans like Iowa. Go figure.

 

[Deer Assassin]

4th saturday in sept through Jan

works fine for me