Please Bag a Doe

[caveman]

Yesterday was my first day of archery season 2015. I passed on a 6 pt around 4:15 pm. Had Doe and Fawn come by at 4:31. Passed due to the fawn having very visible spots. Finally got a single Doe to come by at 6:12. Took the shot and dropped her. During my time in the woods I counted 16 Does and Fawns moving about 80 yds from me. Apparently I have my stand too far off the main pathway for the deer's evening migration to the fields. Upon walking out of the woods onto a fresh cut corn field I counted 22 does and yearlings in the first corn field. As I walked back to the truck the next 5 acre plot of cut corn I counted 13 Does. Not another Buck anywhere in site.

Total Deer Seen: 52

Total Does/fawns: 51

Total confirmed Bucks: 1

This equates to a Buck/Doe ratio of 1:51

Granted this is not a scientific study but it doesn't take a State Biologist to figure out we have not done a good job in managing our Herd. Effective immediately on our lease every member (there are only 3 of us on 356 acres) must bag a minimum of 5 Does if they plan to continue hunting with me. We are hunting in Hardeman County in West TN.

 

[catman529]

There's a bunch of bucks somewhere, you know they like to disappear once the velvet comes off. Still with that many does you won't be hurting anything to kill a few. Have fun and fill the freezer


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[scn]

TWRA's thermal imaging studies have proven that what you "see" while hunting has very little to do with what is actually out there on a county-wide basis. Your observations may, or may not accurately reflect what is on on near your farm. But, you may be dealing with a "doe sink" as well. TWRA studies have documented that in areas where bucks are the primary targets that they can be extremely nocturnal in their activity.

Give Region I a call to get their most recent data on the population and sex ratio from a thermal imaging survey to get a more realistic picture of the situation in your county. I may be off slightly on the numbers, but in the scientific surveys that have been done across the state the worst buck/doe ratios were somewhere in the 1 to 3 range.

I can promise you that your estimated ratio is WAY off.

 

[TNReb]

TWRA's thermal imaging studies have proven that what you "see" while hunting has very little to do with what is actually out there on a county-wide basis. Your observations may, or may not accurately reflect what is on on near your farm. But, you may be dealing with a "doe sink" as well. TWRA studies have documented that in areas where bucks are the primary targets that they can be extremely nocturnal in their activity.

Give Region I a call to get their most recent data on the population and sex ratio from a thermal imaging survey to get a more realistic picture of the situation in your county. I may be off slightly on the numbers, but in the scientific surveys that have been done across the state the worst buck/doe ratios were somewhere in the 1 to 3 range.

I can promise you that your estimated ratio is WAY off.

Good info. Thanks for sharing.

 

[TboneD]

Be careful what you wish for. I use to see 8-10 doe at a time. Since the 3 deer a day started I'm lucky see any deer at all around my house.

Amen.

This thread just demonstrates the real difference between private and public ground in Unit L where the antlerless management is carte blanche.

Not only does the OP see a LOT more deer, most of his bucks probably still have their antlers intact. Last three bucks I or my son shot out of Cedar Forest all had points broken off. Should we be surprised?


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[ImThere]

Yesterday was my first day of archery season 2015. I passed on a 6 pt around 4:15 pm. Had Doe and Fawn come by at 4:31. Passed due to the fawn having very visible spots. Finally got a single Doe to come by at 6:12. Took the shot and dropped her. During my time in the woods I counted 16 Does and Fawns moving about 80 yds from me. Apparently I have my stand too far off the main pathway for the deer's evening migration to the fields. Upon walking out of the woods onto a fresh cut corn field I counted 22 does and yearlings in the first corn field. As I walked back to the truck the next 5 acre plot of cut corn I counted 13 Does. Not another Buck anywhere in site.

Total Deer Seen: 52

Total Does/fawns: 51

Total confirmed Bucks: 1

This equates to a Buck/Doe ratio of 1:51

Granted this is not a scientific study but it doesn't take a State Biologist to figure out we have not done a good job in managing our Herd. Effective immediately on our lease every member (there are only 3 of us on 356 acres) must bag a minimum of 5 Does if they plan to continue hunting with me. We are hunting in Hardeman County in West TN.

I'm not sure but are you wining? That's incredible to see that many deer in one sit. I will trade you anytime. I promise after 3 sits you will run screaming back to you deer heaven.

the one and only "ImThere"

 

[stik]

and you're complaining? i don't see 50 deer in an entire season.

 

[ROUGH COUNTRY HUNTER]

and you're complaining? i don't see 50 deer in an entire season.

x2

 

[Jcalder]

and you're complaining? i don't see 50 deer in an entire season.

x3. I won't see 50 deer while hunting/scouting in probably 3-4 years combined.


Big or small, kill em all

 

[Planking]

x4

 

[spoon]

I hunt northern Hardeman county, I'm lucky to see 2 deer a day

 

[ZachMarkus]

I might complain about a lot of things but seeing too many deer isn't one of them lol

 

[TboneD]

and you're complaining? i don't see 50 deer in an entire season.

x3. I won't see 50 deer while hunting/scouting in probably 3-4 years combined.


Big or small, kill em all

Your sig says it all. Lol.


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[TboneD]

Yesterday was my first day of archery season 2015. I passed on a 6 pt around 4:15 pm. Had Doe and Fawn come by at 4:31. Passed due to the fawn having very visible spots. Finally got a single Doe to come by at 6:12. Took the shot and dropped her. During my time in the woods I counted 16 Does and Fawns moving about 80 yds from me. Apparently I have my stand too far off the main pathway for the deer's evening migration to the fields. Upon walking out of the woods onto a fresh cut corn field I counted 22 does and yearlings in the first corn field. As I walked back to the truck the next 5 acre plot of cut corn I counted 13 Does. Not another Buck anywhere in site.

Total Deer Seen: 52

Total Does/fawns: 51

Total confirmed Bucks: 1

This equates to a Buck/Doe ratio of 1:51

Granted this is not a scientific study but it doesn't take a State Biologist to figure out we have not done a good job in managing our Herd. Effective immediately on our lease every member (there are only 3 of us on 356 acres) must bag a minimum of 5 Does if they plan to continue hunting with me. We are hunting in Hardeman County in West TN.

BOTTOM LINE:

So there ARE places where the Unit L carte blanche doe reg was a good idea! So ironic.


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[TN Whitetail Freak]

Then why not kill the doe with the fawn? Possibly 2 gone there. Most I've seen together on public is 5....I still pull does out because that's what I do. Get a depredation permit kill them all you will be satisfied

 

[Jcalder]

and you're complaining? i don't see 50 deer in an entire season.

x3. I won't see 50 deer while hunting/scouting in probably 3-4 years combined.


Big or small, kill em all

Your sig says it all. Lol.


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my sig has nothing to do with it lol.


Big or small, kill em all

 

[Crosshairy]

If you saw this sex ratio during the middle of gun season, it would be a more significant observation.

During the early season, "girls have cooties", and the boys stick to themselves a lot more.

Just to show you the other side of the coin, last year on muzzleloader opener I saw 12 deer in one 5-hour sit (which I still feel is fantastic, and one of my most enjoyable hunts that didn't result in a dead deer). During that sit, I only saw one doe. Using your logic, I should start shooting every buck I see to thin the numbers back down.

The real story is that the bucks hadn't started breaking up their bachelor groups, so they were avoiding does more than usual and hanging out with each other more. All the bucks were quite small, so I ended up just enjoying the show and trying not to run them into the next county.

Hang a few trail cameras and do a deer tally on deer seen throughout the season before declaring war on anything. Although it is probably a good thing to encourage antlerless harvest, you are almost guaranteeing your buck sightings to go down if you are doing that kind of killing while they are up and moving. I try to do my doe harvests either early or late, and let the area I'm hoping for good bucks to stay quiet for at least a couple of weeks leading up to the rut so that I don't run more deer out of my area.

 

[redblood]

and you're complaining? i don't see 50 deer in an entire season.

x3. I won't see 50 deer while hunting/scouting in probably 3-4 years combined.


Big or small, kill em all

i see 50 plus deer every day front porch. the deer population is crazy here, but that is one of reasons i bought it

 

[Jcalder]

and you're complaining? i don't see 50 deer in an entire season.

x3. I won't see 50 deer while hunting/scouting in probably 3-4 years combined.


Big or small, kill em all

i see 50 plus deer every day front porch. the deer population is crazy here, but that is one of reasons i bought it

it's all in where you are across the state. I've hunted certain properties that had tons of deer and others that don't. The place I grew up hunting and continue to hunt has very few deer but from several months of pictures there is some improvement. A place I hunted last year has been disappointing. A lot of it is food availability and the lay of the land as well.


Big or small, kill em all

 

[caveman]

SCN,

Thank you for the info on the TWRA thermal imaging. I will definitely look that up. We have been blessed to have a good healthy Deer Herd since we have been hunting on this land. Started hunting back in 1989 at this very spot. It is not our intention to eradicate the Doe population. It is a fact we have not taken and equal amount of Doe's for every buck in the past. That is our fault and it is my intention to make sure we manage this season better than the past. All of our neighbors are making similar comments.

 

[Poleaxe]

That's trophy management at its finest. Too many people only want to come home with something that has some head gear instead of one that's not. Some fear it will spook that buck in the area by bagging a doe. Multiple years of this type hunting leads to a unstable herd. Bucks not having to go out and look far for a doe. I'm a firm believer in killing as many does as I can other than when their in full rut

 

[280longshot]

Yesterday was my first day of archery season 2015. I passed on a 6 pt around 4:15 pm. Had Doe and Fawn come by at 4:31. Passed due to the fawn having very visible spots. Finally got a single Doe to come by at 6:12. Took the shot and dropped her. During my time in the woods I counted 16 Does and Fawns moving about 80 yds from me. Apparently I have my stand too far off the main pathway for the deer's evening migration to the fields. Upon walking out of the woods onto a fresh cut corn field I counted 22 does and yearlings in the first corn field. As I walked back to the truck the next 5 acre plot of cut corn I counted 13 Does. Not another Buck anywhere in site.

Total Deer Seen: 52

Total Does/fawns: 51

Total confirmed Bucks: 1

This equates to a Buck/Doe ratio of 1:51

Granted this is not a scientific study but it doesn't take a State Biologist to figure out we have not done a good job in managing our Herd. Effective immediately on our lease every member (there are only 3 of us on 356 acres) must bag a minimum of 5 Does if they plan to continue hunting with me. We are hunting in Hardeman County in West TN.

If you need some help just let me know.

 

[treefarmer]

Seeing too many does is an opportunity to fill the freezer, not a problem. I agree that the doe ratio is much better than it seems. If the doe ratio was way out of whack just give it a year and the new fawns will correct it. Deer are born 49%/51% so it just takes a year to fix. I don't see enough deer in a season to judge but think our ratio is fine because we have taken an equal number of bucks and does over the years.

 

[Harold Money jr]

Remember approx. 50% of those fawns are bucks. That doesn't take into account all the bucks you haven't seen yet. Plus if it's early in the year a lot of the buck range shifting has not occured or is in the process of occurring.