When do you kill does?

[rem270]

I generally like to kill does during bow season and early mz season in Ky. Mostly during bow season because i get trigger happy with the bow.

I usually try to stay away from killing does during rifle because usually the ruts in full swing and i like to stay incognito as possible. After the shot, i have to bring the 4 wheeler or truck to pick it up, i know they probably dont pay as much as attention as i think but i guess it makes me feel better about little pressure as possible in the area.

I got 3 people wanting a deer, and with only 1 buck tag i guess i have no choice but to shoot a few does. Will probably try to do it early as possible and get it over with. It will be fun doing it though

 

[cfmartin1833]

I usually bust does in bow season too. My past experience on the property I hunt is that when I kill a doe, the rest of the does in tha group get skidding for several days. I don't want the does being skidding during any rutting activity so I usually try to take tem early or very late in the season.

 

[Coach]

If I need meat I shoot one in bow or mz. I like having the does on my property so I don't bust 'em just because I can...I have four kids, three sons and a daughter, all grown...My sons and I try to get one for my daughter when she runs low on venison too.

 

[Hillbilly Hunter]

early season or late season, not in November, at least for me.

 

[BigD_625]

This morning.

 

[TX300mag]

As quickly after the bullet passes through them as possible.

 

[cecil30-30]

When ever legally possible..Which isn't alot.

 

[m_allison71]

I kill them when they step within range.

 

[shopson]

We killed 7 on 180 acre lease with bows and they are still everywhere. Some would have died today if things had gone right.

 

[7mm08]

Ever since I got a great backstrap recipe!

 

[muddyboots]

Until November. Then im done with them.

 

[TNGunhunter]

whenever they step within range

 

[redblood]

On cold days only

 

[Buzzard Breath]

early season or late season, not in November, at least for me.

I think the same way HH did back in 2012, early season or late season, but not in November.

 

[huntintn]

Another 10 yearold thread

 

[redblood]

Whats up with these old threads? Oh well, guess its still relevant

 

[Rakkin6]

Yeah I was going to say this is an old thread saw 2012 has the date but I will play along. I have decided that I am going to take my does has early has possible this year. From the regular season opener thru the 3rd week of October. Lay off them pre rut and rut and start on them again in December. The past couple years having limited time to hunt I let a lot walk off in hopes a nice buck would be following behind them. Needless to say I let to many walk and didn't fill my freezer.

 

[rem270]

On cold days only

Same here now. I clicked on the deer forum and seen my name and thought I don't remember posting that. But it was 2012 lol. I've completely changed my mindset since then. I'd much rather not fool with them in the heat anymore and if I do shoot a doe which is unlikely anymore I'll do it on a cooler day.

 

[Midnight rider]

I like to take the first 3 I see to fill the freezer then start buck hunting. After I get my 2 bucks, back to does for anyone who needs one.

 

[muddyboots]

I shoot dies with a bow only. Just my preference. I feel like I'm shooting a pet with a gun.

 

[Lost Lake]

I try to shoot them when good rutting action is not taking place, if possible.

 

[peytoncreekhunter]

I wait to start shooting does till the Monday after Thanksgiving. Most of the chasing I've witnessed has been the week prior to Thanksgiving. I know the chasing and breeding still goes on throughout. Probably not a very scientific approach but it works for me.

 

[BSK]

"When" to shoot does depends heavily on what you are trying o accomplish and why you are shooting does. To balance the sex ratio? Reduce/control population? For meat?

Every property is a unique situation. On my place, we have the unique situation of just coming off a decade of protecting does. A neighboring Federal Wildlife Refuge was decimating our local doe population with their Earn-A-Buck program, hence we shot no does for many years. However, the ending of that program, and almost no deer killed in the area in 2019 (massive forest damage prevented much hunting in the area that year), has produced a sudden surge in doe numbers. So now we will be taking a few does, but only for meat. We are nowhere near over-populated, and our sex ratio heavily favors bucks. Because we are still somewhat protecting does, I looked for the period where we have the maximum number of does using the property, which would suggest we have the highest number of "non-resident" does at that time. If we can kill a few does that have the best odds of being non-resident, we can have our meat and not affect the resident population. Interestingly, our doe populations peak each year in December, which is post-rut. I have no idea why this occurs, but it does, so we'll be taking advantage of this by killing a few does in December.

 

[megalomaniac]

When to shoot them isn't nearly as important as WHERE you shoot them.

Never shoot does on your best buck hunting spots if you plan on hunting that property in years to come. Even shooting one at the end of the season after buck hunting is over will educate the remaining deer and they will learn to avoid that area in future years.

I no longer shoot does for population control. For personal use, I like around 50lbs of pure deboned meat per year. I'd prefer to get that meat from a single 200lb buck, but if I'm not seeing a buck I want to kill, I will shoot a couple does instead on areas where I do not hunt for bucks.

 

[philsanchez76]

When to shoot them isn't nearly as important as WHERE you shoot them.

Never shoot does on your best buck hunting spots if you plan on hunting that property in years to come. Even shooting one at the end of the season after buck hunting is over will educate the remaining deer and they will learn to avoid that area in future years.

I no longer shoot does for population control. For personal use, I like around 50lbs of pure deboned meat per year. I'd prefer to get that meat from a single 200lb buck, but if I'm not seeing a buck I want to kill, I will shoot a couple does instead on areas where I do not hunt for bucks.

This is interesting. Are you referring to private land mainly? Where a huge influx of hunting pressure would completely freak out the deer? Also are you saying this occurs with the whole deer population in that area or just mature bucks? I hunt only public for now and I never know who killed what the day before maybe right where I'm hunting.

 

[redblood]

I will kill a couple in october, but will make sure its a cool day that in am off. Prefer to shoot them in the morning, so i have more time to skin and debone.

 

[megalomaniac]

This is interesting. Are you referring to private land mainly? Where a huge influx of hunting pressure would completely freak out the deer? Also are you saying this occurs with the whole deer population in that area or just mature bucks? I hunt only public for now and I never know who killed what the day before maybe right where I'm hunting.

Yes, on private land where you can somewhat control what you are hunting. On public, there are a few honeyholes that have no pressure, but in general it's impossible to control what other hunters do

 

[BSK]

When to shoot them isn't nearly as important as WHERE you shoot them.

Never shoot does on your best buck hunting spots if you plan on hunting that property in years to come. Even shooting one at the end of the season after buck hunting is over will educate the remaining deer and they will learn to avoid that area in future years.

I no longer shoot does for population control. For personal use, I like around 50lbs of pure deboned meat per year. I'd prefer to get that meat from a single 200lb buck, but if I'm not seeing a buck I want to kill, I will shoot a couple does instead on areas where I do not hunt for bucks.

Want to shut down daylight activity in a food plot right quick? Kill a doe out of it. I don't know why killing a deer out of a plot has so much influence, but it has far more influence than just hunting a plot.

 

[Boll Weevil]

When do you kill does?

Only on days ending with y.

Also since we can kil 3/day we often try to get our target quota done quickly rather than over the whole season. There's been plenty of times we've taken 3, 4, 5 to the meat locker at a time.

 

[redblood]

Want to shut down daylight activity in a food plot right quick? Kill a doe out of it. I don't know why killing a deer out of a plot has so much influence, but it has far more influence than just hunting a plot.

Im sure there is truth in what you just stated, but in relatively unpressured deer herds i dont think it matters much. These 2 pictures were taken in the same field leas than 2 hours apart.