Bowtech_archer07 Posted February 4, 2008 Report Share Posted February 4, 2008 I know some people that while hunting, will not shoot a doe until after the rut, so mid-late december here. Personally, I will shoot a doe anytime of the year, but in the rut, I will be more cautious and watch her body language. If she is acting spooky or just a little weird, I will wait to see if a buck is following her. I just wondered what everyone's strategy or thought process was on this subject? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin R10 man Posted February 4, 2008 Report Share Posted February 4, 2008 I fill my doe tags ASAP...then I can hunt bucks and not worry about spooking one off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddyboman Posted February 4, 2008 Report Share Posted February 4, 2008 I try and shoot a doe early October.....Then she is out of the way and I dont have to worry about trying to shoot one during the rut.....If I am not successful during the early part of Oct....then I wait till after the rut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhine16 Posted February 5, 2008 Report Share Posted February 5, 2008 I actually have only shot 5 does in 9 years of hunting. With 3 or 4 hunters in the house, we get plenty of meat off of our bucks. However, since I have gone from shooting decent bucks to only shooting mature bucks, i've shot some does. My last 3 kills have actually been does. I try to get the first doe without fawns i can. This year, it came on October 13th. Was actually the first time i'd ever released an arrow on a doe in October because they usually have fawns, young ones at that. The first doe without fawns will remain my strategy. If i havent shot one, i shut it off around the end of November and wont think about shooting again until mid January. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kuntryboy Posted February 5, 2008 Report Share Posted February 5, 2008 I shoot them early also . late in the year there probably pregnant . that means 2 or 3 less deer for next year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted February 5, 2008 Report Share Posted February 5, 2008 I just wondered what everyone's strategy or thought process was on this subject? Depends on where I'm hunting. If I'm with my buddy Ohiobucks, and we're on his bud's properties, I try to help the landowners out whenever I can, and that means shooting does whenever given the opportunity. Was lucky enough to remove one from the herd this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WVdeerhunter Posted February 5, 2008 Report Share Posted February 5, 2008 early for me if i take one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HUNTINGMAN Posted February 5, 2008 Report Share Posted February 5, 2008 This is the first year I have not shot the first doe I seen,I held out for one later in the season just because it was so hot in the early part of the season.My doe fell about the middle of november and she was the only deer I shot this year because she was enough meat and I only seen small bucks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bigalt78 Posted February 5, 2008 Report Share Posted February 5, 2008 This is one thing that really fires me up but people have their choice on what animals to take. I think its bad management to not shoot a lot of doe's. I believe in killing as many does as possible and i like to shoot young deer. The only time i dont like shooting does is when a group of deer come in. I hate to educate deer, that's one thing that really bothers me and i'm lucky because i have a lot of good spots so usually if i have a group of deer come into the corn pile ill try to let them walk untill i get a single deer come in. This has really paid off for me, taking a lot of deer and taking them as singles if possible because where i hunt the herd comes back stronger and healthier every year and the deer are not educated by me. That's my opinion on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom2008 Posted February 5, 2008 Report Share Posted February 5, 2008 I'm game for anything during the beginning of the season. I'll probably pass up on small bucks starting next season though. If a doe comes by after the rut then she is safe. Fawns are always safe in my book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted February 5, 2008 Report Share Posted February 5, 2008 Actually since the increased doe hunts and liberal limits have been implemented here we have been passing on the does. Enough neighboring hunters whacking them all around us that there is a significant decline in the overall herd here. Before the increased pressure on does came about I would take a doe anytime outside of the rut so long as it was not with a young fawn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horst Posted February 5, 2008 Report Share Posted February 5, 2008 Ill shoot a doe anytime I have a tag for one, that may change unless the deer numbers come back up soon though. I shoot them early also . late in the year there probably pregnant . that means 2 or 3 less deer for next year! Early just means they wont get bred at all, its the same number less deer the following year weather you shoot em early or late. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MUDRUNNER Posted February 5, 2008 Report Share Posted February 5, 2008 I'll shoot a doe anytime....rut or not.If I have 2 deer in the freezer then I'll pass on does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhine16 Posted February 5, 2008 Report Share Posted February 5, 2008 Early just means they wont get bred at all, its the same number less deer the following year weather you shoot em early or late. I was about to write the same thing. Pretty much no difference when you shoot them, cause they were gonna get bred if you shot them before the rut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted February 5, 2008 Report Share Posted February 5, 2008 During early bow season it sort of depends on what stand I hunt. If I'm hunting one that I know I have a chance at a mature buck I'll let does walk. Then other stands I'll smack the 1st doe that comes into range that doesn't have spotted fawns with it. As bucks get off their late summer feeding patterns (about October 10th here) I'll wack a doe just about any time but I prefer to kill them during morning hunts. Why should be pretty obvious for an old fart like me. If I still have does left in my bag limit come firearm season I'll get them out of the way ASAP. Our bag limit is 3 and our club's doe quota goal is 40. Hopefully all my doe killing is over with by the end of the 1st week of December so I can let does pass looking for bucks behind them. Killing does early is really an easier choice here since our rut is in late December through early January. Now...when I'm out of state I won't consider shooting a doe at all until after I've filled my buck tag. Of course that's if I have a doe tag. I time those trips for the rut and does are the bait. Also, hunting time is just too precious to use up any of that time on doe killing while your hunting for a big, mature buck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam16 Posted February 5, 2008 Report Share Posted February 5, 2008 Been successful on gettin my doe out of the way during october the last few years. Cut it a little close this year though, on Oct 28th. Tried to get a buck for the rut, didnt happen, went back onto doe mission after opening morning of shotgun season, but it just never happened for me. Sadly, i'm already out of meat from my october doe. Now i hafta settle for beef, not happy about it either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowtech_archer07 Posted February 5, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2008 I shot a doe the last Sunday in October, never connected the rest of the year with my gun or bow. It's a good thing my dad connected on 2 deer, and I'm still living at home when I come home from college so we still have some venison left. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly Posted February 5, 2008 Report Share Posted February 5, 2008 Ratio Where I hunt the does outnumber the bucks (about 5-1) and there is no limit as to the number of does one can harvest (archery only). I used to take a couple doe's early in October lay off for the rut and take a couple more around Christmas. My strategy next season will be a little different. I plan to lay off does on the first day I hunt a location (in October) hoping a buck is trailing. If a doe is shot and a buck is not far behind you just educated that buck and you're likely not to see him until the rut. I always try to take twice as many does as bucks each year until the ratio gets closer to 1 buck for every one-two does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckee Posted February 5, 2008 Report Share Posted February 5, 2008 I have always hunted for that nice mature doe, before the rut starts. Get that doe in the freezer, and use the rest as bait for the rut. No way I would shoot a doe during the rut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tecumseh Posted February 5, 2008 Report Share Posted February 5, 2008 I usually take a doe or 2 when the season opens to fill the freezer and I can focus on getting a nice buck and not feel the pressure to kill the first thing that walks by,plus we have liberal limits on the numbers of does we can take during the year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hatetomiss Posted February 10, 2008 Report Share Posted February 10, 2008 first come first served thats how we do it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BowtechBoy Posted February 19, 2008 Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 I let my 9 yr old shoot at the does first in early season then i take one and settle down the rest of season to see what happens buck wise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ckcranch Posted February 19, 2008 Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 Where I hunt, in southwest Louisiana, you better get your does as soon as you see them, because you may not get another chance. When I am fortunate enough to get to go on a hunt in west Texas I like to take my does first then focus on a buck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FSU_Seminole Posted February 20, 2008 Report Share Posted February 20, 2008 I know some people that while hunting, will not shoot a doe until after the rut, so mid-late december here. Personally, I will shoot a doe anytime of the year, but in the rut, I will be more cautious and watch her body language. If she is acting spooky or just a little weird, I will wait to see if a buck is following her. I just wondered what everyone's strategy or thought process was on this subject? I shoot all my does in December. Shooting them during the rut is quite foolish unless you have hundreds of acres to hunt the different stand locations all over the place to pick from. Why kill your buck bait during the rut? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Kid Posted February 20, 2008 Report Share Posted February 20, 2008 i don't shoot does so i don't have to worry about it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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