Shooting Does

[wtnhunt]

How many does we shoot off our property depends on what we are seeing. We have been in a liberal hunting unit the past 4 years now where does are allowed to be whacked at a rate of 3 per day throughout the season, and we have some folks hunting on top of us that will shoot anything that moves. Does not make sense at all for there to be these liberal limits in a county that biologists estimated to have a deer density at 15 deer per sq mile, but what can you do.

Our numbers here saw a significant decline a few years back, and then ehd also hit hard 2 or 3 summers ago too. I have not shot a doe off our property I think in 2 years, my oldest daughter killed a nice mature doe last year. Pretty likely I will kill a doe for the freezer early on this year, will have to see how things go.

[hunter109]

i hunt in zone c and we are alowed 3 doe tags and then we get 3 more doe tags after the first eithier sex tag is filled i hunt ohio also i mean that is where i was born and reaised when i first started to hunt we were only alowed one deer on eithier sex now they are over populated so they alow use to shoot alot more deer then other places. what zone you hunt in man

[Rhino]

I kill at least 1 doe each year and usually more than that. State law is 5 does/season here now with any weapon.

Our club has a doe harvest goal of 40 does/season. Our neighbors have the same goal. It was part of the management plan we set up along with our buck criteria that the state's DMAP biologist helped us with. We try to meet our club's doe quota before the chase phase of the rut kicks in. We've been able to to that without much of a problem but the rut where I hunt here in MS doesn't start to heat up until mid December. That would be very hard to do if we had a Novmeber rut like most of the rest of the states.

[KirkV]

I think I shot 5 last year alone! I love shooting does to reduce their numbers in our area and they are great practice and great eating.

[GWSmith]

I kill as many as possible except for the first week of November. Last year I killed 4 and hope to do that much or more again this year. Neighbors have freezers and are more than willing to help process deer.

My Father and I hunt property in West Virginia that once was overrun with does...now we're seeing more bucks each year and we're choosing which ones we shoot. Theres little chance anyone could convince me that "shooting does will keep the bucks away cause they not there to chase after". I wish I had a dollar for every time I've heard that nonsense!

[Dawg]

We have the first 15 days of rifle season to shoot doe, so I try to limit out (which is only 2) by 15th day.

[Tominator]

When I'm trying to help out the farmers I love to shoot does. For some reason, when I'm on my land, I will sometimes pass on them. I don't know why.

[Tominator]

i shoot at least 3 per yr. here in ohio you get 2 antlerless tags for bow seaso and then 2 either sex tags but you can only shoot 1 buck

You're hunting the wrong part of the state then because you can take up to 6 antlerless and 1 buck I think. Just depends on your zone and if you have access to urban zone land I guess.

[ruttinbuc]

I have no trouble with shooting doe wherever I hunt. I get one for the freezer in archery most times and then hunt for a buck. New Jersey sort of got me in the habit with their Earn A Buck rules. One thing to remember is that there is a thing as overkill of antlerless deer.

[David_218]

In my county, Zone 2, here in Ky. We can take one Buck & one Doe plus two bonus Doe.

[PotashRLS]

Yup for the joy of great meat and management purposes I try and shoot as many as possible......:gun1:

Recently I have been reading more about shooting does with button buck fawns. Studies have shown that the does that had button buck fawns will run the button bucks out of the area. Well on my property those are the bucks I have been feeding and hoping their genetics stick around. So this year every mature doe with a button buck fawn is in BIG BIG trouble :D:D

We learned a lot about orphanning buck fawns too and started practicing it a number of years ago. The problem we saw was that we were taking too many older, well seasoned/smart does who were good mothers. Our doe recruitment lacked then and it seemed to hurt our overall numbers. We have (so far) had great results with whacking doe fawns during the late seasons to help reduce food competition in the hard winters. This takes a little pressure off the adult doe, though we still shoot a couple of them too. Our doe fawns have been field dressing in the 55-65 lb range so they are not huge, but are GREAT eating.

[J.ALLEN.IA]

I typically don't jump just to shoot does, still looking for a good ole fat girl, mature just like a decent buck. If it gets to the end of the season with lonely tags, take what you get.

[dbHunterNY]

Sounds to me like you need to be shooting more than 2 or 3. Assuming of course that you can do so legally. 6:1 isn't very healthy for the herd and it makes the mature bucks harder to locate during the rut.

It's much worse here in NY I think. Many only hunt the regular gun season and thus can't take a doe legally. I was presented that circumstance for a short while and then took up bowhunting. My first deer with a bow was an old doe. I think every other year or so they should make gun season tags either sex. You still may get people holding out until the last day to shoot a buck, but they probably won't hesitate to take a doe the last day to put meat in the freezer. My dad likes seeing deer and usually doesn't like hearing about shooting a doe, but he's understanding that there are so many now that taking a few here and there won't matter. You see he grew up in an area that was heavily pouched, so I'm told. Himself and others would get excited just to see a track. That concept is old, but not quite yet forgotten.

- Dan

Edited July 30, 2009 by dbHunterNY

[Kels]

for the joy of great meat and management purposes

enough said.

[Flintlock1776]

I do

[rookieee]

we have the grand kids shoot the does and they have a blast ,in two more years they will have the chance at there first buck

[bowslinger]

yep if i draw a antlerless tag i shoot one and use that one if not i use my either sex archery tag on the first doe that gives me a shoot during bowseason only down side to that is i get bow hunt no more i either have the meat any way

[olsplittoe]

This season here in NC we can shoot unlim doe's in my county. I like to take plenty of doe's, nothing go's to waste round here.

[hutchies]

As many as the good Lord guides by my tree. Last year it was 5 or 6.....................Once I ran out of tags I was done.

[hyperflow]

What i do is in the archery season i hunt trophy bucks only, If its not going on my wall im not shooting him. Then when rifle season comes along i will shot any doe. We do not shoot fawns unless its by mistake (canadien deer are pretty big and eazly mistaken)

[Bowtech_archer07]

I'll shoot the 1st doe that walks by me during bow season, and usually gun season unless she is acting like a buck might be behind her. I hope to take 2-3 does every year, but it doesn't always happen.

[Heavy Metal]

ALWAYS looking for does. My goal is meat for my family, period. And of course I LOVE hunting. But if I got 4 does and nothing else over my two seasons, I'd be just as happy as if I got a trophy buck. Heck, I'm happy if I hunt for two weeks straight and come back empty handed! It's just an honor and so much fun to be out there.

[fly]

Try to take a total of 4 deer each year for meat. In IL there is no doe limit while 2 bucks can be harvested. I try for at least 2 does in a season. Last season I got my does fairly early and was holding out for 2 mature bucks but only managed one.

[Nickel]

i will shoot a doe early in the season to ease the pressure off my itchy trigger finger and also to settle my nerves for when that buck steps out. but i have select stands and areas so i dont disturb the bucks i have scouted.

[Jorden]

I am always looking to shoot a doe. Not just for the meat but to do my part in controling the buck:doe ratio:)