Buck:Doe Ratio

[ChasinTail]

I know we hear alot about the 50:50 ratio. I have put out three game cams on feeders on my property and am seeing more like a 75:25 buck to doe ratio. I know the doe exsist because I have seen several small button bucks who were born from someone. Do I have a good problem or should I try and take out some more bucks than normal even non mature? We dont take alot of does here because of the strict seasons on them but it seems we are having the opposite issue than what I have seen in the past.

[dogdoc]

see what you have a little later in the season. You might just have a nice bachelor group hanging around which gives you more buck pics. I wouldn't take out more younger bucks to try to fix the ratio. If you are truely short on does then don't shoot any for a few years and stick with nice mature bucks.

todd

[Ravin R10 man]

shoot no does and take out a few rag horn bucks that are at least two year old..you should have one wild rut with that much competition

[hunter109]

yea see we around were i live have a lager amout of does then bucks well we try and kill alot of does and one buck if possible well if not we kill all does

[dbHunterNY]

If the trend continues then that's perfect. Just don't shoot any does. Any scrubby looking older bucks take out of the herd and now you've got some deer management in place. Only the strongest bucks will be with the does. You won't necessarily have a bigger racked buck with them, but the population would be a strong and healthy one I'd think.

[The Kid]

sounds like canada to me , This is a good problem, in theory we with a big doe population take out does so that we have more bucks chasing fewer does, so if a mature buck wants to breed he has to go look for a doe, gets them moving, when theres more does to bucks he doesn't have to go looking he just stays with them beds down and when there ready he breeds them and repeats the step,, the reason I say this sounds like canada is that my uncle goes up there and he tells me there are more bucks to does so when you see a doe during the rut strap in and hold on tight b/c you dont know what bucks going to be coming out of the brush.

[redkneck]

see what you have a little later in the season. You might just have a nice bachelor group hanging around which gives you more buck pics. I wouldn't take out more younger bucks to try to fix the ratio. If you are truely short on does then don't shoot any for a few years and stick with nice mature bucks.

todd

+1

[TN Bucknasty]

Leave the bucks alone unless you see one that you would normally kill. The way does move, you may not see any for a few weeks, then they will reappear. Does will settle in an area for short periods of time, then move to other areas, then other areas. Eventually, they will make it back to where they started. Don't worry, you have does.

[shawnthomson]

in agreement

It does sound like a bachelor group. Sounds like a field with a point or finger extending out in to the field. Bucks tend to hang or group up in these locations waiting for optimal conditions to enter for feeding. If this is the case move the camera to the oposite side of the location, to get a better census. Also don't forget management depends on amount of land also and what it can support.