Safe harvest rate on family farm

[wadej223]

I sat a total of 6 days this year. Saw mature bucks 5/6 days. Have around 15 different mature bucks on cam using the property at this point. Thinking a bunch of animals have been coming over from surrounding properties. The buck pictured below was shot by a neighbor about 1/2 mile down the creek. View attachment 82159

 

[Tauntohawk]

It sounds like both deer werent mortally wounded and you tracked them up good. Yes it's a good rule of thumb that newer hunters should never shoot at moving or running animals, I don't shoot any anything on the move unless it was previously wounded it's not worth the risk factor.

If it was a mature buck it probably wasn't the first time he's been shot at or even hit. In fact ive never taken a deer in NY that was 3.5 or older and not had it have wounds from previous hits in years past.

It's great you are trying to get get new hunters out but if they are truly new to hunting and shooting altogether you might want to consider sitting with them so you can walk them through the process. I've taken a bunch of kids, new hunters and wounded vets out hunting and it really helps to sit with and coach them through the moment of truth the first few times plus it's really rewarding being along for the ride and see that joy on their face after they put their first "whatever" down.

Your picture didn't seem to work, how nice was the buck you got. I also wouldn't worry about doe harvests on property like that is going to almost back fill with more does as you shoot them with deer from surrounding areas for the quality food and habitat. Short of blasting at all of them your numbers will remain intact.



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[wadej223]

It sounds like both deer werent mortally wounded and you tracked them up good. Yes it's a good rule of thumb that newer hunters should never shoot at moving or running animals, I don't shoot any anything on the move unless it was previously wounded it's not worth the risk factor.

If it was a mature buck it probably wasn't the first time he's been shot at or even hit. In fact ive never taken a deer in NY that was 3.5 or older and not had it have wounds from previous hits in years past.

It's great you are trying to get get new hunters out but if they are truly new to hunting and shooting altogether you might want to consider sitting with them so you can walk them through the process. I've taken a bunch of kids, new hunters and wounded vets out hunting and it really helps to sit with and coach them through the moment of truth the first few times plus it's really rewarding being along for the ride and see that joy on their face after they put their first "whatever" down.

Your picture didn't seem to work, how nice was the buck you got. I also wouldn't worry about doe harvests on property like that is going to almost back fill with more does as you shoot them with deer from surrounding areas for the quality food and habitat. Short of blasting at all of them your numbers will remain intact.


The buck I took was a 2.5 year old 7pt probably score around 90inches. The buck I tried to link is probably going to be the largest one ever taken in Ontario County New York. I will try to link it along with mine below. View attachment 82163View attachment 82164

 

[Tauntohawk]

I've hunted some in Tompkins County that's the closest I've been to out your way hunting and I've done a bunch in Greene in the Catskills south of albany. The guys I know in Tompkins had a really good year this year.

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[wadej223]

Update,

The other hunter who had previously filled his archery buck tag finished off the deer my friend wounded. My friend had hit it in the leg and barley scraped the top of its head. Glad that he was able to harvest it. puts us up to 3 mature bucks and two does for the year.

 

[Don Qui Puncher]

if I had a property like that I would have to think long and hard to bring that many people there, if I was taking newer guys maybe take them to public land. it sounds like a Gem and some similar properties ive hunted like that don't like to withstand much pressure from one maybe two people. I have had to skip areas for an entire season before deer would use it again. I killed a mature buck first sit at one of the spots this year, it had rained the night before everything was wet and rained a few hours later and washed everything away, I went back two days later passed two smaller bucks and a doe then shot a super old buck that started going the other way. but it took a year of leaving this spot alone before it was used again. the previous year I only hunted it every other Saturday by myself and brought someone maybe 2-3 times. good job on the mature deer, I wouldn't be worried about how many deer killed but the pressure I was putting on the property.

 

[wadej223]

Thanks for the advice. We are done for the season now. My buddy got his first deer last night. We harvested a total of 6. 3 Mature bucks and three does. The last hunter was my girlfriend and she is no longer in the picture. Something about spending to much time in the woods. Hoping next year turns out ok because it was pretty difficult to find that last deer.