Who else is managing land for whitetails?

[rookieforever33]

Why do you shoot the does? What does that do for you?


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“Keep on keepin’ on…”

A couple theories I have heard I'm starting to believe
1) does rule the woods 11 months of the year. Any buck except last years forkies will stay the hell away until the rut. Even then they only push in there when they need to find a hot one. If you have an island of woods in ag land the bucks may find hot does without ever stepping in the area
2) if a buck leaves a doe after breeding and finds another hot doe 100 yards away he may never make it by your stand.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

A couple theories I have heard I'm starting to believe
1) does rule the woods 11 months of the year. Any buck except last years forkies will stay the hell away until the rut. Even then they only push in there when they need to find a hot one. If you have an island of woods in ag land the bucks may find hot does without ever stepping in the area
2) if a buck leaves a doe after breeding and finds another hot doe 100 yards away he may never make it by your stand.

At least where I hunt in Virginia, the first one is outright false. The bucks maintain the same scrapes and rub lines year after year and I see them from July on through the season. In fact, they only become scarce once the hunting pressure starts. They become more wary from the beginning of season until the rut, but I still see them. They are just near food sources, not does.

During the rut, they lose their minds and come from all over to compete for the does. Since the does bed down in the same basic 200 yard by 200 yard box most of their lives (and daughters live with their mothers), I know exactly where to go once the rut starts.

Anyone who sits on a stand during the rut should be on a chokepoint and have someone else scare them to him. I’m not a big fan of stand hunting anyway. Still hunting from spot to spot has always worked best for me.

The only reason to shoot does is to keep the deer population low. That’s important only if weather is harsh and winter forage is rare. Fewer deer competing for scarce food makes it easier for a buck that has survived the rut to survive the winter.

____________________
“Keep on keepin’ on…”

 

[rookieforever33]

At least where I hunt in Virginia, the first one is outright false. The bucks maintain the same scrapes and rub lines year after year and I see them from July on through the season. In fact, they only become scarce once the hunting pressure starts. They become more wary from the beginning of season until the rut, but I still see them. They are just near food sources, not does.

During the rut, they lose their minds and come from all over to compete for the does. Since the does bed down in the same basic 200 yard by 200 yard box most of their lives (and daughters live with their mothers), I know exactly where to go once the rut starts.

Anyone who sits on a stand during the rut should be on a chokepoint and have someone else scare them to him. I’m not a big fan of stand hunting anyway. Still hunting from spot to spot has always worked best for me.


____________________
“Keep on keepin’ on…”

Thats why it is great to be able to hunt the same area year after year. You learn your area like you have. In my area of big ag land with fence rows and occasional islands of woods they seem to run differently than that. Taking more does in the early season means more buck movement during the rut. Taking more does year after year means more bucks year round. Go 20 miles from me where big timber follows the river bittoms for miles is probably different. 20 miles the other way is suburbia where bucks are eating fliwers out of peoples landscaping. Managing property depends on what the neighborhood deer do and react. If making sure my family and friends freezers are full of doe meat means I see more bucks, I'm shooting more does.
Also keep in mind I didnt shoot does for 5 years to see what happened. I saw 26 deer 1 night and never laid eyes on a big buck all year. 2 pictures on my camera was it. Nobody wants to shoot every doe on the property. Just thin the ladies so the bucks have room to move.

 

[Pilsner]

Controlled burns made the biggest, and most fun, impact on our mountain. Arson for conservation! What's not to love?!
TSI would be a distant second.