Your thoughts on too many does?

[SRShunter]

I hear all the big hunting shows and YouTube big names saying too many does is a bad thing. In the real world do yall feel the same way? Our doe population has really blown up in the past few years and I believe it has affected our rut in a negative way, or could it just be coincidence with bad timing weather heat food sources idk. Just seems like all I see anymore are does. I know Georgia shoots alot of does I think yalls limits are 2 bucks and 10 or 12 does? Do yall feel like this is beneficial to better hunting far as seeing more bucks? I hunt in south Carolina and they have changed the rules up there in the last few years, but they place is ate up with does. Anyways I'm fixing to start shooting more does and I hope it has a positive affect on our herd and we start seeing more mature bucks hanging around like we use too

 

[Milkman]

Do you see distinct browse lines?
If so you may be over populated. If not they have plenty to eat and probably aren’t over populated.
I am not a biologist just an old pooot deer hunter.

 

[delacroix]

Seeing deer is not necessarily related to the health of the herd. You may have heard of places with low population densities which are known for big antlers.

 

[GeorgiaBob]

Folks I know in north central Illinois will tell you that there are way too many does and have been for decades. But those folks are farmers and are just ticked off because the deer herds eat so much of their crops. (and truthfully, I was seeing actual herds of more than 100 deer - almost all does - ravaging crops around 2003 thru 2007 - folks tell me it is still happening)

What I don't know is whether overpopulation - notably concentrations of does in a limited range - is connected with CWD.

 

[across the river]

In my experience, doe groups will typically seek out and bed around and in close proximity to preferred food sources. The bucks, and especially mature bucks, will no bed in or around the doe group. With the does, as the food availability changes, the group will typically move. So you can have tons of does on a soybean field early season, then they move to the neighbors acorn ridge in November, and then on a wheat field down the road a ways in December and January. In each case they will typically bed near the food if at all possible. Part of this explains why some people see a bunch of deer in one part of the season and then very few later on. As the food changes, the deer move.

On properties that have constant food sources, you can create a doe vacuum almost where as soon as you kill some or a group off, another one or another group move into the preferred area with lots of food. If you have a property with food everywhere, even if it is a large property, as the doe population grows they take up more and more property, and push the bucks out to more remote areas, or in a lot of cases off of the property. To much food can actual be a bad thing if you are after bucks, because the does move in and push them out.

In my experience, killing does doesn't alway help, because if it is a preferred area, more just move in. What you need are sections of the property that are preferential to bucks away from the food sources, and areas around the food source for does. You want to have the best area for does, but also sections that are the best areas for bucks. They aren't the same, even though people often treat them as such. If you get to that point, you will find that you have a section(s) of the property on which it seems like there are always plenty of deer, but very few bucks, and other areas of the property where they mature bucks always seem to hang out. If not over pressured and hunted properly, those areas will typically replenish with more of the same.

 

[siberian1]

Good problem to have.

 

[JustUs4All]

I hear all the big hunting shows and YouTube big names saying too many does is a bad thing. In the real world do yall feel the same way?

In a word, no.

 

[MikeyD6]

It can be if the goal is producing a lot of giant bucks. But the big name guys are putting out enough food to create a population explosion, so they have to shoot a lot of does to keep the numbers in check. They also have a pretty good idea of their local population so they don't overdo it.

 

[Mike 65]

No. Turn off the TV

 

[Mark K]

Yes...
Let’s put it in a Redneck bar scenario. You go to a bar that has 20 guys and 5 girls...every guy is trying to win one of those girls affection. Fights break out, chaos ensues, girl goes home with the baddest dudes there.
You go to a bar and there 5 guys and 20 girls. Do you really have to do anything to get their attention? They’re all right there. You just sit in your little corner and make out at will.

Guess it all boils down to what you want. If you want the bucks roaming looking for does then yeah to many and that’s not going to happen. He sits in his little hideout and waits for the right one to come along and he’s set. Gets done with her and no worries another will come by.
If there’s only so many does to breed then he better get busy because his goal is to procreate with as many that are available.

I also look at it like this...less does equals more food!

 

[furtaker]

I enjoy sitting in the stand and seeing lots of deer, myself. Bucks and does.

 

[Mexican Squealer]

Neighbors around my 2 GA farms absolutely hammer the does and believe that is proper management. The result i have seen since the doe killing craze is less deer sightings in general. Still some good bucks to be had but nothing like the days before the doe killing/qdma craze got ingrained in everyone’s head. My SC farm is just the opposite. Surrounding plantations don’t hammer the does at all...and I see more bucks with the opportunity to kill quality bucks at any given time. I’m surrounded by big properties that are pretty much hunted by family and it’s just a different philosophy. One I’ve come to prefer. Reminds me of the way GA hunting was when I was in my teens.

 

[Mark K]

I think there’s a fine line between hammering the does and keeping the numbers in check.
Sitting in a stand and seeing 30 deer and 27 are does, yearlings, fawns, and only 3 scrub bucks running around with their tongues hanging out gets old over time.
Shooting enough does to where you see 20 deer total and half are does and the other half bucks with potential shooters in the mix keeps you awake at night wondering what might show up next.
We are going to take several does this year and see what happens.
Our plantations over here really hammer the does based on numbers. They set a certain number for each area and will shoot all the way to that last day to meet those numbers if they have to. They also kill 150-160”+ deer every year as well.

 

[kmckinnie]

I think there’s a fine line between hammering the does and keeping the numbers in check.
Sitting in a stand and seeing 30 deer and 27 are does, yearlings, fawns, and only 3 scrub bucks running around with their tongues hanging out gets old over time.
Shooting enough does to where you see 20 deer total and half are does and the other half bucks with potential shooters in the mix keeps you awake at night wondering what might show up next.
We are going to take several does this year and see what happens.
Our plantations over here really hammer the does based on numbers. They set a certain number for each area and will shoot all the way to that last day to meet those numbers if they have to. They also kill 150-160”+ deer every year as well.

Whereu are y’all really have more than enough food. I would think to many deer would hurt crop farmers. I’m sure some of the management there is for both. Balanced heard with quality in mind.

 

[Turpentine]

Hefner made it work.

 

[bfriendly]

Wish I could see a few of them deer y’all talking about ?

 

[Mr Bya Lungshot]

What’s a does?
Never seen or herd a one.
I have seen a buck is the bottom one a does?

 

[Turpentine]

All I see is a dead guy, a eagle, and a cell phone camera.

 

[Mr Bya Lungshot]

I see four points on both sides

 

[glynr329]

There are a lot of land in Ga that have been over killed because of the excuse of to many does. Some that really do have to many maybe. You hear a lot of people say I saw 200 deer this year. While hunting on 30 acres. Sorry no you didn't. If you really believe that you are not very smart. If you seriously do some studies you can tell. Find data about how many deer per sq. mile where you hunt. Good starting point. I can't remember the last doe I killed just no desire or not much of a challenge. I figure the guys that see the same 5 deer 10 times. Thinking they saw 50 deer are taking care of them.