Does are tough!

[Stone Knife]

Is it just me or is it tougher to get a doe than a buck? I have had to pass on a number of bucks, but have yet to get a shot at a doe. I'm putting in the time in some good locations but there a step ahead of me. What the heck gives?

[Shawn Leonard]

Older does are very tough to hunt as are older bucks. I feel any deer that gets to 3.5 is pretty hard to kill. Shawn

[Jack Denbow]

I agree, it seems a lot easier for me to get bucks than does. like you I have yet to get a shot at a doe other than a fawn this year.

[ishiwannabe]

Keep at it Jim. I have only had one shot opportunity at a buck, a small spike that I passed up. If I could shoot does around here, I would be set as far as meat goes. I have had seven shootable encounters(20 yards or less) in the four times I have been out hunting. Shooting does on the land I hunt is a no no. If ya do, ya get barred from the property.
Keep it up and you will get one.

[Richie Nell]

Thanks guys for passing bucks and hunting does.  We all need more of that in our lives.

When all else fails, shoot a doe.

[SlowBowinMO]

I love to shoot does, and always do it if I can.

A mature doe makes your average basket rack buck look like a complete idiot.

[bmfer]

What these guys said. I've been known for labeling a nosy doe as "the doe that's got to go!"

[bbassi]

i managed to shoot a decent doe opening day, but since then I haven't even been close to a doe. I've actually seen more bucks than does again this year. 3rd year in  a row.

[kctreeman]

I just finished a managed hunt here in MO.  You have to kill an anterless deer before you can kill a buck.  Sounded easy enough with sightings of 50-60 per night before the season while scouting.  Put 36 hunters on 2000 acres and deer wise up quickly.  Took me four days to get a shot at a small button buck.  A alpha doe has to be the smartest animal in the woods.  Never did get that shot a buck or any other deer for that matter.  Never consider taking a doe as something of an inferior acomplishment.

[draco]

If you think about it a doe has to look out for her self and her fawns every year,that ol buck just looks out for himself. We have an old doe we call Humpback that weve been trying to kill for years. She does`nt see you,hear you or smell you,she just sense`s you. I`m not sure shes even killable,as everybody has tryed very hard and not done it. Probably too tough to eat anyway. I think the hump in her back,between her shoulderblades is an old wound and she learned well from it.

[BamBooBender]

Originally posted by Stone Knife:
Is it just me or is it tougher to get a doe than a buck? I have had to pass on a number of bucks, but have yet to get a shot at a doe. I'm putting in the time in some good locations but there a step ahead of me. What the heck gives?

Been having the same problems trying to get a deer from the ground(except passing on bucks cause I haven't seen one this year). I keep seeing and getting bested by small groups of does. They ain't dumb. The ones that show up in my front yard at times seem dumb,but you get out there with em and they turn into real live whitetails really fast.

[Brian Krebs]

Sometimes the best way to get to a buck shooting opprotunity: is to kill the old doe-- that keeps ratting you off. I get as much satisfaction from shooting an old doe; as from shooting a buck.
 Its more about the shot; than the antlers for me. Besides; if I shoot a big buck - I would get it mounted- and that costs money !!