Hunting Bucks Only???

[Shawn Leonard]

Shoot does early and as Nov. approaches hold off and hunt those doe groups to bring you a buck. Too many does and the rut is nothing but a trickle rut lasting a few weeks,when actual breeding should be mostly complete in a 10 to 12 day period. Also there is no competition for the bucks and a lot of young inferior genes go back in to the herd as with so many does those inferior bucks get to breed. In a herd with good buck to doe ratio mostly dominate mature bucks do the breeding. Shawn

[woodchucker]

OK, So lets say that you have a 1-2 buck to doe ratio..... Not all of the bucks are dominate,so let say you have 10 bucks and 20 does (fawns don't count lol)assuming that NONE of these deer get shot during the rut.(as in NO HUNTING ALLOWED)

For bucks you have 2 dominate bucks,3 good bucks(big 6-8 points) and 5 spikes and forkhorns. Reasearch has proven that a buck usualy stays with a doe for about 3 days breeding her mulitple times over that period. If a "good rut" usualy lasts 10-12 days the 2 dominate bucks could only possibly breed 3-4 does during the rut leaving the other does left to the lesser bucks.

This is why I have a problem with QDM being instilled on public land.As soon as a buck gets "legal" he is usualy promptly shot.Leaving the "protected" smaller bucks to do the majority of the breeding.

(Just one "old farts" oppinion)

[lpcjon2]

Are you a hunter or a bookie...LOL

[ranger 3]

I shoot what ever gives me the shot. I have seen two deer form my stand on public land this year and I shot one of them. It was a five point, just my opinion...Howard

[Adirondackman]

Chuck - Im starting to feel the same way. The last 3 deer that I have taken have been bucks and I have let alot of does walk on by. I don't understand the ratio advantage of having less does available for the bucks to breed. I always thought that the more does available to breed results in more chances of bucks being born in the spring next season. What am I missing?

[woodchucker]

Which brings up another point John.....

Research has shown,that in areas where there is a high doe to buck ratio(i.e. 6-8 does to 1 buck) the majority of the does will drop buck fawns. Mother Nature's way controling the deer herd. Personaly I think she does a better job of controling the deer population than we ever can. Unfortunaltly,years from now when(if)our deer herds are a "mis-managed" mess,it will probly be to late to learn that the old saying rings true.....

DON'T MESS WITH MOTHER NATURE  

[Don Stokes]

I've quit shooting small bucks. Doe meat is my preference, so if I don't want to show off the antlers the young bucks keep walking.

[Altiman94]

I only shoot a buck if it's a mature whitetail ( 3 1/2 years or older) otherwise, I'll gladly take a doe.  I enjoy the meat, so I'd rather have a doe than a buck for meat.  I do love chasing those trophies though!

[woodchucker]

Nothing wrong with trophy hunting!!! or shooting does for meat deer either!!!    

Just wanted to make that point!!!!! I think each of us in our own way are "selective" and there is nothing at all wrong with that. If each of us shoots what we choose,(i.e. trophy bucks or any buck - adult does or fawns - or "brown is down") then we as hunters will balance the deer herd by our own "selective" preferances. I think when man trys to skew the deer herd for "bigger and better" we are only asking for trouble down the road. Years ago it was a real feat to bag a HUGE buck. Now they are available on just about any game farm if you want to pay the price.On private land QDM can and does work.But what are the "long term" effects..... There was a study done that I think was published in "BuckMasters" magazine last year and I'll try to find the exact issue,I believe it was titled "Does QDM really work on public land" (or something like that) It was a study done on public land in the NorthEast(Penn.???)over a period of about 10 years. The first 3-4 years they saw an enormous jump in the amount of racked bucks harvested. After 5 years they noticed a sharp drop in the buck harvest but hunters were reporting seeing more and more spike bucks as the years went on. The possible theory was that the legal racked bucks were being shot and the spikes were doing most of the breeding. By the end of the 10 year study,the buck harvest was low and the herd totaly skewed. I just tend to believe that if we as hunters are allowed to harvest the deer that we choose,we can balance the herd just fine without "antler restrictions" or "earn a buck" rules. It's sad to say,but if N.Y. ever went to "earn a buck" rulings,I would be done hunting.(at least untill the law changed)

[Broken Arrow 1]

I like antlers on the wall also but I will most definitley shoot a doe.

[Guru]

Sorry Chuck, but I don't buy the Buckmasters story....not saying I don't believe you...I just don't buy the spike thing...no way!

They're trying to say that they're shooting so many of the older,wiser bucks that the young one's are breeding most of the does...no way, I don't buy that for a second!

Personally, I like the antler restrictions, as i really like hunting "racked" bucks...but then again, I enjoy doe hunting as well    

[woodchucker]

I hear ya Curt!!!!! and I TOTALY understand what your saying!!!!! But.....

How do you explain this????? (and what keeps me questioning)  

If you have even a 1 to 1 buck to doe ratio.....

ONLY (if that) half of your bucks are dominate bucks. If a good "intense" rut only lasts 10-12 days,and each buck stays with the doe for about 3 days breeding her mulitiple times over those 3 days.the each buck can only possibly breed 3-4 does over this "intense" rut period. If a good rut depends upon all of the does coming into heat during a short time,and the dominate bucks are busy with all they can handle during that time,SOMEBODY has to be taking care of the neglected ladies!!!!! Which is why I just can't except that "ONLY" the dominate Bucks do the breeding theory.

(C'mon Curt, Help me out Brother)   :confused:

[Two Arrows]

I will shoot a doe only in the morning, due to the geographics of where I hunt.

[woodchucker]

Anyone else wanta chime in????

[Shedrock]

We can only shoot a buck in this part of Wyo. Regs state, " Antlered mule deer, or any whitetail". It's rare to see a whitie down here. So, it's buck only for me.

[John Scifres]

In Indiana, we can shoot 1 buck.  Every county has a doe limit. I have access to private land in 2 counties that have limits of 8 each.  So I can kill one buck and 16 does if I tag out.  My family eats 3-4 deer per year.  I guess the math means I have to shoot does  

[lpcjon2]

What say's that every buck stays with that doe for 3days what if he gets run off by another buck after being worn out by the chase.And don't forget one night stands even we had them (maybe the doe nagged him or talked to much).

[Horner]

I think that some breeding probably does get done by some smaller bucks.  
However, I don't think the big boys will stand for much of it.  
I would say every hot doe that a mature buck sees with a lesser in-mature buck, gets moved out of the picture immediately.

[IndianaBowman]

To me it depends on where I am hunting and the population of deer and perceived buck/doe ratio. In Columbia County I just shot one of each with the longbow. I had a good solid 8 pt (maybe 100") moving into range and since he wasn't a trophy deer I passed him up and shot a spike that had one long spike and then a short unattached spike. I just thought letting the bigger buck go to breed the many does made better sense. The spike was shot for meat and because I didn't believe he would add much to the local gene pool. 10 minutes after shooting the spike I shot a mature doe because the area seems to have loads of them. In Indiana I would have done things a bit different and definately passed the spike due to the one buck rule. Lots of factors come into play for me to make a personal decision. Being out of meat, days left before the guns start blazing, possible future hunt opportunities, etc.  The bottom line for me is that it really just depends. I think most people make choices based on their personal reasons. That's the way it should be! If they choose to shoot a doe, fawn, spike, or Booner then good for them! It ain't a contest!

[NorthernCaliforniaHunter]

In California bucks are all we get, unless you win the "lottery" and get a tag for a special hunt, and even that is highly restrictive geographically.

I've never understood that logic or how it benefits the deer population.