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deer density #6474566 09/30/16 11:39 AM
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fishbait Offline OP
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Have other hunters noticed their deer dwindling down in your area especially does? The process here in Tex. in my county P&W issues doe permits by acreage based on surveys. You could have only have 3 does on 100 acres and P&W issues a permit per 50 acres in your area. You would have a permit for two of the three does. This process depletes heard. Certainly hunters realizing a shortage would not use those permits however, some would. The thought is P&W issues the permits and P&W should know this should not hurt the heard size....hence they use all their permits. The thought is ..the permits issued do work for most of the areas and not all areas. Should P&W biologist issue less permits in some areas?

Re: deer density [Re: fishbait] #6474587 09/30/16 12:03 PM
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don k Offline
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I personally don't think hunters have much of an effect on deer populations.If they do then the deer in that area are not very smart. I think the things that do are what they have to eat. What predators are in the area and are there other things that the predators can eat and not deer? Here in this area you can shoot a lot of deer and there are a lot of smaller acreage places that are hunted. And we are still way above what the deer density should be.

Re: deer density [Re: don k] #6474594 09/30/16 12:17 PM
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KG68 Offline
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Same here in Mills County. Deer populations have exploded the last few years. Some of those, especially 2010 through 2014 were below average rainfall years. Hunters just are not using all their allotted tags here. Mother Nature will end up controlling our numbers in the end.

Re: deer density [Re: fishbait] #6474656 09/30/16 01:13 PM
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stxranchman Offline
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I am in a county that joins you. We have 5 WMA management units inside the county IIRC. This county does surveys within each of those areas to set doe permits numbers. My area is a doe to 200 acres and no does other than that except for archery season only. My TPWD biologist told me to get at least 1000 acres, lot more if possible around me to do a survey and he would work to set limits for permits for that area. I only have one close neighbor (3/4 mile away) that is a member of the coop that gets a doe permit or two. Not many does are shot unless they are using the archery season. I see the same number of does in archery as I do in general season. I shoot my does in Muzzleloader season.

Under your situation you can over shoot the does. I would get the neighbors together with enough acres to do your own survey then work them to do your own harvest numbers or with your TPWD biologist to help you. IIRC your biologist also works my county so this time of the year he is really busy. He is a really good guy to work with. If you get enough acres in your area they will work with you and them to correct the issues at hand.


Are idiots multiplying faster than normal people?[Linked Image]
Re: deer density [Re: fishbait] #6474668 09/30/16 01:16 PM
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Remember, you're only talking about 100 acres. If you have 3 does, then you most likely have a buck and at least 1 fawn. Those 5 deer equate to a density of 20 acres per deer, which may be all you'd want to have on the property depending on habitat, grazing practices, etc. Plus, I'm sure there is more than 1 buck and probably more than 1 fawn, which means the density could be excessive relative to the habitat (just depends on how many deer are actually using the property). Management decisions on small acreage can be difficult as deer are typically managed (population-wise) on a larger scale.


The recreational value of game is inverse to the artificiality of its origin - Aldo Leopold
Re: deer density [Re: fishbait] #6474675 09/30/16 01:19 PM
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It's hard because every situation is different. Our situation is we're on 700 acres in mills county and have a great relationship will all our neighbors we are level III MLDP. Last year we killed 24 does and 5 bucks. I honestly thought it would have an impact on the doe herd.... Until I talked to our neighbors. On the nearly 2000 acres around us they killed a total of 2 doe. The reasoning varies as well as to why they didn't shoot does. A couple only come down a few times a year, one is only hunting mature bucks, and one is still a believer in the sacred doe. This year we have 30 doe tags and probably won't have much trouble filling them.

Kind of surprises me they'd issue permits for 50 acres. I thought we were on the small end of the size properties they'd let in the MLDP.

Re: deer density [Re: Txhunter65] #6474683 09/30/16 01:22 PM
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Originally Posted By: Txhunter65
Kind of surprises me they'd issue permits for 50 acres. I thought we were on the small end of the size properties they'd let in the MLDP.


Sounds like he's getting LAMPS permits.


The recreational value of game is inverse to the artificiality of its origin - Aldo Leopold
Re: deer density [Re: Txhunter65] #6474688 09/30/16 01:27 PM
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Originally Posted By: Txhunter65
It's hard because every situation is different. Our situation is we're on 700 acres in mills county and have a great relationship will all our neighbors we are level III MLDP. Last year we killed 24 does and 5 bucks. I honestly thought it would have an impact on the doe herd.... Until I talked to our neighbors. On the nearly 2000 acres around us they killed a total of 2 doe. The reasoning varies as well as to why they didn't shoot does. A couple only come down a few times a year, one is only hunting mature bucks, and one is still a believer in the sacred doe. This year we have 30 doe tags and probably won't have much trouble filling them.

Kind of surprises me they'd issue permits for 50 acres. I thought we were on the small end of the size properties they'd let in the MLDP.

He is a state WMA coop. There are counties that have a county wide coop with members from all over the county. They break the county down in to different management zones within the coop. Survey each area separately and set each area with different doe permit harvest numbers. In my county they range from 1 permit to 50 acres to one to 200 acres for members of the Coop. Some areas have doe days and some do not, so the need for permits(if you do not archery hunt).


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Re: deer density [Re: fishbait] #6474719 09/30/16 01:41 PM
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I have been limited to hunting the hill country in Comal and Kendal Counties and south texas. Every property I have hunted on had more deer than I think it should.

Have you done surveys to estimate your population and what is really there.


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Re: deer density [Re: fishbait] #6475097 09/30/16 06:54 PM
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We're in South Texas on 96 acres. We usually have about 7 doe and 5 or so bucks each year. We usually shoot at least 2 doe and 2 bucks per season. There always seem to be replacement deer every year. We always have twin yearlings every year. At least two sets a year.


If you want some friendly advice, get a haircut and take a bath. You wouldn't get hassled so much.


Re: deer density [Re: fishbait] #6475124 09/30/16 07:30 PM
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interesting


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Re: deer density [Re: fishbait] #6475157 09/30/16 08:02 PM
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On small properties the hardest plan is how to manage doe.. this will usually take a few years to get an avg of what your actually housing then make a move from there... bucks are easy... set an age limit and meet it.. let the young ones go... that's if you don't have many or don't think you do at least. On my 40 I take at least two doe a year and a buck sometimes 2 if a friend or family decides to hunt. The numbers are a bit crazy at times. But still bucks stay at the same requirement which is 4yr old.

Re: deer density [Re: fishbait] #6475161 09/30/16 08:04 PM
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I will say im not looking forward to the extended doe days and muzzle loader season that started in the county though

Re: deer density [Re: fishbait] #6475466 10/01/16 01:11 AM
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In the panhandle, the drought had a terrible effect on the deer populations, both WT and muleys. I try to urge people not to shoot any does until it comes back but i am not popular for that opinion!

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