Forums46
Topics537,757
Posts9,728,731
Members87,039
|
Most Online25,604 Feb 12th, 2024
|
|
|
Doe to Buck ratio
#6942645
11/01/17 10:19 PM
|
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 1,220
Big8
OP
Pro Tracker
|
OP
Pro Tracker
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 1,220 |
In your opinion what is a good Doe to Buck ratio, we have been on MLD 1 for four years and my FIL believes we are taking too many Does. I have seen a big improvement in fawn survival this year and believe we are on the right track. My best guess after hunting all of bow season we are at around 7:1 ratio of Doe to Buck and am afraid if we don't continue when we have a dry year there will be a die off and the fawns will suffer the most. What do you want you ratio to be?
|
|
|
Re: Doe to Buck ratio
[Re: Big8]
#6942678
11/01/17 10:50 PM
|
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 1,856
REALKILLER
Pro Tracker
|
Pro Tracker
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 1,856 |
Hogs, cars, trucks, and coyotes keep east Texas doe ratios down. I see 50/50 in some areas andI dont even kill does there. I have killed maybe 3 does in 30 years of hunting. Mid to south Tx. Have more slicks. Good luck.
Recently got a gym membership, strange folks! I like to show up the roid zombies with my full motion curls with the 55lb. bells. Not their cheater short stroked light weights. It's holarious.
|
|
|
Re: Doe to Buck ratio
[Re: Big8]
#6942682
11/01/17 10:55 PM
|
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 1,220
Big8
OP
Pro Tracker
|
OP
Pro Tracker
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 1,220 |
When we started hunting on that place I believe it was closer to 15:1 ratio.
|
|
|
Re: Doe to Buck ratio
[Re: Big8]
#6942691
11/01/17 11:09 PM
|
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 1,856
REALKILLER
Pro Tracker
|
Pro Tracker
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 1,856 |
Alotta does. Understadlbly time to thin them out. They say the mom runs her son or sons off to prevent inbreeding. So thick herds of does may be mass confusion for young bucks. I hear those front hoofs hurt. May be a more comfortable environment overall for bucks to not have so many naggs around and there may be more grubb to eat.
Recently got a gym membership, strange folks! I like to show up the roid zombies with my full motion curls with the 55lb. bells. Not their cheater short stroked light weights. It's holarious.
|
|
|
Re: Doe to Buck ratio
[Re: Big8]
#6942701
11/01/17 11:17 PM
|
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,773
Big_Ag
Pro Tracker
|
Pro Tracker
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,773 |
If you are MLD1 (now the harvest option) and are still at 7 to 1, what was it four years ago when you started in the MLD program? How big is the property? Where is it located? Have you done population surveys this fall? Have you been filling the MLD tag quota each year? Do all the neighbors shoot only deer with horns and/or anything with horns? Sorry for all the questions, would just need some more info to understand your situation better.
With just the info you have given, 7 to 1 is way out of balance. I am not understanding why your FIL believes you are taking too many does if it is 7 to 1. Sounds like you guys need to quadruple down on the does.
A good doe to buck ratio is 2 to 1. We shoot for 1 to 1 on our low fenced ranch. We have big neighbors and little to moderate hunting pressure around us, and gotten close (1.5 to 1).
|
|
|
Re: Doe to Buck ratio
[Re: Big8]
#6942719
11/01/17 11:31 PM
|
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 1,220
Big8
OP
Pro Tracker
|
OP
Pro Tracker
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 1,220 |
We hunt Yegua creek bottom in Lee county and we do deer survey each year, we are blessed with better than average deer population for the area partly to do with several neighbors that don't allow deer hunting. We only have 500 acres but high numbers of deer. My FIL just doesn't have the experience that I do. I hunted as a teenager in Sutton county and witnessed a big die off because of a LO and their restrictions.
|
|
|
Re: Doe to Buck ratio
[Re: Big8]
#6942722
11/01/17 11:33 PM
|
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,773
Big_Ag
Pro Tracker
|
Pro Tracker
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,773 |
Just saw your response that you started at 15 to 1. You are making good progress. Realkiller kind of alluded to something to keep in mind. The buck fawns your does are having will not make their home range on your property (unless it is a huge piece of property). Bucks are run off by their mothers and the young bucks seek their own home range away from their mother's home range. The bucks on your property came from neighboring properties. I am making the assumption that your FIL believes shooting does will hurt the buck population. It won't. The young bucks will move in from the neighboring properties every year and fill the buck segment. If my assumption is wrong, just ignore this point.
|
|
|
Re: Doe to Buck ratio
[Re: Big8]
#6942736
11/01/17 11:44 PM
|
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 1,220
Big8
OP
Pro Tracker
|
OP
Pro Tracker
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 1,220 |
You are correct, where the doe are the bucks will be is what he says. I think we have more than enough Doe for our property. If every mature Doe raises a fawn or twins we need to cull some Doe in my opinion.
|
|
|
Re: Doe to Buck ratio
[Re: Big8]
#6942770
11/02/17 12:20 AM
|
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,773
Big_Ag
Pro Tracker
|
Pro Tracker
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,773 |
If the neighbors are not hunting, all the more reason to keep hammering your does. On the positive side, the neighbors not hunting allows their buck fawns to have a better than average chance of surviving and continue to fill out your buck segment when they move on from their mamas.
Another thing to consider - If you know how many deer you have per acre and how many your property will support, you want your overall number of mouths to feed to be at about 80% of carrying capacity. That is also another equation you want to try and achieve. There are lots and lots of other variables that can come into play, but the two most important things you can do are to focus on carrying capacity and doe to buck ratio in my opinion. You are on the right track and know from first hand experience what can happen with droughts and over-population. Keep up the good work.
|
|
|
Re: Doe to Buck ratio
[Re: Big8]
#6942793
11/02/17 12:40 AM
|
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,605
fouzman
Veteran Tracker
|
Veteran Tracker
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,605 |
You only need enough momma cows to replenish the herd. If you have age classes, sex ratios and deer/ac right, you'll be shooting most of your doe fawns (or their mommas) every year. We prefer a doe to every 1.5 bucks.
|
|
|
Re: Doe to Buck ratio
[Re: Big8]
#6942797
11/02/17 12:48 AM
|
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 1,220
Big8
OP
Pro Tracker
|
OP
Pro Tracker
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 1,220 |
Agreed, we only take (3) mature Bucks every year. Just trying to keep the does in check.
|
|
|
Re: Doe to Buck ratio
[Re: Big8]
#6942818
11/02/17 01:10 AM
|
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,605
fouzman
Veteran Tracker
|
Veteran Tracker
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,605 |
7:1 makes it hard to manage for quality bucks. Remove those female mouths until you get close to equilibrium on sex ratios. If nothing else, noise levels in the area will be significantly reduced. Then start culling bucks, while maintaining your annual doe harvest. Won't hurt a thing to kill a few mature bucks each year. Good luck
|
|
|
Re: Doe to Buck ratio
[Re: Big8]
#6942898
11/02/17 01:49 AM
|
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 11,248
Longhunter
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 11,248 |
Ask your FIL if he would rather hunt doe or bucks. With a 7:1 ratio all your hunting is doe. The land will only carry so many deer, the tighter the ratio the more bucks you can have. The hardest part of deer management is managing your hunters IMO. And one last thought, your bucks are killing themselves tying to breed that many doe. The ones left are spending their time regaining body weight instead of antler growth. I would also think fawn survival rate would be down to. Late born fawns have a hard time during the heat of the summer...JAT
Longhunter >>>-------> Make It Count!!!<><
|
|
|
Re: Doe to Buck ratio
[Re: Big8]
#6942914
11/02/17 01:55 AM
|
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 14,262
Ramsey
Pepe' Le Pew
|
Pepe' Le Pew
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 14,262 |
We have too many deer and the boys do not want to go to MLD
Big Beckett!!
|
|
|
Re: Doe to Buck ratio
[Re: Ramsey]
#6943012
11/02/17 02:44 AM
|
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 5,714
TAT
THF Trophy Hunter
|
THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 5,714 |
We have too many deer and the boys do not want to go to MLD If anyone can talk them into going to MLD you can Ramsey! Hope all is well bud!
It's not how you fall, It's how you get up.
|
|
|
Re: Doe to Buck ratio
[Re: fouzman]
#6943035
11/02/17 02:53 AM
|
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 35,886
txshntr
T-Rex Arms
|
T-Rex Arms
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 35,886 |
You only need enough momma cows to replenish the herd. If you have age classes, sex ratios and deer/ac right, you'll be shooting most of your doe fawns (or their mommas) every year. We prefer a doe to every 1.5 bucks. With a 7:1 ratio, it is hard to imagine that the age class is in order
|
|
|
Re: Doe to Buck ratio
[Re: Big8]
#6943674
11/02/17 04:21 PM
|
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 19,498
Erathkid
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 19,498 |
3 bucks per doe on our place. Been that way for the past 18 years. We don't shoot doe.
Life is too short, as is. Don't chance it. Don't text and drive.
|
|
|
Re: Doe to Buck ratio
[Re: Big8]
#6943840
11/02/17 06:08 PM
|
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,533
redchevy
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,533 |
How many of you fellas with a higher number of bucks than does are HF?
We are a similar sized property to the OP and if we attempted to shoot down to a 1:1 ratio the pressure on the deer would be so intense we wouldn't see any deer to shoot. Don't get me wrong we shoot a good number of does every year, but it is just not practical. Not to mention if he shot the doe numbers down to that come the rut they wouldn't have any bucks left on their property.
It's hell eatin em live
|
|
|
Re: Doe to Buck ratio
[Re: Erathkid]
#6943841
11/02/17 06:08 PM
|
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,533
redchevy
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,533 |
3 bucks per doe on our place. Been that way for the past 18 years. We don't shoot doe. HF?
It's hell eatin em live
|
|
|
Re: Doe to Buck ratio
[Re: redchevy]
#6943853
11/02/17 06:13 PM
|
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 35,886
txshntr
T-Rex Arms
|
T-Rex Arms
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 35,886 |
How many of you fellas with a higher number of bucks than does are HF?
We are a similar sized property to the OP and if we attempted to shoot down to a 1:1 ratio the pressure on the deer would be so intense we wouldn't see any deer to shoot. Don't get me wrong we shoot a good number of does every year, but it is just not practical. Not to mention if he shot the doe numbers down to that come the rut they wouldn't have any bucks left on their property. Not saying that is the case with the ones posting, but many people determine the ratio from camera and stand counts. If I did that on my place, we would have a 15:1 buck to doe ratio. Doe get pushed off the feeders and eventually quit trying to come in. This is especially true on years that there is better natural groceries.
|
|
|
Re: Doe to Buck ratio
[Re: Big8]
#6943873
11/02/17 06:34 PM
|
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,605
fouzman
Veteran Tracker
|
Veteran Tracker
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,605 |
We have 1,800 acres high-fenced and 900 low, redchevy. I used to lease the 8,500 acre low-fenced ranch next door. It took two solid years of culling, but we got the ratio down to 1:1 and had a ton of good bucks. We base our numbers off of helicopter surveys.
|
|
|
Re: Doe to Buck ratio
[Re: Big8]
#6943944
11/02/17 07:25 PM
|
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,533
redchevy
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,533 |
I just think on 500 acres if you pressure enough to get down to a 1:1 or close ratio the hunting pressure is going to adversely affect what your seeing. We for sure noticed it on our place.
It's hell eatin em live
|
|
|
Re: Doe to Buck ratio
[Re: Big8]
#6944423
11/03/17 01:36 AM
|
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 3,060
notamtchance
Veteran Tracker
|
Veteran Tracker
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 3,060 |
If I'm not hunting something I must be dead.
|
|
|
Re: Doe to Buck ratio
[Re: Big8]
#6944437
11/03/17 01:45 AM
|
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 1,220
Big8
OP
Pro Tracker
|
OP
Pro Tracker
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 1,220 |
I don't want to get to 1:1 ratio, maybe around 1:3 ratio, I enjoy seeing the higher numbers but I also know the consequences of not shooting enough Does could come at a high cost. I just try to as a responsible hunter as possible. Deer population varies so much even in the same county, hope everyone has a good experience this weekend!
|
|
|
Re: Doe to Buck ratio
[Re: redchevy]
#6944541
11/03/17 03:00 AM
|
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 19,498
Erathkid
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 19,498 |
3 bucks per doe on our place. Been that way for the past 18 years. We don't shoot doe. HF? Free range. Weird.
Life is too short, as is. Don't chance it. Don't text and drive.
|
|
|
Moderated by bigbob_ftw, CCBIRDDOGMAN, Chickenman, Derek, DeRico, Duck_Hunter, hetman, jeh7mmmag, JustWingem, kmon11, kry226, kwrhuntinglab, Payne, pertnear, rifleman, sig226fan (Rguns.com), Superduty, TreeBass, txcornhusker
|