We are between 2 and 3 does to 1 buck. Lots of broken antlers this year. Would be worse if we got it down even lower.

4 years ago I established 2 mineral licks on my place, over the last two years the number of broken antlers has gone way down....no data to confirm it...

What I have heard is that 1.5 doe/1 buck will in most cases give you less antler breakage. The one factor that will give you more IMO is with an older age structure of bucks no matter what the ratio is if your density is higher.

I don't know what our buck doe ratio is, but there must be a many more bucks than does since we have been seeing from two to four bucks chasing one doe on a number of occasions. We also see about as many bucks as does each time we go hunting. I have only seen one buck with broken antlers this season.

In the rut bucks tend to keep the doe away from feeders and off of food plots due to their harressing the doe if you have a close ratio. Right now I am not seeing any doe at all on fields or around feeders but they are drifting thru. Our rut is in full swing and there are many broken antlers now. Hard to find a mature buck without a broken tine or 2. If you have younger bucks then they tend to not fight quite as bad till right as the rut winds down the first time. I saw a doe this past weekend that 12 bucks in pursuit. Have seen other doe this week with from 1 to 7 bucks after her. Made a sit yesterday morning in the fog and saw 2 different groups of bucks chasing does around a field and tank. Went back to hunt yesterday evening a saw buzzards on a dead 1.5 yr old big 8 point that was in full view of the blind that I would have seen that morning. He had been stuck in the rear end and the flank by buck. He died sometime after 9 a.m. and before 3 p.m. as the buzzards had just found him. This is the 3rd buck I have found dead this past 5 days now to fighting. Broken antlers are just the start of the next problem you will have.

I have seen more bucks with broken antlers since I got the buck to doe ratio about 1 to 1. I don't see that on the low fenced places that I have leased for cattle where there are a lot more does than bucks.

That's every bar if you drink enough beer... LOL

Mineral deficiancy? (sp?)

Typical for after the rut, if buck to doe ratio isn't outta whack

I agree with stxranchman! We have a 1.5/1 ratio doe to buck and we take most of our doe later in the season to try and prevent broken tines. I also think that feeding a quality protein 9 months out of the year helps with the strength of the antlers. I have witnesses several buck fights most of which where our younger bucks 2.5/3.5