Do any of you look down on those that shoot does? Some on my leases(i have two) act like shooting does is a waist. We are overrun with them but the testosterone has everyone looking for the biggest buck. Do you think my affinity for mature does affects their buck hunting?

I shoot the heck out of the does and we encourage everyone on our place to do the same.

A mature doe can be a real challenge to kill with a bow.

buck doe ratio is very important to health of the herd and the chances of raising bigger bucks.

There are a few on my lease that don't shoot does. I think it is an older mentality that results from a lack of ecological and conservation knowledge. I usually kill a buck and three does a season. Keep at it. It's a good practice if you are overrun with them. You might try printing out TPWDs management articles that encourage doe harvest and leave them in camp for the others to read. Might not change their mind but should make them feel dumb for getting onto you about it.

Enter the debate of meat hunting vs. trophy hunting. I plan on putting a couple of tasty does in the freezer this fall.

A buck or two are fun to hunt and shoot. Does fill the freezer for me.

i shoot several does for every buck I shoot.

I won't shoot a buck for meat, period.

We encourage everybody on our place takes the 2 does. FREEZER FILLERS.

Does are good archery practice as well for when that big ole bruiser shows up.

Does are some good eating. Bucks are good eating as well.

Does are good archery practice as well for when that big ole bruiser shows up.

Does are some good eating. Bucks are good eating as well.

I shoot the heck out of does. Best thing you can do for the overall good of the herd. Shoot all you can and then shoot some more.

I think you will find that the real trophy hunters, the ones who employ biologists and actually manage the herd based on science, are the one's killing the majority of the does.

We're in Foard county and I don't see enough does to shoot! In 10 years we have only shot 3 mature does. I see a lot more bucks than does.

Gotta shoot'em no ifs ands or buts about it.

Just because you don't see 'em don't mean that they aren't there.

On my lease you'd typically see 10-12 bucks to every doe. The bucks dominated the feeders and the does wouldn't venture anywhere close.

Helicopter surveys every year showed a 1.8 does to every buck. If you have bucks, then you have does.

No problem with taking them. I'm in an antler restricted county and can only take does during archery and 4 days of the Thansgiving holiday. We have plenty of does since I'm the only one who bow hunts. I take one in archery season and one during the holiday if I can.

Most years we shoot does and manage the ratios. Last year we were hit by wildfires and drought that reduced our doe population by 50%. For a couple of years we will be trying to let them walk and build the numbers back up somewhat. Managing does should be a part of any property plan.

A lot of places will not allow you to shoot a buck without killing a doe first.

I shoot the heck out of them.. IMO better eating than an old rutty buck. My typical year is 3 does and usually a cull buck( junky 6 or 7 point). I shoot what I consider a trophy about once every 3 or 4 years seems like.

I enjoy managing the herd just as much as getting to take a trophy.. It's a year'round process and takes up pretty much all of my free time away from work. You can not expect your deer herd to get healthier or the bucks as a whole to get bigger without a management plan (Taking out the does, culling the bucks, food plots, supplemental feeding)

Even if you don't have much land it is good to manage your place. Our place(Cherokee County) is low fence and we have been managing it for about 15 years now. We see positive results every year. Our neighbors also see results when they shoot big deer, but hey, that's just part of hunting.. Can't claim a buck!

Sure, you can go out, not do anything all year, buy a license the day before season and shoot a monster in the first 5 minutes of opening day while drinking coffee, eating donuts, and reading the sports section.. Works for some, just never for me..

I will shoot a doe in a heartbeat. The only time that I hold back is if I have lots of pictures of amy target buck coming to that feeder. In that case I will wait for him before sticking a doe.

-john

It is totally dependant on the individual property. Some areas,like south Texas and the Edwards plateau have too many doe. Kill 'em. Other places(North central Tx,for instance)could see the deer population double and still be below CC. In Erath cty. we don't shoot them. In Comal cty,we whack 'em and stack 'em.

You should shoot your does first and take 2 of them for each buck taken. JMO.

FIRST OF ALL: Wondering what happen to the post I put on here?!?!

I am a meat hunter first and foremost. When I hunt it is not for something to put on the wall- it is for the freezer. I prefer does over bucks for meat quality. Does are my primary target.
Now that being said: If a nice legal buck comes my way- it goes down. I will just make more summer sausage or burger that year. With unlimited antlerless tags- I can spend the rest of the season putting steak / roast meat in the freezer.

Still haven't found a recipe for antlers, so until then, I'll continue to shoot does. I can't tell the diff between a buck or a doe once its on the grill