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Feb 12th, 2024
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 Re: Doe Killing, What's your preference
[Re: Stub]
#6751493
05/01/17 09:50 PM
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 8,289
bobcat1
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 8,289 |
If I take one it is always late in the season for four reasons. I am in N. TX on small acreage so what works for me might not be as relevant if you are on big tracts of land. 1. The main part of the rut in N. TX is early from around 11-5 to 11-20 so I do not want to shoot a doe early and spook the deer onto neighbors property. 2. Firm believer in he who has the does during the Rut, will have the best opportunity of seeing more bucks. 3. I feed year round, have a food plot so the does are eating plenty all season long. Your does will have less bugs like ticks and fleas on them after a few good freezes and probably less parasites. 4. If you have does that did not breed in the first estrus cycle during the rut, good chance she might come back in heat later in the season and give you a better or another chance of seeing that buck  Spot on right there. Right down to the bugs.
Bobby Barnett
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Re: Doe Killing, What's your preference
[Re: Navasot]
#6751529
05/01/17 10:20 PM
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,919
maximum
Veteran Tracker
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Veteran Tracker
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,919 |
Take them when you can...
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Re: Doe Killing, What's your preference
[Re: Stompy]
#6751623
05/01/17 11:57 PM
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Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 90
RustyMetal
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 90 |
I won't take one at all, period, unless there is some special need or circumstance.
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Re: Doe Killing, What's your preference
[Re: Stompy]
#6751628
05/01/17 11:59 PM
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Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 90
RustyMetal
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 90 |
I guess I should qualify that with the fact that I started hunting in the 80s when deer were few and far between around the family ranch. So those habits stuck with me like glue.
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Re: Doe Killing, What's your preference
[Re: Stompy]
#6751659
05/02/17 12:19 AM
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 6,287
scalebuster
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 6,287 |
I'll kill a doe whenever I have time to butcher one regardless of what time of season it is. If I don't have time to mess with her I'll let her walk. I'm the same way with young hogs. Big hogs never get a pass.
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Re: Doe Killing, What's your preference
[Re: Stompy]
#6751689
05/02/17 12:48 AM
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 1,933
gtrich94
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 1,933 |
We have a doe first policy on our place. so it's always early and opening weekend if at all possible.
Thanks,
Rich
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Re: Doe Killing, What's your preference
[Re: Stompy]
#6751728
05/02/17 01:21 AM
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,156
Phantom
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,156 |
I like to do it early if I can. It really depends on the property size and HF or LF. Also how many does need to be killed MLD or not. There is not on simple answer. On the other side I like to shoot them with my Pistols, archery if I can, or at super long range.
Good is the enemy of Great
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Re: Doe Killing, What's your preference
[Re: Phantom]
#6751899
05/02/17 03:38 AM
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 8,913
HillbillyDeluxe
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 8,913 |
I like to do it early if I can. It really depends on the property size and HF or LF. Also how many does need to be killed MLD or not. There is not on simple answer. On the other side I like to shoot them with my Pistols, archery if I can, or at super long range. No simple answer for sure. Hunted on several MLD ranches for quite a few years and we always had a quota that had to be shot to stay in the program. Sometimes it was not many, other times it was a ton. On some places, the rule was does or spikes/cull bucks only in the early season and no trophies until after the start of regular rifle. Liked to get mine down early so I could focus on buck hunting later in the season and always found the guys who didn't kill their does by the 2nd week in November ended up not killing their quota. One rancher had a rule that you couldn't kill a buck until you had killed at least one doe, sometimes two depending on that year's quota.
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Re: Doe Killing, What's your preference
[Re: Stompy]
#6752932
05/03/17 02:12 AM
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 14,282
Ramsey
Pepe' Le Pew
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Pepe' Le Pew
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 14,282 |
Our deer population is too high so it reallly does not matter. I prefer to take a doe without fawns and is a ethical easy kill. I hunt every weekend
Big Beckett!!
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Re: Doe Killing, What's your preference
[Re: Stompy]
#6753134
05/03/17 12:35 PM
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Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 705
Age N Score ?
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 705 |
 I take them both early and late. It depends on how many people want sausage out of my smokehouse. The actual "hunt" for me is my time in the woods, but I do love both making and eating sausage. 
I Feed Indian Corn. The deer love it and all the colors make them stay at the feeder longer.
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Re: Doe Killing, What's your preference
[Re: Stompy]
#6753317
05/03/17 03:52 PM
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 31,959
txtrophy85
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 31,959 |
One thing I will add is don't shoot your does over a feeder if you have to take a good number and can help it.
Shoot them in a field or in a road over thrown corn.
Deer get wise to pressure at feeders quick
For it is not the quarry that we truly seek, but the adventure.
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Re: Doe Killing, What's your preference
[Re: Stompy]
#6753322
05/03/17 03:56 PM
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 28,032
Navasot
Hollywood
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Hollywood
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 28,032 |
Unless they grow up on a feeder lol I killed a fawns mom at my feeder the first year I got the place and she hasn't left the area in 4 years.. and has twins every year
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Re: Doe Killing, What's your preference
[Re: txtrophy85]
#6753493
05/03/17 07:01 PM
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,549
redchevy
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,549 |
One thing I will add is don't shoot your does over a feeder if you have to take a good number and can help it.
Shoot them in a field or in a road over thrown corn.
Deer get wise to pressure at feeders quick I believe in that. I also will take my opportunity to shoot a doe if she is the last one their after everything else has wondered off for the hunt.
It's hell eatin em live
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Re: Doe Killing, What's your preference
[Re: Navasot]
#6753512
05/03/17 07:20 PM
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 31,959
txtrophy85
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 31,959 |
Unless they grow up on a feeder lol I killed a fawns mom at my feeder the first year I got the place and she hasn't left the area in 4 years.. and has twins every year From what I hear bucks will do the same thing if you Kill their mom Buddy of mine has 20 acres in the hill country and had a buck that pretty much lives in his yards....has for the past 6 years. He thinks he shot his mom while they were all under the feeder
For it is not the quarry that we truly seek, but the adventure.
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Re: Doe Killing, What's your preference
[Re: Stompy]
#6753629
05/03/17 09:00 PM
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,549
redchevy
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,549 |
I have intentionally shot a doe with two buck fawns for that reason... has it paid off, ill probably never know.
Buddy of mine shot a doe last year out of one of our stands with a 3030. He hit high and forward in the shoulder deer fell and then ran. She has now showed back up to the same blind she was shot at with a big scar and is a regular almost every feeding.
It's hell eatin em live
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Re: Doe Killing, What's your preference
[Re: txtrophy85]
#6753690
05/03/17 10:17 PM
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 28,032
Navasot
Hollywood
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Hollywood
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 28,032 |
Unless they grow up on a feeder lol I killed a fawns mom at my feeder the first year I got the place and she hasn't left the area in 4 years.. and has twins every year From what I hear bucks will do the same thing if you Kill their mom Buddy of mine has 20 acres in the hill country and had a buck that pretty much lives in his yards....has for the past 6 years. He thinks he shot his mom while they were all under the feeder On another note iv always only bow hunted my property and seems to pay off with keeping the numbers around on the small place.. I also feed them better than I do myself so may have that to do with it to 
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Re: Doe Killing, What's your preference
[Re: Stompy]
#6753730
05/03/17 10:58 PM
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Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 14,951
don k
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 14,951 |
I shoot them when I think it is time to make sausage.
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Re: Doe Killing, What's your preference
[Re: don k]
#6753735
05/03/17 11:07 PM
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Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 301
DryFire
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 301 |
I shoot them when I think it is time to make sausage. 
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Re: Doe Killing, What's your preference
[Re: Stompy]
#6753776
05/03/17 11:59 PM
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Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 12,867
PMK
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 12,867 |
All depends ... I went for years waiting until the end of season to take does ... then didn't see any.
one of my current leases is MLD3 and they want does taken before you take your bucks, which is fine, takes some pressure off putting meat in the freezer. Then late in the season, if there are doe tags left over (bucks too for that matter) we will get extra tag(s) depending on the kill count.
"everyone that lives dies but not everyone who dies lived..."
~PMK~
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Re: Doe Killing, What's your preference
[Re: Stompy]
#6754057
05/04/17 11:02 AM
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Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 11,915
Simple Searcher
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 11,915 |
I know a couple of places that choose to shoot does when they are fawns. They wait till late in the season when the buck fawns are more obvious. Any doe fawns that are left are allowed to grow up.
![[Linked Image]](https://live.staticflickr.com/4340/36432483774_50a6be0c41_m.jpg) "Man is still a hunter, still a simple searcher after meat..." Robert C. Ruark
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Re: Doe Killing, What's your preference
[Re: Halfadozen]
#6754346
05/04/17 03:47 PM
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Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 3,594
Skylar Mac
Extreme Tracker
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Extreme Tracker
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 3,594 |
I like to take them early. For one, they most likely won't have been bred yet so you aren't removing an offspring that might have been sired by your best buck. And, it reduces the doe pool so the better bucks are the ones most likely to be doing the breeding when the time comes. Secondly, it allows me to focus the rest of the season on finding a nice buck and not worry about having meat in the freezer. I can be more patient.  agreed I'm the same way. You wouldn't believe the crazy looks I get from passing up does after the rut.
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Re: Doe Killing, What's your preference
[Re: don k]
#6755126
05/05/17 12:50 PM
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,549
redchevy
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,549 |
I shoot them when I think it is time to make sausage. My dad shoots them when there are helping hands around 
It's hell eatin em live
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Re: Doe Killing, What's your preference
[Re: Stompy]
#6766438
05/17/17 12:16 PM
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Joined: May 2006
Posts: 31,055
HWY_MAN
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 31,055 |
Most of the time I leave the does alone but this year was an exception since the hunters I had out didn't take enough, so I took a couple. Unless we hit another long dry spell I may have to do it again this year. I do it late preferably after the rut, the more ladies available just means more opportunity for bigger bucks.
Yes! A Weatherby does kill them deader.
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Re: Doe Killing, What's your preference
[Re: Stompy]
#6771637
05/22/17 09:17 PM
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Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 434
TiggerV
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 434 |
I do my very best to shoot them in October with a bow....
If that does not work, I get them some time between Early November and Late January......
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Re: Doe Killing, What's your preference
[Re: Stompy]
#6771737
05/22/17 10:55 PM
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 19,498
Erathkid
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 19,498 |
Haven't killed one in 18 years on the homeplace. Just not enough of them to justify. Last year only saw 3 doe. Saw probably 10 different bucks.
Last edited by Erathkid; 05/22/17 10:55 PM.
Life is too short, as is. Don't chance it.
Don't text and drive.
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