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Aging Does
#8137744
01/21/21 03:25 PM
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 779
BassBuster1
OP
Tracker
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OP
Tracker
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 779 |
Going to do a little MLD doe patrol for our first time ever down South next week, rancher wants does to be at least three. Bucks get that nose and kind of sagging rump and brisket, any specific characteristics on a doe besides overall body size that say I am mature?
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Re: Aging Does
[Re: BassBuster1]
#8137746
01/21/21 03:28 PM
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Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 8,311
Herbie Hancock
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 8,311 |
When I am told to shoot doe's I wait until there are a decent amount out and shoot the biggest one, or the one that is snorting at me.
It takes beer to make thirst worthwhile - J. Fred Schmidt
The internet is an I.Q. Test, people post their scores in the comment section.
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Re: Aging Does
[Re: BassBuster1]
#8137750
01/21/21 03:33 PM
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Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 14,150
Hudbone
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 14,150 |
Always shoot the one that is in front of you.
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Re: Aging Does
[Re: BassBuster1]
#8137753
01/21/21 03:34 PM
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Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 7,785
Mr. T.
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 7,785 |
Just like bucks...sagging belly and swayback.
Cabin rental in Pagosa Springs, Co. Sleeps 10, If interested please PM me.
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Re: Aging Does
[Re: Mr. T.]
#8137766
01/21/21 03:44 PM
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 3,414
ZK-315
Veteran Tracker
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Veteran Tracker
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 3,414 |
When I am told to shoot doe's I wait until there are a decent amount out and shoot the biggest one, or the one that is snorting at me. This is what I do as well. Just like bucks...sagging belly and swayback. Unfortunately at this point in the year, a bred doe will have a sagging belly and is harder to judge (at least for me).
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Re: Aging Does
[Re: BassBuster1]
#8137773
01/21/21 03:48 PM
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296
stxranchman
Obie Juan Kenobi
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Obie Juan Kenobi
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296 |
Shoot the does that have fawns as they will be at least 2.5 yr old in most cases. If they don't have a fawn then they will likely be 1.5 yr old or just not good at raising fawns. Look at color of hair on face and then on the tail...the older does will be grey faced/ears and tail. Look at the skin on the face and jawline for sagging. Lot of older does in South Texas will get droopy-ear also. Then if you have several does out, just compare the body size and shape for age.
Are idiots multiplying faster than normal people?
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Re: Aging Does
[Re: ZK-315]
#8137789
01/21/21 03:56 PM
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Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 7,785
Mr. T.
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 7,785 |
When I am told to shoot doe's I wait until there are a decent amount out and shoot the biggest one, or the one that is snorting at me. This is what I do as well. Just like bucks...sagging belly and swayback. Unfortunately at this point in the year, a bred doe will have a sagging belly and is harder to judge (at least for me). Your right, that was my mistake for saying that. I was thinking about the beginning of the season, not the end.
Cabin rental in Pagosa Springs, Co. Sleeps 10, If interested please PM me.
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Re: Aging Does
[Re: ZK-315]
#8137791
01/21/21 03:58 PM
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296
stxranchman
Obie Juan Kenobi
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Obie Juan Kenobi
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296 |
When I am told to shoot doe's I wait until there are a decent amount out and shoot the biggest one, or the one that is snorting at me. This is what I do as well. Just like bucks...sagging belly and swayback. Unfortunately at this point in the year, a bred doe will have a sagging belly and is harder to judge (at least for me). Not so much in South Texas as the rut started in mid to late December, many areas they were still chasing and rutting into Jan.
Are idiots multiplying faster than normal people?
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Re: Aging Does
[Re: BassBuster1]
#8137807
01/21/21 04:12 PM
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Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 7,759
snake oil
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 7,759 |
The ones with the long heads are the old ones. We always called them horse heads.
"You may all go to hell and I will go to Texas".
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Re: Aging Does
[Re: BassBuster1]
#8137809
01/21/21 04:13 PM
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 779
BassBuster1
OP
Tracker
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OP
Tracker
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 779 |
And we will be South, Del Rio, Pecos area. Thanks for the good information, looking forward to filling the freezer.
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Re: Aging Does
[Re: BassBuster1]
#8137819
01/21/21 04:19 PM
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 779
BassBuster1
OP
Tracker
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OP
Tracker
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 779 |
One more question, how do you feel about .243 for does? I shoot 30.06 most of the time but that seems maybe over doing it to the point of wasting meat for does.
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Re: Aging Does
[Re: BassBuster1]
#8137834
01/21/21 04:36 PM
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Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 3,428
TLew
Veteran Tracker
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Veteran Tracker
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 3,428 |
One more question, how do you feel about .243 for does? I shoot 30.06 most of the time but that seems maybe over doing it to the point of wasting meat for does. Are your does significantly different than your bucks? To put it another way, why would calibers differ by gender. You may want your buck to drop on the spot, and I would say you want the same for your does. If .243 does it for does, then why would you use something different for bucks. Vice versa with 30-06.
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Re: Aging Does
[Re: BassBuster1]
#8137842
01/21/21 04:44 PM
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296
stxranchman
Obie Juan Kenobi
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Obie Juan Kenobi
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296 |
Put the bullet where it needs to be and any legal caliber is fine. I have killed does with a .223 and I put the bullet where it needed to be.
Are idiots multiplying faster than normal people?
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Re: Aging Does
[Re: BassBuster1]
#8137856
01/21/21 04:57 PM
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 779
BassBuster1
OP
Tracker
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OP
Tracker
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 779 |
This is what I try to do for shot placement every time.
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Re: Aging Does
[Re: BassBuster1]
#8137870
01/21/21 05:03 PM
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Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 3,537
BayouGuy
Extreme Tracker
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Extreme Tracker
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 3,537 |
Not to be contrarian, but it makes no sense to me to search out the older does. It seems to me that they are the experienced mommas that are more likely to produce twins and more likely to have their fawns survive. For me, when it's time to shoot does I go by the rule "see a doe, shoot a doe".
If you can't laugh at yourself, give me a call. I'll gladly laugh at you. "I keep trying to see Nancy Pelosi's and Chuck Schumer's point of view, but I can't seem to get my head that far up my [censored]." Senator John Kennedy, Louisiana
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Re: Aging Does
[Re: BassBuster1]
#8137892
01/21/21 05:15 PM
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 779
BassBuster1
OP
Tracker
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OP
Tracker
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 779 |
I would have thought the same thing but on this particular place from what I understand it is all about reducing the number of mouths. Shooting older does means you are likely taking out 2-3 mouths with one shot. We are guests so just going to do what the ranch manager asks us to while filling our freezers.
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Re: Aging Does
[Re: BassBuster1]
#8137901
01/21/21 05:20 PM
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296
stxranchman
Obie Juan Kenobi
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Obie Juan Kenobi
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296 |
I would have thought the same thing but on this particular place from what I understand it is all about reducing the number of mouths. Shooting older does means you are likely taking out 2-3 mouths with one shot. We are guests so just going to do what the ranch manager asks us to while filling our freezers. Exactly what you want to do when you have to many does. Take out the older does that will produce the most fawns leaving the younger ones to produce one healthy fawn, most of the time. That slows down the growth of the herd to allow for success of the management goals. By leaving younger does or does that did not produce you are allowing them a chance to produce an offspring to carry on the genetics that have. IMO if the management plan is working then the younger deer are more valuable than the older deer.
Are idiots multiplying faster than normal people?
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Re: Aging Does
[Re: stxranchman]
#8137951
01/21/21 06:14 PM
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Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 15,639
QuitShootinYoungBucks
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 15,639 |
I would have thought the same thing but on this particular place from what I understand it is all about reducing the number of mouths. Shooting older does means you are likely taking out 2-3 mouths with one shot. We are guests so just going to do what the ranch manager asks us to while filling our freezers. Exactly what you want to do when you have to many does. Take out the older does that will produce the most fawns leaving the younger ones to produce one healthy fawn, most of the time. That slows down the growth of the herd to allow for success of the management goals. By leaving younger does or does that did not produce you are allowing them a chance to produce an offspring to carry on the genetics that have. IMO if the management plan is working then the younger deer are more valuable than the older deer. This. If you've been working your herd hard, the hope is that the younger deer are a product of your bucks with better genetics.
https://web.archive.org/web/20170223065011/http:/www.rrdvegas.com/silencer-cleaning.html
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Re: Aging Does
[Re: snake oil]
#8137961
01/21/21 06:23 PM
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Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 496
ctonsmitty
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 496 |
I call them "Big Bird" but "Horse Head" is a good one too!
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Re: Aging Does
[Re: stxranchman]
#8138082
01/21/21 07:57 PM
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 3,414
ZK-315
Veteran Tracker
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Veteran Tracker
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 3,414 |
When I am told to shoot doe's I wait until there are a decent amount out and shoot the biggest one, or the one that is snorting at me. This is what I do as well. Just like bucks...sagging belly and swayback. Unfortunately at this point in the year, a bred doe will have a sagging belly and is harder to judge (at least for me). Not so much in South Texas as the rut started in mid to late December, many areas they were still chasing and rutting into Jan. You're right. I should have clarified my location. We primarily hunt Freestone Co. Dad shot a doe last weekend and she was very heavily bred. We typically will see our first rut a little prior to Halloween then our main rut is generally Thanksgiving timeframe. We may get a few that come in in late December/early January, but it's not super common from what we've seen.
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Re: Aging Does
[Re: BassBuster1]
#8138109
01/21/21 08:19 PM
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,536
redchevy
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,536 |
I dont concern myself at all with weather they are bread or not. As a general rule 100% of does capable of having a fawn will be bread. To me it doesnt matter if you kill that bread doe in the beginning of the season or the end of the season. You have no way of knowing what buck bread what doe and if it will even matter what buck bread what doe.
For picking a doe i always look for the biggest one, they usually have a long head, who ever said horse head above nailed it to me.
It's hell eatin em live
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Re: Aging Does
[Re: BassBuster1]
#8138127
01/21/21 08:33 PM
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 32,485
kmon11
junior
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junior
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 32,485 |
An old doe will look like she has a long head. Oldest doe I have killed also was skinny, missing teeth, and had loose skin on her face. Biologist looked at her and said 9 or 10 years old.
Worrying about if a doe is pregnant or not, is a moot point to me, shoot one after she is bred and she will be pregnant even if the fetus is too small to find or well developed 2+ months later.
When shooting them you are best off shooting them during bow season if that bothers you. I like to get does during bow season that do not have small ones hanging around them take a potential non productive one from the herd. The place I hunt on in Eastland county I have seen does being bred as early as the second week of October and rut seems to peak about the last week of Oct or first of Nov.
If it is where I can pick it will be the largest one most of the time or if the largest one looks a little thin like is the case often I will opt for one that is fat and slick. I shoot does for the meat.
We killed a couple does this past Saturday, one did not look like she had ever been bred and out weighed the other one by at least 20 lbs some of which was fat, she had a good layer of fat.
Last edited by kmon1; 01/21/21 08:36 PM.
lf the saying "Liar, Liar your pants on fire" were true Mainstream news might be fun to watch
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Re: Aging Does
[Re: stxranchman]
#8138137
01/21/21 08:40 PM
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Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 590
HWY72
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 590 |
When I am told to shoot doe's I wait until there are a decent amount out and shoot the biggest one, or the one that is snorting at me. This is what I do as well. Just like bucks...sagging belly and swayback. Unfortunately at this point in the year, a bred doe will have a sagging belly and is harder to judge (at least for me). Not so much in South Texas as the rut started in mid to late December, many areas they were still chasing and rutting into Jan.At the start of the 2019 season I had a set of baby twin fawns with spots that didn't fade away until later in the season. I think they were born early to mid October...
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Re: Aging Does
[Re: HWY72]
#8138156
01/21/21 08:58 PM
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296
stxranchman
Obie Juan Kenobi
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Obie Juan Kenobi
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296 |
When I am told to shoot doe's I wait until there are a decent amount out and shoot the biggest one, or the one that is snorting at me. This is what I do as well. Just like bucks...sagging belly and swayback. Unfortunately at this point in the year, a bred doe will have a sagging belly and is harder to judge (at least for me). Not so much in South Texas as the rut started in mid to late December, many areas they were still chasing and rutting into Jan.At the start of the 2019 season I had a set of baby twin fawns with spots that didn't fade away until later in the season. I think they were born early to mid October... Not uncommon in a lot of areas though. Areas with bad buck to doe ratios can see late born fawns also. A doe fawn gets large enough and born early enough that first year and they can breed in Jan-March. Here is a late born fawn in early November in Colorado county. I am 99% sure it was born to a doe fawn though.
Are idiots multiplying faster than normal people?
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Re: Aging Does
[Re: BassBuster1]
#8138221
01/21/21 09:41 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,057
ChrisB
Veteran Tracker
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Veteran Tracker
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,057 |
When I hunted doe patrol down south I was told to shoot the mother doe first then the fawn. Also agree with the longer face as an easy way to identify an older doe
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