Hello,

As stated in the title, I'm a writer and my current project is a science fiction novel (think stuff like Divergent and The Hunger Games). I want to learning to hunt is on my to-do list, but hunting and population management are two different issues, albeit closely linked. I'm not finding the info I need online, so I figured I'd come here and ask. I am an accurate writer. I like detail and do not tolerate incorrect information in my stories. It might just be a chapter or two, but I want to properly and fairly represent hunters and wildlife conservation. So if what I am thinking and crafting won't work, I'd rather throw it out now and fix the story, otherwise it could kill how the story develops. This is a part of the story that has a clearer timestamp, so I need to get it right or reframe it. Right now, it is used to introduce some important secondary characters, which may need to be changed.

The context is a ranch, absolutely think ranch like in central Texas, has an overpopulation issue for their deer. A big enough one to warrant a special out of season exemption to bring it back to a healthy balance. The main character is invited to the special hunt, sometime in spring, like March or April, in between Rut and Calving. What's I've read online is that removing bucks doesn't do much for population size management, as bucks breed with multiple does, so I was thinking on targeting just does. But then many does would be pregnant, right? And then I have questions about size and maturity of does. Are there limitations for those factors that I should add? The point is ethical population management. Would size, maturity, and carrying offspring matter when strong population measures must be taken? Am I going about this all wrong in my ignorance?

I appreciate everyone who takes the time to read this and those who can help guide me.

Veal, or the venison version.

Does it need to be in the spring? I don't have any problem with it if that's what your storyline requires, but this is a real issue and that's not how it's handled. Look up the Texas MLD program. There is a lot more to it, but the short is that a biologist comes out and tells you how many does to shoot. It is still generally done in the fall and winter. In general, though, the goal is just to shoot X number of does. I don't know that anyone actually does this, but if you were to target specific deer, it would be older, but not dry, does as they tend to be more successful in raising fawns.

Assuming everything is legal/within specific program (MLD) limitations:

The problem with conducting population reduction in the spring is that many bucks may have already dropped their antlers by that time, and without careful observation, you may end up inadvertently killing some bucks. Be careful here.

Whether a doe is pregnant or not in this scenario is irrelevant, IMHO. The biggest impact, or bang for your buck if you will, will be made by shooting mature does, and yes, many may be pregnant in the spring. But the point is population reduction, and in and of itself, shooting a pregnant doe isn't unethical-- but it is efficient. And let's be honest, there is a place for fawn control in quality deer management, particularly in cases of overpopulation. Personally, I would shoot a percentage of each age class to maintain the herd age class balance.

Notwithstanding my first point, I also wouldn't overlook buck harvest at this point, should any still be sporting their antlers. I think it would be an opportune time to remove inferior bucks from the herd. Just include that calculation in the number of does you shoot to ensure you maintain the 1:1 buck-doe ratio most desired.

First off it's called fawning not calving. It would make me mad to read or watch about killing pregnant Does a month or two from fawning season. In a real setting this would take place in October to control Doe numbers.

To me it would be unbelievable to kill deer in the spring time and I would be out on this story. Gutting Does and having almost developed fawns hitting the ground is not cool.

Population management in terms of an approach that’s based off a sustainability model of the resource will maintaining optimum habitat and eco system for other wildlife is easy in theory harder in practice.

1) population survey
2)sex ratio determination
3) browse study and habitat impact
4) set culling criteria( numbers, sex, age class)

With that said the healthiest eco system requires the most work. The healthiest eco systems will also have the highest fawn recruitment on a yearly base. Unglutes typically do a thing called predator swamping, meaning they try to out run predation on prime habitat years by producing multiple offspring, and they all typically fawn at same time frame. Healthier your herd, the more distinct the rut is. A distinct rut also makes fawning a more condensed time frame closer together, providing for a more overwhelming fawn crop that predators have less an effect with.

From a population impact your timing of doe population control doesn’t matter, but in theory you would want to do before fawning as it would require less numbers to be harvested

Also, I don't see TPWD allowing a spring deer hunt. And if I, as a hunter, don't like the idea of pregnant Does being killed so close to fawning season, the non-hunting public is really not going to like it. To me it would put hunters in a bad light.

To me I've always said the best time to cull does is when your knife is sharp. And I do mean from opening day of deer season to the last day as I do not think killing them any earlier than that would be beneficial to the fawns that are still on the does. I certainly wouldn't want to shoot a doe in the spring only to field dress her and find a 2/3 developed fawn in her either. For that reason I doubt you'd ever see the TP&W department every have a special doe season at that time of the year.

State wildlife biologists get paid to talk to you about that.

Friendly suggestion, as a writer you may want to work on your proof reading: “I want to learning to hunt….”

Two examples suggest and imposter to me.



On another site I frequent an anti hunter tried to convince us he wanted to learn about hunting. Turned out what he really wanted was something he could use against us.

I'd be careful with this one.

Your editor is going to love you.