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The annual dilemma

I don't shoot does anymore unless I know somebody that wants it because we don't eat them enough. If I was shooting does I'd shoot them whenever I had the opportunity. Early season or late season makes no difference. They're not gonna have fawns either way.
 
I shoot them when I have a chance. Usually take one or two in bow season, for the meat, and wait until late season to take more. BUT, if the opportunity presents itself, I will take them anytime.
Just remember, the more you get out of your stand to track a doe, field dress a doe, drag the doe back to the truck, the more scent you are leaving behind. And, the more gut piles that are around, the more yotes will come running.
 
Not shooting does this year.
We are a month out from gun season so Im staying out of the woods til then. Hopefully that will encourage older bucks to come exploring for does when the rut gets here.
 
I typically kill 3-4 does a season, some years a few more, depending on demand from family/friends. 99% of the time, I do not hunt/shoot does early season where I plan to buck hunt mid/late season. Another factor to consider is whether or not the hunter uses a processor. If a hunter depends on a processor to get the meat back in a timely manner, taking the doe(s) early season may have advantages as most processors are not as busy and overran with deer like Nov/Dec.
 
Haven't shot a doe up in my neck of the woods in years. When I hunted West Tennessee I took a few, but not up on the mountain. I believe the last doe I took up there was in 03-04 with a muzzleloader.
 
I like to shoot a few early season does for the freezer. If it the weather is right to leave it lay I have shoot several nice Bucks sniffing over a Dead Doe carcass.
 
I've not killed a doe in at least 10 years. I used to kill a few but, haven't in awhile. Had the sights of my .357 on one last year for about 30 seconds, and never pulled the trigger.
 
I will only shoot them with a bow but to say our deer population is high is a bit of an understatement . This video was taken at the end of my driveway in our small corn field. At least that many was in my large corn field through the treeline and the hayfield across the road had 15 or 20. Every farm is different. But i have no interest in shooting a doe with a gun.
 

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For me, depends on the hunt and location. I love deer hunting because there are different goals each time I go out.
 
Ski said:
I've heard it from both sides. One camp says you should take does early season so bucks have to compete harder, which means more buck activity. The other camp says save the does until after rut because they attract rutting bucks. Both seem logical to me, albeit contradictory. So who knows?
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My thoughts exactly. Both seem logical.
 
We changed our doe killing a couple years ago & has made a huge difference in daylight usage on plots by all deer including mature bucks. Only allow does to be killed on plots during bow & first week of ML. Then they can be killed during the last week of the private land antlerless only hunt. Size difference between fawns & does is also greatest early in season which helps in protecting button bucks too.

First two weeks in December is our best rut hunting. Have 15 members hunting 3500 acres with 43 plots, so that spreads out the pressure too. Also no cams on plots & cams in woods can only be checked when hunting that spot. In essence once season opens there is no activity outside of camp area except hunting.
 
tellico4x4 said:
We changed our doe killing a couple years ago & has made a huge difference in daylight usage on plots by all deer including mature bucks. Only allow does to be killed on plots during bow & first week of ML. Then they can be killed during the last week of the private land antlerless only hunt. Size difference between fawns & does is also greatest early in season which helps in protecting button bucks too.
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In my opinion, this is the most biologically sound argument for taking does early - to reduce the kill of button bucks.
 
I agree with BSK as to shooting them on a Food Plot. It definitely results in lower usage of the plot during the daytime hours. We do not shoot any does on food plots .

I will shoot one or two with my bow in the woods early season but after that I go to buck hunting until the last few days of the season. If I still need meat I will shoot a doe or two the last few days.
 
I generally hunt public with a bow, then switch to private with ML and gun. being I am not generally on public for the rut, I will shoot any doe that isn't a fawn or real scrawny and if a big buck comes by that is a bonus.
 

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