I have read alot too. The most troubling thing the biologist I had come out tell me is we needed to kill 15 doe's and age the jawbones this year. Well if I am on the low side of the density scale, which I am convinced we are, killing 15 doe's would really hurt my numbers for the following few years. The rest of her recommendations, I was on board with. And really they have 2 plans they assist with. Being able to kill more deer, and being able to kill trophy deer. I don't think I can do trophy unless I have adjacent landowner/club participation.

The thing I don't understand is how killing some immature bucks would negatively impact us. We already have some nice mature ones. It's not like we are killing 4 or 5 of them a year, only one so far this year. I have at least 4 other nice mature bucks on camera. And several that will be there next year. Yes I suppose some of these immature ones could wind up being a really nice buck if they live, but I don't need them to grow my deer population. I need doe's. All my core group like to eat venison, so.... I really feel like I need to have an offer when I ask for them to pay more for less members, and say, hey we need to give the doe's a pass. Make sense?

I am only talking about a 2 year scenario. The spike limit would be set, if I have low number of members, at 1 per member. If I have more, then it would be a set number, first come first served, limit one per membership, and I would probably have to exempt myself since I am the Pres. Doe's would have to either be off the table, or 1 per membership. That leaves the kids who haven't killed a deer. I would rather they kill a spike than a doe. But I don't want to hamper a child. And doe kills would need to happen in the woods, not on green fields.

I don't think the problem is killing doe's as much as the problem is a low deer denisity in my area. If it was higher, I don't think we would notice so much. But because it is low, I really think its obvious. I will say I think our numbers have come up a little in the 3 years I have been there, but the facts are we still kill more doe's than bucks, and at some point, you end up with more bucks than doe's, unless neighboring properties have to many doe's, then we could accumulate some of theirs I suppose.

I also tend to think us having properly limed and fertilized plots with good forage on them will help draw and keep deer. But I have been the person funding that. The same with minerals, I am the one funding that as well.

And perhaps that is the sales pitch. Hey guys, I have spent about 15K on a tractor and implements. I have soil tested, limed and fertilized. I have planted alot of the perennial forage, and I maintain all of that with my money. I need you to commit to this for a year or two.

But then I need to find a place to hunt and keep my freezer stocked, because I cannot ask someone to do something I am not willing to do myself.