I have seen particular properties almost void of any deer and they have been that way for years and years. One had been a hunting club we leased and they shot lots of does prior to my involvement. You are reading QDMA and this seemed like an awesome place. Without all those pesky does around we can build it back. AND, most importantly, should have plenty of mature deer running around in short time due to lack of said pesky does eating up all that luscious food we have prepared to them.

I kept trying to convince myself a quality buck was just around the next bush because of all the awesome habitat. Big hardwood creek bottom right up the middle and some bonus hollers and hills around the terrain was very good looking, Awesome plots and good stand locations as well as approach and departure screened from fields. Just no deer. I finally went in the snow one winter when we had about a foot fall on the place. Deer bed down in the snow but they can't bed for days on end. I gave it a day or two and went to look for tracks. Very few. I was shocked again. I ceased to be involved after that I've got better places to spend my time and money.

How could this be... nearly 2,000 acres of prime deer habitat and after hunting it for 5-6 years not many bucks much less age structure at all ever materialized because of the lack does.

That was when I realized all this. Shoot enough does.... and your hunting is about to take a downturn.

I've been involved with this property and another where the neighbors blasted EVERYTHING they saw and both were not enjoyable experiences. That's completely on me because maybe I should have just been happy to shoot what was there... a 90lb doe. That's another way to look at it.