This year, because of the drought and little to no acorns, I'm concerned that we haven't taken out enough does on our place. I honestly think it will affect the quality of deer next year.
Honeysuckle that we fertilized in March, was eaten down by June and it didn't come back. (Like it should have with the lack of rain during the summer and fall.)
The coyotes didn't do much to help on the numbers, either.
Normally, we kill around 10 to 15 does per season on 940 acres.
I know each area has different conditions, but since the acorn crop and lack of browse in most areas of the state are going to affect the condition of the herd, I bet that by February, lots of us will wish we had fewer deer on our properties.
We could actually have a browse line later in the winter.
I realize that I'm not speaking for everyone, but this is my opinion.

We'll agree to disagree, Perch.

I just don't believe it's that big of a deal. They get pressure from everywhere for 3 months, and then coyotes are on their butts along with bucks chasing them during the rut. Does are going to get hounded all over the place whether it's in a manicured food "safe" zone or somewhere else.

i never have trouble with the does i kill going nocturnal , they are dead . neither do i wait for the field to fill up with deer . if you going to thin does , thin does . don't hunt for bucks and thin does at the same time on a field.

i've killed 5 does off the same little spot of ground and the rest ain't missed a beat .

trick is only educate the ones you kill .

if i'm in a field and a doe comes in early i kill it and leave. i never shot one from a group.

in the woods i'll kill single does or from a group . if from a group i'll just set and most times (if early) another will come back and i'll shot her too . the futher you are away the better the chance one will come back. i have shot one and the rest just stand there if the one i shot dropped. i have doubled up shooting from groups a bunch of times .

group = 5 or 6 deer . never shot the first lone deer that comes out in a field , good bet it a young buck . made sure it a doe .