I’m managing client properties throughout the southeast and Midwest these days and we’re generally able to recruit well with aggressive habitat management. Replacing does in an area with a moderate to high population is easy, but when you get to areas with low populations, doe recruitment is a huge hurdle. It’s actually something that we evaluate prior to purchasing hunting properties. If we’re looking in an area with low deer numbers then the adjoining properties must be large and must be managed, otherwise we move on.

On most of our clients properties our consistent problem is not with does or poor doe management by neighbors, it’s buck management. I’m consistently reminded why people who can, high fence their properties.