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Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 7,947 Likes: 127
14 point
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14 point
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 7,947 Likes: 127 |
Two a year for the freezer.
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Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 2,531
10 point
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10 point
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 2,531 |
Hunt for a big farmer on some of his land and I tear them up. At my place I'm more selective.
Parked in a holler, beneath the mountain moon light.
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Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 9,564 Likes: 21
14 point
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14 point
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 9,564 Likes: 21 |
I don't shoot them, even with the bow. I guess it is something inside me about killing females, but shooting a doe does not crank my tractor. I personally would not drag one out of the woods for two of them. My area can't stand the loss of female deer, so they all get a pass. It is also surprising what is usually following those does come Christmas time. Just ask my son what follows and he will tell you why we want unpressured does on our properties. My daddy always said where you have women you will always have a few old men hanging around. He was right.
I can't stand a thief.
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 11,358
Booner
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Booner
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 11,358 |
Barry, are you still in charge of the BHA hunts at oak mountain? I passed that on a few years back.
Alabama Hog Control, Inc. www.alabamahogcontrol.comBarry Estes The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. Edmund Burke
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Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 8,180
14 point
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14 point
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 8,180 |
I have killed 5 so far but they have been off of 4 different properties in 4 different counties in Georgia and Alabama. I try not to kill many off one place. I believe hunters in general have gone overboard with the doe killing.
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Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 29,375 Likes: 95
Dances With Weeds
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Dances With Weeds
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 29,375 Likes: 95 |
I shoot a few every year but I'm in one of the higher deer density areas of the state. That being said, we still remain conservative with our doe harvests as a club. We don't shoot does off of greenfields and we harvest around 12 total off of 1400 acres. We harvest them within the first couple weeks of gun season and then close doe season for the rest of the year. We set our own "doe days" even though the state allows doe harvest all year in our area. .
"For what shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his soul?" .....Mark 8:36
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 12,788
Booner
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Booner
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 12,788 |
I don't have any moral or ethical issues with shooting does. But, I think that in general, they are extremely over-harvested on most properties. We kill a couple on our place as the situation dictates. But, we do not shoot them on food plots as to keep the hunting pressure off the plots.
I have not killed one in a couple of years. I try to let guests and kids take the ones that we do take.
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Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 35
spike
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spike
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 35 |
Hogwild wrote, "But, I think that in general, they are extremely over-harvested on most properties."
I'm not arguing with you at all. However, I find it interesting that this is true because of all the hype about bucks across the entire industry, from magazines to websites to marketing of products -- how to shoot the biggest bucks, hunt does to find big bucks, don't shoot does before/after a certain date so you can get the biggest bucks, use this product to get the biggest bucks... on and on. I also see a lot of buck fever on forums like this one. Again, I'm sure you're right. I'm just finding it fascinating that with all the hype and talk of shooting the biggest buck around, does are still over-harvested. Could be because they're daredevils; they're always the first ones out of cover, and seem to be the ones most likely to be hit by a car.
I'm unabashedly out here specifically for does; I'm not interested in paying to have a deer mounted, and if I did it probably wouldn't get displayed. I'm here for the venison, but mostly for the excuse to get outside and enjoy nature.
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 22,621 Likes: 23
Freak of Nature
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Freak of Nature
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 22,621 Likes: 23 |
Hogwild wrote, "But, I think that in general, they are extremely over-harvested on most properties."
I'm not arguing with you at all. However, I find it interesting that this is true because of all the hype about bucks across the entire industry, from magazines to websites to marketing of products -- how to shoot the biggest bucks, hunt does to find big bucks, don't shoot does before/after a certain date so you can get the biggest bucks, use this product to get the biggest bucks... on and on. I also see a lot of buck fever on forums like this one. Again, I'm sure you're right. I'm just finding it fascinating that with all the hype and talk of shooting the biggest buck around, does are still over-harvested. Could be because they're daredevils; they're always the first ones out of cover, and seem to be the ones most likely to be hit by a car.
I'm unabashedly out here specifically for does; I'm not interested in paying to have a deer mounted, and if I did it probably wouldn't get displayed. I'm here for the venison, but mostly for the excuse to get outside and enjoy nature. Nobody's saying you shouldn't be able to kill a doe or two for meat. What most people have thankfully realized is that if you have a total of 5 deer on 500 acres, killing 3-4 does for the purpose of trying to increase your deer herd makes no sense at all. Not even a little.
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 2,422
10 point
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10 point
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 2,422 |
I haven't shot one in years. When I can only get 2-3 does per week on my trail camera and see about 5-10 per yr while hunting, the population can not stand to lose many where I hunt. Plus, with the low number of does and overall deer we have, they tend to get the bucks moving much more than in areas that have decent populations.
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Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 4,261 Likes: 2
10 point
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10 point
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 4,261 Likes: 2 |
Killed 3 in GA with my bow. I'm done with does. Not going to shoot any in AL. Haven't seen enough in the past few years to justify it. Glad to see the state back off the 2 does/days. I would like to see us go back to "Doe Days". I struggle to see deer period in AL now.
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Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 8,180
14 point
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14 point
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 8,180 |
I agree cgardner. I see a lot more deer in Georgia too.
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Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 3,847 Likes: 47
10 point
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10 point
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 3,847 Likes: 47 |
I don't shoot does. Myself and my friend have 1100 acres and we have shot 5 does in the last 8 years mostly guests and mostly during youth hunt, as a result we see a lot of deer on each hunt and kill some nice bucks yearly. Remember for ever doe you kill it stops that doe from producing offspring. Don't believe all that stuff about shooting does to make better bucks. BS
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 6,999
10 point
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10 point
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 6,999 |
Don't believe all that stuff about shooting does to make better bucks. BS Going okay until you said this^^^ It all depends on whether or not you are at or near CC for your property. If your property is at or above CC you can absolutely improve the health/quality of your ENTIRE deer herd, not just the bucks by removing a proportion of the antlerless population on your property. Simple, proven and repeated science.
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Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 40,042 Likes: 135
Freak of Nature
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Freak of Nature
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 40,042 Likes: 135 |
Don't believe all that stuff about shooting does to make better bucks. BS Going okay until you said this^^^ It all depends on whether or not you are at or near CC for your property. If your property is at or above CC you can absolutely improve the health/quality of your ENTIRE deer herd, not just the bucks by removing a proportion of the antlerless population on your property. Simple, proven and repeated science.  Location, location, location.
"Why do you ask"?
Too many people spend money they don't have , on things they don't need, to impress people they don't know.
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Matt Brock
Unregistered
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Matt Brock
Unregistered
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I know it's hard for some on here to believe but there are places in AL that NEED to kill more deer. Removing mouths does indeed improve herd health. And populations with fewer does is the ideal situation for killing a mature buck up on his feet, NOT having 25 does in a field as a "lure".
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 22,318
Administrator
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Administrator
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 22,318 |
I haven't shot one with a gun in years. I try to kill a couple each year around the house with a bow.
"How in the hell did you get to be a moderator?"...Skinny
God Bless Nick Saban!
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 3,166 Likes: 6
10 point
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10 point
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 3,166 Likes: 6 |
Is this by counties or just on certain property within counties?
Grandma said...Always keep a gun close at hand, you just never know when you might run across some varmint that needs killing...
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Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 4,261 Likes: 2
10 point
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10 point
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 4,261 Likes: 2 |
I know it's hard for some on here to believe but there are places in AL that NEED to kill more deer. Removing mouths does indeed improve herd health. And populations with fewer does is the ideal situation for killing a mature buck up on his feet, NOT having 25 does in a field as a "lure". In your opinion, what percentage of the state would be considered over populated? I've hunted most parts, and I would guess less than 15% was over populated. The problem that I am seeing is that kids are going out and not seeing deer and getting bored with it. I still have not been able to get my boy out and see a deer from a stand.
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Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,506 Likes: 11
8 point
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8 point
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,506 Likes: 11 |
Maybe I am just lucky but I see deer on almost every hunt. Today with the temps in the 70's I shot a coyote & still saw a spike & 2 does. We shoot a lot of does & eat lots of venison. Give lots of deer away also.
My properties need more does harvested not less. But the key to seeing numbers of deer is not over hunting the area. Taking a child or 2 & shooting 3-4 does puts much less pressure on a place than shooting 4 does in 4 days. Same net harvest but considerably more pressure.
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