I've only been able to hunt 3 times this season so far and saw one either small buck or doe. It was just at dawn and a long way off. This is in southern alabama and really not too uncommon for the property or the area. lots of greenery in the thick woods and still some acorns around....and still quite warm most days. Unless you get in the thick stuff with them you won't see them........they haven't much reason to move around right now on this property and no need to be hitting food plots. If I hunted the plots only or based my numbers on tracks in the road, ect........I would say the population is down.......but I know better. It doesn't get good down there for another few weeks and then rut is a long ways off after that. We don't need to shoot many does on this property based on sightings and trail cams.
I could go to a buddies place 20 miles down the road from our place and see a field full of does every hunt. They know they need to kill more does.
It's very site specific on how any place should be managed and there will never be a fit all suit all number for does or bucks. Matt is offering you good advice as far as talking to neighbors and biologists. Saying there is an overwhelming trend statewide is silly and there way too many folks that hunt all over the state that can prove other wise. Some places need to slow down the killing of does perhaps, but that is the landowners duty to execute.......not the states.
