Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk Serious Deer Talk Forum Attempting to stop the accidental shooting of button bucks!

You are spot on, Bucktrot!!!

Hunting is supposed to be FUN!

AND, a Club has to be filled with like-minded members. If everyone is on the same page; even tough decisions on letting deer walk are still FUN!

I've never really understood why someone would want to shoot a doe deer that weighed in under 70#. You really don't get much meat off of it. I personally won't shoot a doe unless I guess her weight to be 95# or better. Just not worth it to me. My father in law is notorious for killing small does. He isn't really trigger happy he just can't judge a deer's size. He only hunts green fields due to his health and I have told him when he steps up to the edge of the field, see how far up his leg the grass comes then compare how far the grass goes up the deer's legs. If it come to the top of his boots and also is halfway to a deer's belly, then it's a small deer. This has helped him some but there have still been plenty of times he will call me to come load up a "85#-90# deer" and I get down there and pick it up with one hand.

More meat on a 70 doe than a squirrel but I sure do like to kill them

because they are tender ,they skin easy and they taste great . i try to pop two small ones and at least 7 does ever year .

when i see a buck thats worth (to me )spending money to have mounted i'll have him ground into burger .

course with them changing the limits up i may just buy another basket and start filling it up with 2 1/2 and 3 1/2 year old racks.

Milk suckers are easier to drag too. Tender is an understatement Frankie.

Our club has several good rules concerning the harvesting of does in place. 1. Kill all you want by New Years day. After that bucks only. 2.Must be 75 lbs. and up, no young ones. 3. No does shot within 100 yds. of food plots. Out of 14 members in our club, 10 of the guys shoot horns only. I try to shoot 3 - 4 a year to fill freezers. This works real well for us. By the way, the average weight of the does killed is 110 - 120 lbs.

If you want to be serious about stopping the problem, be serious about the fine. $500 first offense, membership revoke or $1000 second offense. You have to be serious about managing deer if your goal is to manage deer!

Y'all getting to upset over a button buck.

I haven't read all the posts here, but why not just make it a rule to shoot only does that have fawns? I mean, it eliminates the "first one out" and "lone deer" issue. When momma and her fawn (or two) comes out, it is very apparent who is who.

I also think I remember reading that orphaned fawns have a better survival rate than those that get kicked off a doe when she goes heat or just naturally comes off of her. I may be dreaming that.

you dreamed it, orphaned fawns would not have a mature doe to make bedding/feeding/flight decisions for them...and therefore a lower survival rate.

Copied straight from our club rules. It helped with the number of yearlings killed at our place.

Food Plots
Doe Harvest on Food Plots
A) There must be minimum of two deer on the field, and the larger of the two should be taken.
B) There is an identifiable MATURE deer on the field. NO GUESSING!!!!

Fines we have in place

1st offense $100.00
2nd offense $200.00 plus a 14 day suspension
3rd offense $300.00 meeting with Board

That's good stuff, thanks. We will not be allowing the shooting of anything on our food plots except mature bucks. We have a sufficient amount of hardwoods and hunting opportunities in other places than food plots if you want to shoot a doe.

It takes little effort and education to tilt the odds in your favor of not shooting button bucks. I was surprised at how many ppl just give into the notion that, "Well, that's just the chance you take when you shoot does!", attitude.

It makes sense to take your advice slgunnel as well as the basic rule of not shooting lone deer. I know it's not a big deal to lose a few button bucks but if a few minutes of education can save a button buck and hunter regret, why would you not pursue the education? I don't get upset at a button buck being brought in but why not lessen the chance with a little education? It's not hell, fire and damnation if a bb is killed but it's too easy to avoid such to not try.

I agree totally.

If you have a good scope or binoculars you should be able to tell the difference most of the time. The shape of the head, bumps on the top, size, first one in plot, and solitary.

All of the reccomendations will cut down on the accidental harvesting of button bucks. The decision to not shoot does on green fields will really cut down on the problem. Who is hurt? IMHO the children in the club. Many cannot sit still enough in the woods and are busted every time. A shooting house overlooking a green field is their best opportunity to harvest a deer. Most kids just want to shoot a deer. It is your club & the membership will make the decisions. When implemented don't be surprised when you see way less families in your club.