Shot a doe

[HUNTER2]

Went duck hunting last weekend and let the nephew bow hunt my property. He wacked a doe. I almost said, now you will see 2 or 3 less deer there next year. But I held back. That was his first deer with a bow. He said it was the most amazing thing he has done.

[JECAMERON]

Congrats to him.
I'm curious to the theory behind seeing 2-3 less deer. I understand the obvious that one of those deer is now on an express trip the freezer but why the other 1 or 2?

[deadeye]

I'm guessing he expected the doe to have 1 or 2 fawns next spring. 

[HUNTER2]

That is true. The doe is one deer and it would have 1 or 2 fawns. You do the math.

[JECAMERON]

Gotchya. That is what I figured, but you did say 2-3 less. Unless he somehow saw those fawns this year he's really only seeing 1 less than this year.

[Mayfly]

So you frown upon shooting does on your property? How many acres?

[Go Big Red!]

Went duck hunting last weekend and let the nephew bow hunt my property. He wacked a doe. I almost said, now you will see 2 or 3 less deer there next year. But I held back. That was his first deer with a bow. He said it was the most amazing thing he has done.

Good decision on holding back.  I assume your nephew is a young hunter? 

Anyways, kudos to him on his first bow deer and now you have a teachable moment and can say "Let's keep having you bow hunt and let's improve the deer for you and me." 

[HUNTER2]

157 acres and he is about 40 somthing.

[Cody Gruchow]

first of congrats to your nephew...but i have never really heard of someone not wanting the does shot. i was taught let small bucks walk whack a doe. 1-2 deer less next year is just as arguable as shooting a young buck were you could have more than just those 1-2 deer less because they breed more than once, especially if there isnt anything bigger around or a large amount of does. but to each there own.

[BiggA]

That is why the dnr tries to control how many does are harvested. If everyone shot does there would be no deer left. 1 buck reguardless of antler size can impregnate several does.

[MTCOMMER]

Yes, congrats to the nephew, glad to hear he was excited about the doe.
I am not one that enjoys shooting does, but I will to manage the heard - I have had the opportunity to shoot a few does this season and chose not to (However, they all had fawns, so I didnt want to break that bond quite yet.  Im not sure how the does interact with their offspring, but I wanted to give her more of a chance to teach the fawns and let them get older, so they have a better chance of surviving the winter) -- That is just my opinion on the deal.
I figure there will be deer next year, I have seen 9 does, if each have 1 fawn, thats 9 new dear next year - and some have 2 so that is alot of deer the next year.
I wouldnt take multiple does out of a heard though, I like deer hunting and seeing deer, so i give them opportunities to mate.  
I know im blabbing, but I also do the same with bucks, I would like to shoot a buck after the rut - or later in the rut, especially if he is a stud, so he can pass on his genes as much as possible before I harvest him.  

[Cody Gruchow]

im not saying shoot every doe in sight...i to have passed on lots of deer most of them does and fawns, but at anytime of the year i may choose to harvest a doe, because they taste better.

[22lex]

Hunter2, that's usually the response from any first time bowhunter that actually harvests something. It's a great feeling to actually harvest your first deer with a bow...something surreal about it, hard to explain.

Regardless, if you have even the slightest issue with him shooting does, let him know. I am sure he is just happy to have a place to hunt and won't think twice if you let him know what you are hoping he harvests next time!

[Go Big Red!]

157 acres and he is about 40 somthing.

A young hunter in my book.  Regardless, shooting your first deer with a bow is a great accomplishment.  As a non-bow hunter, I hear it's a great experience and he should enjoy the moment.  And now you can have that conversation with him regarding herd management.

im not saying shoot every doe in sight...i to have passed on lots of deer most of them does and fawns, but at anytime of the year i may choose to harvest a doe, because they taste better.

I don't mind shooting does, especially late season small ones.  Easier to drag and they taste good. 

[jigglestick]

the whole "shoot a doe, let the small bucks walk" applies to the building more big horned deer approach of managing the deer herd.

if you shoot small bucks they can not grow to get bigger.

if you let the does go, you will see more deer eac h season.

the pressure and mentality has been to create more big racks.

by creating more big racks, we see less deer each season but the ones we see are what used to be considered trophys. now their common and less of a trophy in my opinion.

I dislike they way the DNR bends to pressure and the words manipulating the deer herd make me down right angry.