Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Do big old does ever "NEED" to be killed?

I've got two big girls on camera.
I've seen them for years. My wife calling them the Hoover twins foot the way they vaccume up feed.
Both still produce fawns and both seem heathy.
What's the benefits of taking them out or letting them live?

All depends on the habitat conditions, buck to doe ratio, age structure, management goals yadda yadda yadda...

Taking them out may very well allow room for new does to move in and thus get some new genetics...though if you suspect the fawns they throw have great antler genetics already you may want to keep them around.

Do they constantly bust you when you're hunting the rutting bucks? That'd be reason alone for me to take care of them.

If your buck to doe ratio is a little lower than optimal for your given habitat/management goals, then by all means take them out.

Hard to say yes or no to that question.

An old doe is probably good for the herd as she is an experienced mother and her fawns probably have a better chance of survival.

For hunting, they are a PIA because they have the best instincts and protect every deer around them. I've been on a 4 year mission against one old biddy that recognizes my truck then cruises the woods blowing and putting every deer on alert.

Just when they "blow" at me.

+1.

if they would bust me and run off it would be ok.
but blowing to let ever deer in county know somethings up is aggravating.

Drop them

I typically don't shoot the matriarch in a group, but one of the others that may be following.

She'll lead another group by next year....

I used to kill deer that were smarter than me.

Now I realize they may be the best thing for the herd.....

I won't shoot a deer because it snorts... I was stupid in how I approached the area and hunted it, she knew it and good on her...

I'd leave them until they stopped dropping twins unless I just felt like shooting them. When they slow down or stop with the fawns, they're taking up habitat and food that other does in their prime could be using and if they die before anyone shoots them, the coyotes get the venison.

Some folks shy away from shooting the matriarchs, but I figure if the population is healthy, there will be enough older does to lead the herd without any special protection. If the population has crashed, don't shoot any does.

You need to ask the timber wolves that question.

I shoot any doe that comes by me with a buck fawn.

I wouldn't shoot one for meat. A fawn or yearling doe is much better eating.

this.

as long as does are producing I could care less how old they are. dry does get the first look when I'm out for meat. I could care less how old they were if I'm going to be canning them

This sounds good and all, but just how do you determine this? I watch deer a lot, and sometimes with a herd, it is hard to tell which doe belongs to which fawns, and sometimes they are not right together and I think a doe is by herself and a long while later a fawn will show up. I think this is more of a feel good idea instead of a practical one. miles

Around here the deer population is out of control. I always go for the "Monster Doe". Bambi's or no Bambi's. Like other people said here, there's nothing more frustrating than a smart doe that'll bust you every time and start blowing. The rest of the herd will be fine without her, at least around here.

Had a war with an old dominant doe that someone had arrowed years earlier that was truly batschidt crazy - but also crazy like a fox. Bitch had a sixth and seventh sense. Ruined many hunts for me for two years for a big buck that I knew was in the area. When I finally put her down I was grinning like I had killed Muy Grande himself. She NEEDED killing.

I had one that was doing all that blowing and crap, and I was going to try to kill her, then I noticed that the other deer knew that she was crazy and paid little attention to her. She would blow and run a short distance, and the other deer would look up and see that it was her, and go back to grazing. She finally disappeared but I let her be, after seeing that. miles

Wish I could say the same. That crazy old girl herded the rest of her group like sheep.

You can't kill enough does. If they ain't breeding they're eating.

Letting an area overpopulate is a big mistake.

DF