New Property Deer Population

[Duckman#1]

you wont kill enough does to matter.

You damn sure can

[Palmetto Bug]

How many acres you have is only part of the ratio equation. How hard the surrounding property is hunted matters too. If you've got the only food around and there are hundreds of acres around you with little pressure, you can whack all the does you want and not make much difference. I'm in the antlerless deer quota program just so I can shoot enough does to keep the farmer that leases my row crop fields from giving up due to crop loss. They give me 15 doe tags for a bit over 300 acres. Bucks don't have to compete for sex around here.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

[Gut_Pile]

Are you asking for volunteers to assist you?

Theoretically, according to some old DNR Agents I once knew, the optimal ratio is 1:1-1:3 (Buck to Doe). Around here it seems like we're seeing closer to 1:10-12 or so.

This is biologically impossible

[dubs]

There are some methods for doing camera surveys if you want to go that route. Pretty standardized with methodology and equations to give you approximate numbers.

[WoodieSC]

This is biologically impossible

What part of what I said is biologically impossible? I’m just repeating was I was told by a former and long-standing DNR biologist. Maybe the passage of time has messed up a number or two in my head, so feel free to correct me.

[ecu1984]

How do I know how many does need to go?

Kill them all Bobby, kill them all and as Mr. Arthur Stroman once told me (I leased his bean fields):
"kill every damn one of them and let em lay out there and rot, I want you to send a message to them"

[Gut_Pile]

What part of what I said is biologically impossible? I’m just repeating was I was told by a former and long-standing DNR biologist. Maybe the passage of time has messed up a number or two in my head, so feel free to correct me.

The 10-12 does to 1 buck. Mother Nature doesn’t work that way

[coonsqualler01]

Does are bred 12 months out of the year in SC. Scientific fact.

[catawba]

We have killed the hell outta of does off 800 acres for the past 3-5 years and we are seeing more bucks this year than any year before. Come December there will be atleast 10 more does killed. We set a number of does before the season comes in based off what we are seeing on camera and in the fields. This year we set a goal of 15. And have a 3 buck cap for the entire 800 acres.

[coonsqualler01]

Because of threads like this people blast does. 40 years ago it was a sin to kill a female deer in SC. Embarrassing, and unsavory. More does=more bucks. Quit shooting does.

[TheVisorGuy]

Killing does to have more bucks is retarded. Killing does to bring different bucks and different genetics in is a better idea.


I've wandered about these 2 scenarios, and so far Dr Bronson Strickland hasn't invited me on the podcast as a guest yet so I guess y'all are the next best thing.

Scenario 1: behind my house. 70 acres. 100 acres next door. No real big tracts close by. 20 acres here, 30 acres there. When I first got the place there were 3 good bucks back here. All have been harvested. No good deer since and no real new bucks showing up. No real doe harvest except for the occasional vehicle incident. Wandering about my bucks born here and where they are going. My theory is they are born here, then at 1 1/2 their mamas give them the boot and make them relocate. How far are they going or being forced to go? 1/2 mile away with the possibility to come back during the rut when he's a 4-5 year old or is he going far far away? I have the same old prehistoric blockhead does since day one. You know the ones that will stand 200 yds down in the woods and blow at you at 10pm in June when you rolled the garbage can out. Being my place isn't surrounded by big acreage where will my new bucks that get the boot from their respective mothers come from? I feel like I need to kill does to shake up the genetics .

Scenario 2: Take my main tract in Chester. Almost 800 acres. Big woods, surrounded by more big wood, and then even more big woods. When my does kick their yearling bucks to the curb my neighbors will likely get them. Likewise I will get his yearling bucks. So the supply keeps replenishing. Of course doe family groups overlap but I'm talking very general here.

Anyone have any thoughts?

[wskinner]

I’ll throw this out there. If you’re trying to manage for big bucks, you shouldn’t shoot does during or after the rut.

[TheVisorGuy]

I’ll throw this out there. If you’re trying to manage for big bucks, you shouldn’t shoot does during or after the rut.

Explain

[Carolina Counsel]

Because of threads like this people blast does. 40 years ago it was a sin to kill a female deer in SC. Embarrassing, and unsavory. More does=more bucks. Quit shooting does.

1978 called and said it is missing you. This is the dumbest post I have read on this site and that is quite an accomplishment.

[TheVisorGuy]

I'd really like to know.

If you've got good bucks on your place why do you need less does? If you have 100 acres with 15 does and 3 breeding bucks that seems like it would be a better situation from a breeding standpoint. Maybe your bucks wouldn't have to leave as much to find does? Maybe I'm wrong

Also if you've got 100 acres with 1 buck and 15 does wouldn't that mean you have more of a reason for neighboring bucks to pay you a visit? Maybe I'm wrong?

[Remy]

I would proceed with caution. I tried the QDM approach for 10 years on less than a 1000 acres in Williamsburg county. Killed 60 does every year. If you are not careful, you will lose the "why" that you hunt. I was managing not hunting, I felt I had to kill does and let bucks walk. I lost my joy in hunting for a while.

QDM has sucked the joy out of many a hunter. No one is satisfied anymore unless you’re killing 125 inch plus bucks. I wish we could go back to being proud and excited to just be in the outdoors with your buddies.

[Sportin' Woodies]

No one is stopping you.

[bbhntr48]

I'd really like to know.

If you've got good bucks on your place why do you need less does? If you have 100 acres with 15 does and 3 breeding bucks that seems like it would be a better situation from a breeding standpoint. Maybe your bucks wouldn't have to leave as much to find does? Maybe I'm wrong

Also if you've got 100 acres with 1 buck and 15 does wouldn't that mean you have more of a reason for neighboring bucks to pay you a visit? Maybe I'm wrong?

There is science to carrying capacity of your property. Basically your 100 acres can adequately provide feed for X amount of deer. Your harvest affects buck/doe ratio on property. While bucks do travel during the rut, in most of SC they don’t have to leave their core area to find a doe to breed

[Remy]

No one is stopping you.

No they aren’t. But post a picture of a 2.5 year old buck and the judgement will ensue from the righteous deer hunters. Most hunters are more judgmental and intolerant than liberals ever dreamed to be.

[raybird]

thanks for the entertainment guys.

y’all’s theories are hilarious.