[MARTIN PHANTOM]

Am I the only one who thinks a mature doe is as wary or maybe even warier than a mature buck? I have been hunting whitetails for years and I believe that a mature doe is as hard or harder to kill than a big buck. Go ahead flame away,I don't mean any harm or disrespect,just making an observation. I have killed quite a few nice bucks but I feel the same sense of accomplishment when I kill a nice mature doe. I have noticed alot of rutting, testosterone pumped bucks can do some pretty stupid stuff,when you hardly ever see a mature doe that's not 100% on alert. To me,the only diff. in a mature doe and a nice buck is no horns on the wall and she makes for better eatin' too. How do ya'll feel about this? I just notice alot of guys with the "anybody can kill does all day long " mindset and I think it's kind of ridiculous. Go ahead guys, let me have it!!!

 

[Uncle Bucky]

Well you won't get much of an flack from me. Old does are just as hard, if not harder , to harvest.

Bucks get very dumb during a 3 week period and can be easily harvested, case and point, just look at all the 10 -14 year olds that end up killing a huge buck during the rut.

 

[moonshiner]

we have a "herd Doe" at the farm... she is the size of a cow ... for a reason.
Does maybe take a little longer to become as sneaky but they can

 

[MARTIN PHANTOM]

Boy, am I glad somebody agrees with me! I thought I might get kicked off the forum for this one! LOL.

 

[cjsportsman]

I agree with the OP

 

[cityhunter346]

Well you won't get much of an flack from me. Old does are just as hard, if not harder , to harvest.

Bucks get very dumb during a 3 week period and can be easily harvested, case and point, just look at all the 10 -14 year olds that end up killing a huge buck during the rut.

I agree 100%

 

[obsessedLSS]

right there with you! :thumb:

i went from chasing antler to trying to kill this alpha doe....she was the only one that would bust me all season long, we played cat and mouse all season, finally took her old butt out with my rifle from about 250 yards away in our food plot, couldn't take it anymore, she was easy to spot cuz she had big floppy ears!

 

[IGluIt4U]

right there with you! :thumb:

i went from chasing antler to trying to kill this alpha doe....she was the only one that would bust me all season long, we played cat and mouse all season, finally took her old butt out with my rifle from about 250 yards away in our food plot, couldn't take it anymore, she was easy to spot cuz she had big floppy ears!

Agreed.. if I get an opportunity to take out a big ol matriarch of the herd, she's gonna get it, cause I KNOW she'll bust me later on when I least want it to happen... :chortle:

 

[MARTIN PHANTOM]

I sure am glad somebody agrees with me. I thought I was the black sheep of the bowhunting world!

 

[HCH]

Well you won't get much of an flack from me. Old does are just as hard, if not harder , to harvest.

Bucks get very dumb during a 3 week period and can be easily harvested, case and point, just look at all the 10 -14 year olds that end up killing a huge buck during the rut.

yea

 

[obsessedLSS]

Agreed.. if I get an opportunity to take out a big ol matriarch of the herd, she's gonna get it, cause I KNOW she'll bust me later on when I least want it to happen... :chortle:

hell ya...she was a tough old lady for sure....she would let the others come out, as soon as i picked out a doe, out she would step, look right at my tripod and blow, everything split....i even changed spots to fool her and it's like she was watching me set things up every freak'n time, old hag pissed me off more times then not! :chortle:

 

[50 plus]

No question that a mature doe is as sharp as alot of mature bucks. When they have survived in an area thats had alot of hunting pressure, for several years. They are so sharp, I almost hate to see them approaching my setup, because you just know you have a good chance of getting busted. I have to say though that IMO, if a buck can make it to 6-7 years of age in an area thats had lots of pressure, he can be almost unkillable. He will live a lifestyle that keeps him much less vulnerable than he was in his younger years, even during the rut.

 

[shaftthrower]

I've always thought a mature doe was more alert more of the time than a buck.

 

[Afree]

Couldn't agree more man.

Them does are so dang smart

 

[IGluIt4U]

In my years of huntin em, I think those ol does are just plain warier than even our typical mature buck. I hunt small farmland, lots of pockets of woods and crop fields.. they have a 6th sense for anything that ain't 'just right'. Shot one two seasons ago after she'd busted me for eons... she was feeding out along a finger I was in, didn't see her til she was in sight. I knew, if I even breathed, she'd bust me, so I figured if she'd pass by me and feed along the edge, I may have a chance to turn and pick up my bow(cause I had good cover on that side). She did.. about 10yds past me and then head down to munch... she never picked that head back up.. :lol:

 

[Mr.Bro]

I guess i'll be the first to disagree.
Except for a 3-4 week period,during the rut, a mature buck is much harder to kill.Think about it.During September and most of October and December mature bucks just arent up and running around.Yes the old girl is weary and on full alert and very tough to take.But the mature buck is much smarter,not moving until darkness.The old girl may be weary but she is up and moving.Not smart around my woods.

Ok flame away.Just my opinion.

 

[obsessedLSS]

I guess i'll be the first to disagree.
Except for a 3-4 week period,during the rut, a mature buck is much harder to kill.Think about it.During September and most of October and December mature bucks just arent up and running around.Yes the old girl is weary and on full alert and very tough to take.But the mature buck is much smarter,not moving until darkness.The old girl may be weary but she is up and moving.Not smart around my woods.

Ok flame away.Just my opinion.

no flaming by me, you make valid points, the only thing i have to say is that yes, the mature buck is a night walker, so does that make them easy to hunt when you can't really hunt them? as with the doe, she is a day walker all season long...

 

[MARTIN PHANTOM]

Thanks "Mr. Bro". That's what I like to hear! You're not gonna get any flamin' from me. That's what I was lookin' for,opinions. I think either mature doe or mature buck is a fine accomplishment. Thanks for your input.

 

[Liv4Rut]

I agree 100% and disagree at the same time for one reason. The reason I disagree is there is simply 10 times as many mature does running around as mature bucks. If there was as many mature bucks 4.5-5.5 years older as there was mature does in the same age group then a lot more would be killed. The problem I see where I hunt and it could be area specific, is that there is maybe 2-3 mature bucks running around that I would shoot. There is probably 20 mature does running around the same woods. The odds are in your favor to shoot a mature doe than a buck.

Now if there was only 2-3 mature does and 2-3 mature bucks, I think it would be just as tough to kill one with a bow. During late season I have seen time and time again where 20 does will come out in the field with half of them being mature and once they give their approval and relax and start feeding, the bucks will roam out in the field casually and they don't even pay attention to their surroundings because the does are always on alert.

It doesn't matter where I hunt, I pray that a lone buck comes in to my set up because 9 times out of 10 you will get a shot. If a bunch of lead does come through first, one of them will catch something and ruin the game plan 9 out of 10 times.

I also don't believe bucks are nocturnal. They are no different than does otherwise nobody would ever kill one. There are simply more does than mature bucks and you can't cover it all. If you are hunting a 500 acre piece, the chance of seeing one of those few mature bucks will be rare until they are searching for does. You got to know where they live and set up close.

 

[MARTIN PHANTOM]

Thanks "liv 4 rut". I certainly see your point. Where I hunt I saw more bucks than does last year. I didn't see more mature bucks than does,but more bucks total. The does are there because you see 'em in the fields at night & stuff,but you don't see 'em while hunting.Every piece of ground is different,but where I am is opposite of you. It seems the does lay tight & the bucks sre on the prowl.