[passinthrough12]

I got to wondering the other day (which is usually not good for me) anyway, you hear people say all the time to shoot lots of does and a buck doe ratio of 1:1 or 1:2 is best, which will improve your shots at a buck during the rut because he will be forced to be on his feet more searching for does. My queston is from a management standpoint what are the advantages of having a 1:1 buck doe ratio? Ive heard less mouths to feed in the winter but here food sources an practically unlimited ( I hunt around surface mine reclaim ground so clover and grass fields are everywhere.) Anybody?

 

[slinger09]

Some believe that with a 1 to 1 ratio inferior bucks are less likely to breed.

 

[bowcrete]

to me i think it depends how much area yuor hunting on smaller properties i dont see it happening less does in one area may draw bucks from another thats my theory

 

[dxtbowhuntersj]

i know here where im at we dont see many good bucks. this year we have seen 8 bucks between me and my folks. 2 of which were legel, 3 on a side. i killed both of them. but we are covered up with does. i saw 15 does tonight, from my folks back porch. we killed 6 in our area last year, so i think we need some more doe management.

 

[rce777777]

The way I understand it, you will still have the same amount of deer. The land will support X amount of deer. If you get your ratio right, deer are born on a 1:1 ratio. When the doe run the young bucks off, other young ones will come from your neighbors to replace them. If you see 10 deer per day now but only one is a buck, then with a correct ratio you would still see 10 deer but maybe 4 or 5 would be bucks.

 

[murphd3]

Some believe that with a 1 to 1 ratio inferior bucks are less likely to breed.

"Believe" really? How much research and common sense does it take to "know" this? Surely you were being sarcastic slinger. In many areas, the food is not the issue, so the concept of genetics being passed on is the primary concern. In your situation, I guess the train of thought that may be least understood is that when you have too many doe, the dominant bucks are constantly breeding throughout the rut (before for the early doe and after for the late ones) since they will always have first pick. This puts tremendous stress on them and runs them down to a minimum. They must then devote a lot of time just recovering (if they do) from months of strenuous activity with little food, therefore limiting their antler/body growing potential for the next season.

Meanwhile, inferior genetics are being passed on throughout the area by inferior bucks and the cycle continues. A huge benefit of harvesting the overpopulated doe - you and everyone you know will be eating a much more tender venison dinner for months to come!

 

[solohunter]

Our thinking and hope is... fewer does=bucks covering more ground to find them..more competition for breeding rights...younger buck less likely to breed...Solohunter

 

[slicer]

When deer populations are high, does will birth more males than females. When low, more females make up the yearling population. However, it gets to a point where nutrition and poor genes just kill ya when you're overpopulated with trash genetics and average food. Strive to maintain more than adequate cover, food, and genetics.

 

[wvmurf]

Maintaining a 1:1 buck to doe ratio is difficult to manage, if not impossible for the average hunter. I have worked with several wildlife biologists in the past and each property requires a different approach to "balancing a herd" as people often refer to. Several factors need to be seriously considered before just going out and shooting large numbers of doe from your property. In order to attempt QDM consider the following: acreage, food, terrain, hunting pressure, genetics, bedding areas, and surrounding properties. Hard to manage a farm if surrounding properties or doing nothing. Good Luck!!