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go to the does?

papajess

papajess

New Member
These past two weekend I have been out hunting and I have seen around 20 does in a stand that's between the deer bedding spot and food source. I didn't see any bucks. I have another stand that's on the edge of their food source and haven't seen as many does but just a few bucks. The edge of the field has tons of scrapes and rubs. So my question is do I sit where I see the does and maybe have a buck follow or do I sit where all the signs of bucks are?
 
I would be hunting were the does are this time of year,they are gonna be looking real soon.
Alot of the field edge sign is done at night where im hunting.
 
Can't imagine seeing that many does? Last year saw 3 in three wks. Yes I am in Iowa..Does are what you want ,,this time of year.
 
I sure wish I could get that thru the thick skulls of some people around here. But they just continue to shoot as many does as they can.
 
I have told this before,,but edge of Wapello and Jefferson Counties. VanBuren and Davis are not far away either. When first bought the land was more deer. Saw 4 different bucks one morning back then. Now lucky to see one or two a week. Don't know what happened? Maybe alot of poaching or a farmer that cleaned up. I don't know,,but even if it's difficult to believe in Iowa,,it is the truth.
 
Dude, I shotgun hunt jefferson county and prior to last year all we seen or shot were does. Last year all we seen or shot were bucks. Hunt where the does are cuz they are rare down there, doesn't matter what the dnr says for antlerless tags. We hunted 2 full days and didn't see one doe... I agree....STOP SHOOTING DOES.. eat a tag if you have to...
 
When the DNR tells me to stop shooting does that's when I will stop shooting does. Just because some guys "think" they know more than the DNR doesn't make them right.
 
When the DNR goes out and sits in my stands and sees, or doesn't see, the doe population in my area they too would want people to stop shooting them. Hopefully your area isnt near mine. Doesnt take a rocket scientist to see the decline the last couple years. Duh
 
I would go with the does. Had a nice buck last Friday that was hanging out with a group and wouldn't even bother looking at anything but that group.
 
Well that's too bad for your area because my area in linn county we have plenty of does. Every time I go out I see 3-5 does a time. So when the DNR go out and study the population and say its ok to take a doe then ill take a couple doe. That's their job. Duh
 
Then if your area has plenty why are you commenting the way you did on a post that others are having issues with? And just because they work for the dnr does not make them right either. None of them can know an area better than those who hunt it yr after yr and see the decline in numbers.
 
loneranger said:
I have told this before,,but edge of Wapello and Jefferson Counties. VanBuren and Davis are not far away either. When first bought the land was more deer. Saw 4 different bucks one morning back then. Now lucky to see one or two a week. Don't know what happened? Maybe alot of poaching or a farmer that cleaned up. I don't know,,but even if it's difficult to believe in Iowa,,it is the truth.
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I am having a hard time believing that in those counties you listed that you saw a total of three does in three weeks your not hunting in the middle of a chiseled corn field are you? That's incredible to say the least I would quit going if that was all I saw. You turn on the outdoor channel and when they are in southern Iowa there are deer everywhere.Good luck this fall
 
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Actually saw 10 deer total. More young bucks than does. You are right,,sometimes I wonder what state I am in? Still better than where I came from,,,N. Mich. There they thinned the deer so much you could sit for a week on the Fed land,which is all I had to hunt, and lucky to see one deer.There are lots of good areas down in my neck, but I am told I am in one of the crappiest. Some have the big acreages with videos stars next to them. Some have quality management neighboring properties. Some are in more unbroken timber areas. Just guess I am in a slim spot,,for some reason? I only have a 40 though, and is a travel corridor actually. I will keep track of what I see the next two weeks, thanks..
 
Why don't you read before you talk. I have seen a lot of does, very few bucks and I was wondering if I should sit where I see all the doe activity or sit where the buck signs are.
 
Does

If you are seeing 20 does in one sit, then it is the correct thing to shoot a doe in my opinion! That might explain why the bucks are not around the does, your buck to doe ratio is out of whack.

The rut will be more intense if there is competition for the does. Either more bucks or fewer does.

Getting criticized for considering shooting a doe every time you mention it on this site is wrong. It depends on your location and property.
 
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