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Matriarch Doe Harvest

SWEDE

By SWEDE,
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SWEDE

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Whats everyones thoughts about tzking out the Queen Bees. Sure they bust us more than any other but is there fawn protecting skills worth keeping them despite there uncanny senses. Seen videos of them taking on packs of coyotes and winning. Meat quality at that age? We took 1 giant out last year but put no shoot on the other 2

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Chef Grand Master

Chef

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Whats everyones thoughts about tzking out the Queen Bees. Sure they bust us more than any other but is there fawn protecting skills worth keeping them despite there uncanny senses. Seen videos of them taking on packs of coyotes and winning. Meat quality at that age? We took 1 giant out last year but put no shoot on the other 2
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I have noticed that the actually downfall to doing this is it can cause the deer on your land to change patterns


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wolc123 Grand Master

wolc123

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I did it at my folks place last gun season, and that ended my buck sightings on what had been a very hot property, up until that point.  It was a case of mistaken identity. It happened when she switched places with one of two smaller antlerless deer. I was hoping to use a dmp on one or both of those.

That property is surrounded by ag lands, on which antlerless deer are largely depleted on nuisance permits, prior to October first.  When the rut begins, the few surviving mature does become real  buck magnets.  I will try hard not to make that mistake again at that spot in western NY.

At my spot up on the NW corner of the Adirondack park, the situation is quite different.  I see about 6 antletless deer per every antleted one up there, almost exactly the opposite ratio I see at home.  There is a distict browse line, all around the lake up there, telling me that more mature doe harvest is needed.  Dmp's are nearly impossible to get up there, but I hope to take a mature doe during the early ML week.  I plan on hunting every day of that up there this year.  The last time I was able to do that was 2016, and it worked out perfectly.

 

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Fletch Mentor

Fletch

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I won’t do it again on any of my properties. On public I would.
Years ago I shot a hog of an old doe. She was with a group of 6. That changed the deer patters on my property and over a decade later and still never returned to those patterns.


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Nytracker Mentor

Nytracker

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If she blows... she must go . Played that game ... big mature doe I let pass busted me ..For a few years she would  blow on me and carry on . They day  I took my revenge i set up  in a different  spot . She walked in on my stand and started her foot stomping  and blowing. I wasn't even in that stand.  As she walked  off the one stand  and entered an opening  acrossed and down the bench 60 yards I dumped her ... probably  2nd most satisfying harvest .

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BizCT Grand Master

BizCT

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I won’t do it again on any of my properties. On public I would.
Years ago I shot a hog of an old doe. She was with a group of 6. That changed the deer patters on my property and over a decade later and still never returned to those patterns.


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Thanks for the insight, I’m definitely staying away from does for the 19th straight season this year


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mowin Veteran

mowin

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I've taken many a matriarch doe.  Haven't seen any difference in buck activity. Deer get taken in my area too often by coyote.  No way in hell can the heard react any different for maybe a day or two if one goes missing.

Seen the same bucks chasing does in the same field as taking out the queen a couple days later. 

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BizCT Grand Master

BizCT

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Where IS that dislike button!!!


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I'll also stay away from back straps and roasts and sausage


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What if I told you I slipped him some cash for that post?!?


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grampy Veteran

grampy

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I won't do it again. Used to have a deer parade from this certain spot, most every time I hunted it. This one old matriarch doe would bust me from time to time. So one time during early bow, she did her usual foot stomping, head bobbing, and blowing thing. But she made the mistake of coming closer for a better look, and turned broadside at 18 yards. She tipped over 30 yards from that spot.

But.....It took years, before the deer parade resumed in that spot again. After taking her out. The next doe to lead the parade, chose a different route between bedding and feeding.

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wolc123 Grand Master

wolc123

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I much prefer shooting bucks, because they are quicker for me to process.  It takes me a long time to trim most of the fat out of the does, and they always have a higher percentage of that than bucks do.  Leaving that fat in the meat limits how long it will taste fresh out of the freezer (fat does not freeze), and it sticks to the roof of your mouth when you chew it.  Not really an enjoyable dining experience.

To avoid that, I try to use my antlerless tags in western NY on button bucks, and  I usually give away the does. Up north, I found a great processor in Lowville (Nolts) that does a good job of trimming out all the doe fat.  

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wolc123 Grand Master

wolc123

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1 minute ago, First-light said:

Not into shooting button bucks or small does. Wolc it is interesting about what you said about the fat on does. Bucks are running off that reserve. Going to ask my processor about that. 

You really see it, when you cut them up yourself.   I processed an older doe last year and she was not as fat as they typically are.  I think that may be because she was older (at least 3.5), and there were not many other does in the area, so she got chased around a lot by the local bucks.

I am fairly certain she was the same doe that I missed the year before, when two 1.5 year old bucks chased her past my stand 3 weeks into gun season.  I dont yet know how good her meat will be, because we still have a buck in the freezer to finish eating first.

 

 

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GreeneHunter Grand Master

GreeneHunter

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57 minutes ago, Robhuntandfish said:

Doe Down!   

Just practicing to text my hunting buddy for the first decent doe that walks by.  Matriarch, Nanny doe, no spots on it - sending it. 

If it has spots on it  Drag it through the mud once or twice !  LOL

Edited by GreeneHunter
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G-Man Veteran

G-Man

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It depends I'd you have more than one doe group on your property. And the age structure of each. A large family group give plenty of opportunity to take a mature doe, personally I try and take one with twin button buck fawns as they are not dispalaced at 1.5 by their mother.  

But I have a large property and 3 distinct family groups I can follow.  I can see it changing patterns on small properties where the age is fairly young and the leader who shows the rest of the group the "ropes" is eliminated..

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Fletch Mentor

Fletch

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12 hours ago, SpacemanSpiff said:

Does are does around here.  When i see 30-40 deer feeding in small 30 acre plots year round i don’t worry about it. They travel in herds and i shoot the biggest ones. Ive never given it a thought honestly. I wish more people shot does....

On ag land where you have tons and tons of doe I doubt it would matter. My properties are small and absolutely no ag.

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