Archery and Bucks Verses Does

Buck and Doe Ratio

During the archery hunting season in the 70’s and 80’s, it was believed that spike bucks should be thinned out from the herd. Hunters thought that spike bucks would pass on their genes of only producing spikes, which is far from the truth. Hunters from the 70’s and 80’s and even today thought that inbreeding was the major cause of producing small spike horn bucks and even smaller deer in general.There is little chance a yearling buck will breed his mother, sisters, or even aunts. Almost all yearling bucks are forced from their birthing area because of being intimidated by dominant bucks in that certain area. Most yearling bucks will leave their area voluntarily, but those who do not want to leave, are forced to do so by their close female relatives before they reach fourteen months of age. All studies that have been researched show that inbreeding is almost non-existent, because of these reasons.

Deer farms or ranchers today breed their biggest, best males with superior does, which produce the best offspring possible. The sperm from some of these gigantic bucks will sell for $1,500 to $2,500 a shot to be used for artificially impregnating superior does. Bigger and better bucks are being produced through genetics and being dispersed throughout the country, especially in states like Texas, which have many deer, but they are also small. Texas today is producing many Pope & Young bucks due to their breeding with good genetics coming from these high quality farms and ranches.

If it seems like there are a lot of smaller bucks than normal, it is probably due to the fact that there are too many deer. During your archery hunting season you may be seeing many more does than bucks. This is a good indication that your buck and doe ratio is out of kilter and not the cause of inbreeding. This could result in having more deer than what the land can support. This is a very serious problem, which should be addressed. Too many deer will produce much smaller and inferior bucks due to the lack of nutrients and high protein that produce the large scoring bucks, not inbreeding.

For example, some states like Michigan (where I live), allow you during the archery season one doe per day in many counties. By shooting more does and leaving the smaller bucks to grow helps produce a healthier herd.

Both of my sons, hunting buddies, and myself have been practicing this method of hunting for about ten years now and we are finding out that by thinning out the does and leaving the smaller bucks is producing much larger bucks in our area. We not only do this during archery season, but also during gun season. Controlling your deer population according to what your land can support, will definitely help produce bigger and better bucks and more superior does. By doing this, it will give your habitat a chance to recover and help make your archery season much more rewarding. Oh yeah, antlers don’t make the venison taste any better either.

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