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Where my does at?

Beentown

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Sunbury, OH
Hunted 5 different properties this year and have seen 4 does total. Maybe they are in the corn also??? The bucks have been in and out a bit but the does are usually a little more into traveling. lol

On my main property the corn field used to be CRP. The CRP was there main bedding area (40 acres). Hunting didn't seem to be so hard to figure before. Anyone else seeing a shortage of does? Current does = 4 so far. Bucks 19 or 21 depending a couple which may have been doubles. This includes trail cam pics.
 

Jackalope

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Hmmmm... Seems like I've seen someone say before that they still had bucks, but all the does were missing..
 

Beentown

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Sunbury, OH
Hmmmm... Seems like I've seen someone say before that they still had bucks, but all the does were missing..

I have in the recent past. Still has me a bit baffled. I know our deer density sucks here but my buck/doe ratio has always been decent. Guess the does are easier fodder and were decimated in my areas in Morrow County. Still some does in Delaware and Franklin where I hunt but it is more of an suburban setting. Morrow has a high bag limit especially compared to the 1,499 total harvest last year and 2,169 the year before.

If the trend continues we will only have 1,050 deer harvested this year. I don't see it dropping 30% again but it is discouraging.
 
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Huckleberry Finn

Senior Member
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My pickles tickle pretty damn easy! Given the activity I saw Sat night at my main property, I think the big 8 is still around...but then again I'm sure he'll be killed before thanksgiving.

Keep huntin Beener! Seems like you are doing way better than last year. Keep the faith brother and you'll be fine. The does will show up when they start getting hungry
 

Beentown

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15,740
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Sunbury, OH
Thanks Huck. I just really believe the does are not there. They are usually first there for a free meal. 4 on camera and one in my sights (saw her on camera before. I knew it was her because she has a HUGE throat patch. Must be a deers version of tramp stamp ;) ) Plenty of bucks at the minerals/corn/molasses. Just no does. When I say plenty I mean average. Not like I have a huge population to start with. I am lucky to see one deer for every 2.5 hours on stand.
 

Jackalope

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It shouldn't really baffel ya man... We have a policy that allows the killing of deer on a 6 to 1 ratio does to bucks. Even if someone only kills 2 does and 1 buck they still lowered the buck to doe ratio.. Combine that with people who don't shoot a buck for whatever reason and shoot only 1 doe.. Or 2 does. or 5. It all lowers the buck to doe ratio... What we'll begin to see is more bucks than does..... I said in VC when i started noticing a trend.. We still have all of our bucks, but the does have disappeared. This makes perfect sense when looking at the management philosophy in use today.
 

Beentown

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15,740
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Sunbury, OH
Baffled as in how fast it happened. I am not the best expressing myself in "type". Four years ago I had a 60/40 doe/buck ratio (per cams and sightings. Big change in such a short amount of time.
 

hickslawns

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Ohio
You are not alone. We are seeing plenty of does on one property, but it is to be expected given the amount of food plots we put in and the fact nearly all the crops are off surrounding this property. The other properties I can tell you how many does we have. Pretty sad to look at an 80acre property and think, hmmm. . . we have 6 does, 4 of them being this year's fawns. Rut activity should be amazing with the better ratio, but future deer hunting will be tough!
 

brock ratcliff

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I have an issue with the over harvest of does too. One property used to be loaded with deer, now it's nearly vacant. Sure makes hunting boring there. If it weren't for the occassional whopper that strolls through I'd never hunt it. Hunted there Sunday morning, had a heck of a time staying awake!