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Good read about killing a smaller buck or doe.

Jackalope

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Ah. Got ya. My advice is keep it that way. Offer them safety and security. After all ever buck fell out if a doe at some point.
 

Bigcountry40

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Jesse, while I agree there are less deer state wide, where I hunt Tuscarawas County, as where I think Just 1 more hunts as well, there are plenty and I MEAN PLENTY, of does in our county. I saw 17 does pile into a corn field last year and saw 6 more on my walk out. Obviously not like that everywhere, but we all have to evaluate our areas and hunt accordingly. I think your right tho, expectations are everything. I struggle every year when I don't meet my own and it can get disheartening with social media showing everyones kills and how easy it all looks. I have to remind myself if it was easy everyone would be doing it and there would be no fun left in it. It can be frustrating at times especially with all the time, money, and effort we all put into it every year.

Send some of those does towards us in Stone Creek in Tusc county, we are really close to the coshocton line, our over all #s are low all the way around, but this year all we are seeing is bucks. Like 6-1 ratio
 

Bigcountry40

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I've said for a long time that the decimation impact takes longer to show up in some counties vs others. It would make sense that it would take the longest in one of ohio's top deer counties. Everyone thought at some point they had "plenty" of deer, until they realized there wasn't. By then its way too late.

I mean this in the nicest way, but keep telling yourself there are PLENTY and you'll be joining the rest of the state shortly. Thats the exact mentality they want you to have, and the harvest trends are going the exact way they want.


Tuscarawas County Harvest Totals.

2009-2010 season = 9,009

2015-2016 season = 5,039.

I tried explaining this to guys I hunt with in Tusc county and they look at me like I'm insane, prolly explains why there are no doe running around, which I wouldnt shoot anyways, my freezer is almost full from the Elk (which is delicious, like a cross between a cow and a deer)
 

angelzd28

Junior Member
Its like that in on my Grandpas farm in northern T County very few does, its because his farm is surrounded by amish. I'm not to far from Stone Creek, prolly 7 or 8 miles, which I just think goes to show how much difference one pocket of deer can be so different from others based on attitude and action of hunters. On a side note, the reason I believe Tuscarawas County can hold larger number of deer is its on the edge of the rolling hills of southern Ohio with lots of good cover and still has large amounts of Ag that can feed more deer. Also its just rural enough where suburban sprawl hasn't eaten into their habitat as much as lets say Stark or Summit. This also goes for Coshocton, Guernsey and the likes of Licking County. There is not scientific evidence for my thoughts, just my honest opinion on why East Central Ohio has higher amounts of deer and deer kills every year. And yes Elk meat is delicious!
 

Dannmann801

Dignitary Member
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Springboro
Two of the most memorable kills I've made were little bucks that had a single spike on each side.
Proud of them because of the woodsmanship involved.

This past few months I've been watching alot of the Outdoor Channel. It's a love/hate thing. One thing I hate is that it's been making me think about/dream of/jonesin' for a bigger buck. I let my imagination wander. I need to cut that shit out. Right now I just need to schwack something. I need a good hunt. Tired of being skunked.

Someone posted a picture here of Fred Bear walking with a little deer rigged up around his neck, carrying it like a purse - here's a link hopefully works https://www.pinterest.com/pin/244742560980349871
I think that's a pretty cool trophy, cool picture.

Been in a hunting rut - need to change it back up to the basics.
 

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
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Jesus Christ guys. I am waiting for one of y'all to bust out a "I know you are but what am I"
 

Gordo

Senior Member
5,515
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Athens County
I'm my 'dreamworld', I'm able to 'cull' bucks as I please. Get them shitty genetics outta the area.

I'd much rather kill a 2.5 year old spike(or 2 for that matter; ha) then ANY doe. But..... giving the laws, that ain't happening.

Gotta believe 'culling' the right bucks would pay huge dividends in the long run.

I know we've talked about this somewhere along the line and my thinking could be totally wrong.

If said 'Prego Doe''s Mama was bred by a buck with shit genetics, those genes still exist in her.

But....... over a period of time, those genetics would still get 'culled' out???? Shit, not necessarily.....
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
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Appalachia
I'm my 'dreamworld', I'm able to 'cull' bucks as I please. Get them shitty genetics outta the area.

I'd much rather kill a 2.5 year old spike(or 2 for that matter; ha) then ANY doe. But..... giving the laws, that ain't happening.

Gotta believe 'culling' the right bucks would pay huge dividends in the long run.

I know we've talked about this somewhere along the line and my thinking could be totally wrong.

If said 'Prego Doe''s Mama was bred by a buck with shit genetics, those genes still exist in her.

But....... over a period of time, those genetics would still get 'culled' out???? Shit, not necessarily.....

Here you go brother, read up! http://www.deeranddeerhunting.com/deer-scouting/the-facts-and-truth-about-culling-bucks
 

MK111

"Happy Hunting Grounds in the Sky"
Supporting Member
6,551
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SW Ohio

IMHO if you don't have a high fenced area there is no use trying to cull deer out of the herd. Good or bad genes are there and always will be. As I see it the only way for culling to work is to fence in a area and kill every deer in the pen and put in perfect deer. If there is such a thing as perfect deer. These perfect deer may have bad genes several generation back that may raise their bad genes in the future.
Culling makes good TV shows or reading for some but is BS. Then again it's IMHO and don't take it to the bank as it won't get you a damn thing.