This is always a fun topic…

5 acre field on a property with around 20 acres of plots. Bordered directly by 5 acres of heavy TSI and 11 acres of thinned pines, both of which have been burned in the last 3 years. Also bordered by a 2yr old, 2 acre clearcut that has been allowed to get thick and will be burned for the first time this year or next.

Shot over 20 does between us and the neighbors. Had pictures of at least 4 deer in field just after we left.

They’re keeping it mowed to the ground. Need some more habitat improvement and some more doe killing.

Looks about right to me.......If the whole field looked like the inside of the cage (unused) then what would be the point?

OKAY what cha going to do. Folks looking for a place to hunt every year…… invite them to kill a doe or just. …. as above what cha saying

More doe killing won't help. I have a somewhat similar situation. For 20 years there were an average of 14 does a year killed in the field. Didn't matter how many you killed there were just as many the next year. My cousin and I got tired of killing them, we still see equivalent numbers, not more not less, and the same ratio of bucks. There was only one deer killed this year, a 4.5 yo 9 point. Hopefully the bucks we let walk made it, there are 2 will be 4.5yo or better next year. Some decent younguns coming along also. We may invite some kids to come kill a doe or three this year just because.

Yes if you want more deer you have to kill all the does. This if the proof right here.

Sounds like you need more food

Thats why he shot more does

If that picture was taken today, that’s a pitiful amount of growth inside the cage.

That’s about 4” of clover and everything else is taller than that…

This field has had nothing but chicken litter since I can remember and these ridge tops don’t exactly have the best soil

In all seriousness, most areas of Alabama don't "need" more does to be killed. Kill one if you want, but you're not doing the world some great service of charity by doing it.

Remember , you can have a lot of deer if you have food for them.

Wouldn’t take many deer to keep that foodplot mowed down.

Some places have too many. Some don't. you can't cookie cut every situation. Looks like you did what you needed to do SE

Wait, what! Some places have too many ?!

Is killing does the new Covid

He hasn't had his one on one site visit and personal meeting with CNC yet. Harold will show him the light and get him corrected.

Just my opinion but the best thing you could do with a field like this is leave it alone and let it be a “constant” on the landscape year after year where bucks for miles around know there will be a high concentration of does at this spot come rut……There’s not a 5-10 acre foodplot full of does on every corner. Screw using it as a place to whack does…..You can do that over a corn pile in the camp yard or something…..A field like this should be good for whacking a stud or two every year

I planted a food plot for the deer. It didn't grow all that well. I shot as many as I could but they just kept eating it?

..... WTH is that?

When it is patchy dirt that's when it's "mowed to the ground". That's not it.

In my opinion. That is not mowed down. Looks normal to me. If the field looked like the inside of the cage OR the field was bare dirt and the inside of the cage was like it is now, that's when I would do some adjustments.

Yep. More food = more deer, unless you kill the deer factories.