It is possible to over harvest does in some situations. It is about time. Now hopefully some wildlife biologists will jump onboard and not just give everyone the same blanket doe harvest recommendation.....

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2014/01/cast_blast_declining_deer_numb.html

Amen! It is about time.

I believe the coyotes are keeping the herd in check during fawning season. I believe the unlimited does days are putting a hurt on them in a lot of places.

No one is making people shoot does! They do it on their own. If clubs don't like it then rule it out. My club you get two does and that's it or until 22 have been killed on 1900 acres. We have does out the yang.

Bunch of us have been saying the same thing for years...

+100

What I wish is, people were intelligent enough to make their own decisions. I don't care if they say I can kill 10 does a day. I know whether I need to or not, just by the sign that I see, plus camera and hunting observation. I see them telling us what, when, where, and how as more big gubberment. BUT, I also see that it's needed, because people are ignorant enough to think they can kill 40 or 50+ does on a thousand or so acres and continue to see deer and not wipe out a significant amount of the population. I've also been told, first hand, by a biologist who has never laid eyes on the place how many does to kill. When we told him we didn't have them, his response was, "kill them, or we'll find someone who will." So, we shot half the antlerless deer (a few button heads) and had to turn in some "extra" jawbones just to keep the property. In February, we demanded he come take a look at the property. It only took a half day of riding around for him to say, " oh chit! Y'all don't have any deer!" Two years later some guys from the timber company took over the property, along with a few out of state guys who are paying the entire lease (@ $22/acre) and are killing very few does, and some really nice bucks. Convenient huh??
I'm off my high horse now. Carry on.

About GD TIME!

Well count yourself as very lucky to have a good population! I do understand this is a site specific topic, but does seem to be a problem that is quickly spreading across the state.

From all of the stuff that I have read from QDMA through the years they have always said to kill does only if the population is above the carrying capacity of the land, and then kill enough to bring the population in line with the carrying capacity of the land. I have never read anything where they recommended killing does just for the sake of killing them. Or maybe I just interpreted it wrong. Either way I would be more than happy if people realize you can kill to many does. I think there are a lot of people that misinterpreted the material that they put out and just use it as an excuse to kill every doe they see. But there have been biologist that have put out information like you can't kill to many or just because you are not seeing any deer don't mean they are not there. That is the kind of information that people with no common sense do not need to hear.

The issue folks have is the bag limits based on it in a blanket fashion state wide. It doesn't really jive with conservation.

I realize many people may not agree with this, but the population in many areas of Alabama is probably in line or actually in excess of what the habitat will actually support. Yes, there are pockets where numbers could be increased, but those pockets are certainly outnumbered by areas where the habitat simply can not sustain higher numbers with any quality.

I think what QDMA is probably referring to is the drop in harvest numbers in the midwest states and even then, they are doing a little bit of fear mongering as the data is not widespread across the country. Yes, there are certain areas where changes need to be made, but the blanket statement they are making is not supported by any data that I have seen. There are many other factors that will impact populations and harvest numbers - EHD, predation, weather, etc.

Now, should we have more regionalized game management and bag limits? Yes, I think we should. No doubt about it, especially in this state.

Like Johnal said we have 900 acres family land and had a state biologist recommend 25 does/year and to send him jaw bones with out ever seeing out property. We did what he suggested for 2 years then we couldn't kill that many. We've slowly decreased over the years down to about 8/year and that seems about right for us. We kill 1-2 mature bucks/year

25 does on 900 acres that is one doe for every 36 acres that is a lot of does. I have never hunted anywhere that could sustain that rate of doe harvest. I would have told him he was an idiot.

I'd rather watch a doe or several does than to shoot one I just enjoy watching them and I know someone close by me or several acres down the road will probably shoot them but in my opinion when a doe is dead that's most of the time 2-3 deer that's gone for the next year ....not wanting to start a debate with anyone on here at all but I've had a tough time seeing a doe period this year and I have no excuses its just been a difficult season . Squirrel population is thriving though that's for sure

Man I didn't know we had so many wildlife biologists on this site.

Well now you know

There is no reason man nor beast should ever go hungry in the southern woods. We have food everywhere and no snow accumulation to cover grain or forest floor browse.

I never understood the all out slaughter of the deer making machines. I know SOME need to be killed, but dang, we never had THAT many deer. If you"ve ever been to the northeast US, then you understand.

Lots of times people stop seeing does because all the dumb ones have been shot.