When to take?

Just wondering, when is the best time to take a doe? Early season? Late season makes me nervous (a little faint hearted) of finding a fawn while feild dressing . That being said. When is the best time to take a doe and also have a chance at a decent buck? (Also like to note. This is my second season hunting. Period I took my first deer (doe) last year with a bow in September and my first buck October with a bow.) So I'm still learning what to do and when to do it. My season here in Kentucky opens September 1st. 44 days and counting and the ultimate goal bring shoot a nice buck and freezer filling. Just wanted opinions on what to do. I know I'm not gonna get a for sure awnser just looking for advice I guess. Thanks God bless

 

When it’s convenient, not intrusive and it isn’t the the rut . Otherwise it doesn’t make a difference either way.

 

If you are able to, get it over with at the beginning. Save the other does for the rut. It will Put food on the table early on and takes a lot of stress off whether or you get a buck or not in the season. If a good opportunity presents itself, take it. The longer you bow hunt you may be kicking yourself later because you may not have another chance.

Also, if it's early season and I see a young fawn that's just lost it's spots I'm less likely to take the momma doe. I just feel weird about it.

 

depends on a lot of factors; one of which is weather Another is how many "spots" do you have to hunt? How many stands? You don't want to be -creating a lot of ruckus early season on a doe if you only have a few spots.

You're in KY which usually means hot weather early. Don't shoot a doe in warm weather if you're going to have to leave her overnight. Personally I would only do it on a cool cloudy morning through say maybe mid-October.; but then again I also don't really like to hunt mornings much in early season as it tends to be counter productive and tends to educate deer on where you will be during the rut. If you have a spot that you can slip into really easy in the dark then by all means do it; I don't have many of those so I mostly pick and choose my morning hunts based on weather in early season.

I do agree that taking a doe early does relieve a -ton- of pressure especially since you're a new hunter. Sounds like you had a good first year. Hope you keep building on it.

 

My goal every year is to shoot a mature deer until that goal is achieved I won't kill the live bait. You will not find a fawn fetus inside a doe that you kill in the fall.

 

The time of year for me doesn't matter. I take a doe when gives me a perfect opportunity. If I'm hunting and they are moving fast or out at a little distance, or in some thick stuff, I let them pass. If a get a slam dunk shot at 10 yards and broadside, I take it every time! But that's just me.

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I'm in Kentucky also. I like to try and kill my buck early or late season, when he's on a bed to feed pattern (stable and predictable).

I like to try and kill my doe whenever it's convenient for me (time off work to mess with her) lol. And usually mid to late season when the weather is nice.

But I've found that trying to hunt both at the same time is counterproductive...hence their behavior and tendencies are nearly complete opposites. I'm either trying to setting up on my target buck, on a pattern, in his core...Or, I'm setting up with the purpose of putting a doe in the freezer.

 

Really depends for me. Usually I'm targeting mid October because I'm usually on some sort of a buck pattern early season that I don't want to mess up by taking a doe. By mid Oct, the early season bucks have transitioned out of those summer patterns and I'm usually not on much for buck activity. That's when I'll usually go to take a doe if I can. If I'm not on a buck pattern of some sort early though I'll target opening week for sure.

 

My goal is to fill the freezer. My target bucks from last year are MIA this year. So far I've only had two small bucks on camera this year. If that pattern continues, I will let them grow and harvest two does. That's the tag limit in my area this year. Ehd hit us hard lastyear. I don't know any other hunters in my area to have heard about my big boys, but it seems as they have gone poof lol. So I would like to take a doe early, (freezer is empty) and hopefully when the rut comes will show back up. But that would leave me shooting a doe late.

 

The way my area sets up I usually have the most late season food so I’m confident I’ll get a solid chance late season. I usually just watch and wait till December


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That's what I wanted to do my main stand is very easy to slip in and out of so I'm am staying hopeful, that I can take a doe early and let it chill over a month or so to hopefully have a chance at a buck there late season

 

Whenever it' s 40 degrees or less that day and night.

 

Not to be that guy, but I have a few properties that I can hunt ( amazing what asking properly can do) and i rate the shooters ( bucks ) I kill my doe on a bad wind day on my least hot spot.

 

I’ll take whenever preferably early of course except from one spot because it’s a horrible drag out that’s a buck stand only.


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I try to take a doe early so I can focus on buck only during the end of October/early November, then focus on doe after that or after I harvest a buck. I find it more difficult to get a good shot at a doe come November too .

 

Depending on habitat and freezer goals for each individual. As for me, as soon as I get a doe in range with a clean shot, it's time to take a doe.

 

I hunt a few different properties, I harvest my does majority of time off a select 2 of them for the reason that they do not hold bucks other than obvious young bucks or during the rut. So early season or late season I harvest my does there

 

I always take a doe sometime in October to put meat in the freezer but not invade on the rut. The earlier the better IMO

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I let my gut tell me when it's time. Anymore it's a sat morning so I have time to mess with it.

 

I try to shoot a doe early and get the freezer filled. I leave them alone during the pre rut, rut. Then might take one later. You won't find a fawn in one that early. If you want to shoot a doe, shoot it, theres no better practice and after a couple days things will be back to the way it was if theres not alot ot pressure.

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