How many other states out there have the system of doe tags?? This is somehting I have thought about for years. 2 bordering states can have conflicting ideas on deer managment and I was wondering what you all think is best. In Mass, you can shoot 2 bucks but you CANNOT shoot a doe unless you apply for a doe tag and get selected. The same goes for Maine, except you can only shoot 1 deer period. If that deer is a doe, you must have been selected for a doe tag. In other states though, there seems to be no limit on does and you do not need to apply for a doe tag. I think some states you even have to apply for a buck tag? So which is better for quality managing of deer herds? Having to draw a doe tag, or having to draw a buck tag? If you kill a buck early season, you might knock out 2-3 future deer because a buck can inpregnate 2-3 does in a year. On the other hand, if you kill a doe, you are only knocking out 1 future deer (maybe 2 if she has twins). Very interested to see everyones thoughts on this.
In Minnesota there are a couple different types of hunting areas, but where i'm at you don't have to apply for anything. Just walk up to cashier at a gas station or sporting goods store and you can buy one either sex tag for both rifle and archery, then up to 4 bonus tags for does only.
I went in and bought my archery and rifle tags and with the archery tag I got one buck and two doe tags and for rifle I got one buck and one doe tag.
In Pa we only get 1 buck tag, no matter what. Then we can apply for doe tags. There are allocated doe tag quantities for every Management Unit and in some WMUs you can buy as many as you want. Others you are limited to 3. We have to go to a county treasurer to get them. When they are in the early stages of sending them out, you have to mail for them. After a certain date, you can just drive to a courthouse, talk to a treasurer and buy a doe tag.
In Illinois you can only get 2 bucks over all seasons combined (archer, shotgun, muzzleloader, etc.), but you can get unlimited doe tags for archery at $15/tag.
Missouri archery tag is good for two "any deer" tags, however you can only take one buck before rifle season, the tag also includes two any turkey tags. After you fill your deer tags, you can purchase additional anterless tags.
IMO, you're thinking backwards. If you kill a doe you're most likely killing 2 of next year's deer. (her and one fawn minimum) If you kill the buck, you're just killing him. The doe WILL get bred if he dies, she won't if she dies.
So does every doe have a fawn each year? This is also something I have always wondered. I'm not sure how many people can give a good answer on this because it must be pretty hard to tell. (at least in a natural environment, not in a controlled deer experiment)
I feel like this is the problem behind my house. Becuase you can shoot 2 bucks but need to draw 1 doe tag, the ratios have become absurd and if a bucks gets killed, chances are, a lot of does arent going to get bred that year. Buck to doe ratio is like 8-10:1. This is why I think we need to go to getting a buck tag and with a license you can take 2 does. Atleast the area i am in anyways.
Same thing in Maryland. You get your bow stamp and can take 1 antlered and 10 antlerless. You can purchase a bonus antlered deer stamp for $5 after you take 1 antlered and at least two antlerless from within the same season/limit. You can only get one additional antlered deer stamp for a total of 2 for the season. However, two of our counties are considered an "Urban Archery Zone" and that means we can take unlimited antlerless deer with a bow during the bow season. And if you really want to take a lot of deer you can get your muzzleloader stamp and hunt the early and late seasons with a bow and have that count towards the muzzleloader limit. Same thing goes for firearms season. So technically you could take six (6) antlered deer (two for bow, ML and firearms) as long as you also took six (6) antlerless deer (two for bow, ML and firearms). And THEN you can take eight (8) more with each type of weapon (of course they have to be taken during their respective seasons). And don't forget the unlimited antlerless in two counties with a bow..... Ridiculous. The deer around here must be climbing trees, living underground or flying because I haven't seen the numbers of deer that one would think would warrant those bag limits.
I don't see where it says you have to fill your intial two tags prior to using an anterless tag. It is my understanding that you are able to use your tags in any order, you simply have to buy them to use them. Season Limit •Two turkeys •Using an archer’s hunting permit, two deer, which may be of either sex, provided that before Nov. 12, of the deer taken, only one may be antlered •Using antlerless permits, any number of antlerless deer in counties where allowed.
