When do you start to take does and spikes off the ranch/lease, or cull the deer, or when do you start culling the ranch/lease?

I usually wait until mid December to start taking does and culling the herd.

When they step out.

I encourage folks to wait till after CHristmas, unless its a multiple buck county and you see a slick 6...

As for does, sooner the better if there is an imbalance. A big doe is not going to gain weight from Nov 1 to Jan 17th...might as well take her and let that food go to something else...

We killed 29 does during the two week season after the regular season ended. I always feel like if you shoot up the place by killing the does early, then the better bucks are less likely to step out into the open and give you a shot. We take only does for the most part because a spike is more likely to be a good buck than a doe is and we have plenty of does.

Start day one until you hit your predetermined goal. Sometimes you need the entire season to reach your numbers. I never pass the opportunity to blast a cull.

Hunting has been tough at our place the last few years< we haven't been shooting does and shoot spikes after we have about given up on finding a good buck.

I always recommend trying to shoot the majority of the does/culls/spikes before the rut. This should over the course of a few years greatly increase the quality of your herd thinning out the number of does (to increase the % of older bucks doing the breeding) and taking culls/management bucks (to decrease the % of older bucks with inferior genetics).

Of course it is always shoot on site on culls for us.

We are normally hunting doe/spikes/culls early and trophy bucks during the start of the rut and post rut.

DISCLAIMER: On small properties with small neighbors where there is not a great chance at management without large scale cooperation it may be best to not take does in order to attract more bucks onto your property. Defintely not a good situation but probably recommended for better hunting on your small piece...

I believe in taking your Does early in the season!

My theory is if you wait untill after the rut you run the risk of shootin off Does that have been bred by your best bucks! In a sense you are possibly killing off your genetics if you shoot doe late in the season!

IMO, it's a toss up on taking does. Spikes and freaks get them anytime you can. Lets clarify spikes. Nubbin' bucks and spikes with antler growth below the ear line, let them slide. If the horns rise above the ears and you've seen him at 2 1/2 and he still hasn't forked, take him out of the gene pool. Last year we killed about 20 does in the late season. Every little bit contributes to a better herd.

JCB - I agree with what you are saying but man, I just don't think we have many deer, therefore, I have been letting all the does walk for that past 6 years. We do cull the forkies or other bad antlered bucks.

Hopefully one day we can start culling does becasue we are seeing too many of them.

I would suggest getting in touch with the TPW Game Biologist for your area. He can tell you in general what the population is for your area and what you should be doing in terms of taking does, etc. ...and it's free!

...+1 what he said

+2 You should take does early. Less competition for food, and the less does running around makes the bucks compete a little more for the does remaining. Both of these help bring bucks into feeders later in the season.

Shoot them as early as possible - take another mouth off the place. We have a 700 acre high fenced place and we try to get the number of does to 15 as early as possible. No need to feed another.

i would shoot a doe early in the season. before the rut. so when your cleaning the doe you dont find out she already has a baby, and as far as bucks go i would shoot them when they walk out.

Agree with what several have said. We take them all early, culls and does alike. In fact it is a rule that we take a doe/cull before we take our trophy buck. Otherwise nobody will ever shoot the does/culls. Lowering your doe numbers makes more competition between the bucks and you will see bucks you normally dont because there isnt a hot doe around every corner!

Also agree with Fetch. Especially around the cull buck. Now with the AR in place in Stephens county, I will begin requiring the "management or cull" buck before trophy buck regulation on our lease. Our buck to doe ratio is actually tilted to more bucks, just because the last few years we have drawn in some undesirable bucks (we are low fence) due to our feeding program. Another aspect we are working on this year is the predator population. We are actively working to bring the coyote population in check, they are rampant in our area. Have seen numerous kill sites of yotes with fawns or newborn calves. Keep your predator population in control, manage your doe and cull bucks early in the season (before rut) and force your big boys to work a little harder for a doe (but not too hard - you dont want them roaming 10 miles off your place!) It has been noted by biologists that a mature buck will breed up to 8 does. Of course you dont want an 8:1 doe to buck ratio, but with less competition from inferior bucks, and with a good feeding program, you will likely keep better bucks closer to home. We also have 3 "no-hunt" zones on our lease - which are prime bedding areas that are treated as safe havens for deer. No stands, 4 wheelers, etc are allowed within 200 yards of these enclaves. Since we began this practice, we have seen the same deer grow up each year. Combined with our feeding program, we have seen our lease go from average to above average for low fence in just 2 years.

like al brother said

I shoot the first doe that stands still long enough for a shot

Where you have a decent buck to doe ratio wait until doe season. Shoot all culls as early as possible. Don't let them breed. Cow horned spikes also.

Thanks Guys for all the input

what if general rifle season starts right in the middle of the rut and doe season is the first 20 days of the general rifle season? Still shoot the does? Im in East Texas with plenty of deer.

This is often an overlooked area of management. We do the same thing. These areas are off limits to everyone. The deer learn this and stay on our property.

We have two good year around creeks/streams and large tanks for water. Add a good feeding plan along with ample natural browse and the little fellers like to be right there at home...