Question on Deer Management

[Sampo]

Just wondering what's the best approach towards having a healthy heard in the below scenario

There are 3 mature fallow bucks within a square mile radius with each having 5-6 does around them during the rut. Out of the 3 one buck is probably a few years younger based on the size of his antlers but in no way inferior in size. So if you want to take out a buck to thin the herd, would you

1. choose the oldest as it has less life left and wait for until after the rut
2. choose the younger buck as it may eventually fight with the older buck but my not have strong genes
3. leave them alone as nature will take care of itself and instead focus on the does

All animals look healthy and I was surprised to see the 2 mature bucks within 50 yards of each other minding their own does. The aim is to have a healthy population of deer but a lot less in numbers. Also do everyone tend to wait until after the rut to take out a buck if one wants to. I probably will be finding some books on deer management to get a better understanding of the topic.

 

[User00040]

Roe or Fallow?

Leave all the bucks alone and hammer the does, especially ones with kids.

 

[Sampo]

Roe or Fallow?

Leave all the bucks alone and hammer the does, especially ones with kids.

Fallow (updated the original post). Thats the plan, once the doe season starts. But was wondering about if one buck were to go, would it be better to go for the older or younger one.

 

[nun_hunter]

Fallow (updated the original post). Thats the plan, once the doe season starts. But was wondering about if one buck were to go, would it be better to go for the older or younger one.

He will be shot by a neighbour as soon as he steps over the boundary so I wouldn't worry too much about trying to manage a herd (unless you have thousands of acres or it's fenced in of course).

 

[Tim.243]

Just wondering what's the best approach towards having a healthy heard in the below scenario

There are 3 mature fallow bucks within a square mile radius with each having 5-6 does around them during the rut. Out of the 3 one buck is probably a few years younger based on the size of his antlers but in no way inferior in size. So if you want to take out a buck to thin the herd, would you

1. choose the oldest as it has less life left and wait for until after the rut
2. choose the younger buck as it may eventually fight with the older buck but my not have strong genes
3. leave them alone as nature will take care of itself and instead focus on the does

All animals look healthy and I was surprised to see the 2 mature bucks within 50 yards of each other minding their own does. The aim is to have a healthy population of deer but a lot less in numbers. Also do everyone tend to wait until after the rut to take out a buck if one wants to. I probably will be finding some books on deer management to get a better understanding of the topic.

I would lay money on a blind taste test you or anyone could tell the difference in a good head buck or poor one even a doe
from a piece of fillet cooked and on the plate. Even as good as post #2 is lol

 

[StephenToast]

Shoot all three bucks if you like. Won't make a bit of difference to your numbers. Focus on your females.

Personally, if your ground is small I'd consider leaving them all alone until November the 1st then shooting as many as possible prioritising females, if the bucks are still stood there when you've shot the does, shoot the bucks one by one prioritising the ones that are standing right.

 

[John Doe]

Also do everyone tend to wait until after the rut to take out a buck if one wants to.

Would be best to select and shoot your bucks before the rut not after really. If you want to award yourself a nice trophy go and shoot the biggest, if you want to attempt to management your ground read some books and maybe go on one of the advanced deer courses, if you want to follow the modern Stalking Directory management plan then just kill them all and let God sort them out.

 

[Scotty99]

Like the OP I’m not a deer manager so I’m interested in the responses to this. We have Fallow on our ground two mature bucks with good heads and around 3 or 4 younger bucks with about 40+ does. Our strategy at the moment is to leave the Bucks alone and let natural selection sort out which ones hold does and breed with them, unless there is clearly an inferior buck in which case it will be taken out. For the does we look to take out 20% each season to maintain a stable population.

 

[Ratel]

Leave your bucks. If you must shoot them or they are injured or any rubbish ones use common sense. You have month after the does finish, that's when I tidy up. Shoot the does and fawns as soon as season permits. For every doe you take it will be 1.60 deer less on average.

 

[75]

Leave the bucks alone. If you must shoot something this week there must be a few pricket as knocking around the rutting stands.

Hit the does hard in a week or so if you want to control numbers.

 

[Donkey Basher]

Leave the bucks alone. If you must shoot something this week there must be a few pricket as knocking around the rutting stands.

Hit the does hard in a week or so if you want to control numbers.

What he said, shoot prickets, sorel & sore but leave the big boys to do their thing - the does will chose whichever they want & then get stuck in to the does on 1 November & keep at them throughout the season.

 

[devon deer stalker]

Pretty pointless selecting one deer over another unless you have a huge area do as @nun_hunter suggests if it's a small area.
I used to be selective, emphasis on the words 'used to', now I shoot as many as I can, thats what the farmers want, get caught not doing what they want and be prepared to lose the ground.
I have made it a rule of mine in the past, no females to be shot until 1st December, then right up to the last day of the season I shoot as many females as I can.
However, not anymore, there are just too many deer around these days.

 

[Bowland blades]

Fallow (updated the original post). Thats the plan, once the doe season starts. But was wondering about if one buck were to go, would it be better to go for the older or younger one.

your aging it on antler size alone?

 

[Ronin]

Focus on the females

 

[Sampo]

your aging it on antler size alone?

At present yes based on what I have seen. As doe season is just around the corner, I will wait another week and get started witht he does taking as much as possible. If any stags do find themself in the area, they might end up in the larder as well.

 

[Norfolk Deer Search]

I really do respect your desire to try to manage the deer on your ground.

I once many many years ago had that desire, so here are some facts that I have experienced over the years of managing heard species that are transient like red deer and fallow-

1- you may as well shoot the bucks, as they will cross the boundary when the rut is over and they will get shot, You are in a dream land if you think they will not!

may as well put them in your own larder than sit there, and let somebody else shoot them!

2- shoot, every last fallow, you see without hesitation, because I guarantee you, there will be more!

If you hold the rutting ground, you will get fresh bucks in every year without fail, you will always have a few females loitering about the place, but as the rut or the desire to rut increases, they start to pile in, they might disperse after the rut or they may hang around for a bit after the rut, in my case with the red deer, usually once the hinds turn up, they stay turned up and then they don’t disperse until literally middle to the end of March.

What you have to realise with the herd species is, they could be with you this morning and tonight, they could be 5 miles away, there’s a lot of ground in that 5 miles with a lot of stalkers and gamekeepers etc so to be brutally honest you’re better off just thrashing them yourself.

You may seem or think that I am being harsh, and maybe my methods or tactics are over heavy handed-so to speak, but in reality, I’m shooting 50 red deer a year of 3 fields, that’s it, 3 high seats 3 fields, and all those red deer, but I am smack bang in the middle of the rutting ground and the rutting ground has been there for the last 50 years it’s ingrained in them to be there ,may be the same in your case.

 

[Pete6.5]

Why should you just shoot the bucks? They are not just going to get shot by someone else. They have already survived to 3 to 4 years old. The excuse of someone else will shoot them is just a cover for greed.

 

[Norfolk Deer Search]

Why should you just shoot the bucks? They are not just going to get shot by someone else. They have already survived to 3 to 4 years old. The excuse of someone else will shoot them is just a cover for greed.

Fallow bucks are the most miss managed of the whole lot, closely followed by red, trust me they will get shot!

As for the old greed argument, its not greed it’s jealousy, from those who do not have access to them!

Management is awesome IF you have a 3000+ acres to play with, of you have not your ****iing in a force 9 gale and filling your wellies!

Do you manage ground with fallow present?

 

[Pete6.5]

Fallow bucks are the most miss managed of the whole lot, closely followed by red, trust me they will get shot!

As for the old greed argument, its not greed it’s jealousy, from those who do not have access to them!

Management is awesome IF you have a 3000+ acres to play with, of you have not your ****iing in a force 9 gale and filling your wellies!

Do you manage ground with fallow present?

If they only get shot how did they get to 3 to 4 years old?
I have one or two fallow yes.

 

[RCS Deer Management]

I really do respect your desire to try to manage the deer on your ground.

I once many many years ago had that desire, so here are some facts that I have experienced over the years of managing heard species that are transient like red deer and fallow-

1- you may as well shoot the bucks, as they will cross the boundary when the rut is over and they will get shot, You are in a dream land if you think they will not!

may as well put them in your own larder than sit there, and let somebody else shoot them!

2- shoot, every last fallow, you see without hesitation, because I guarantee you, there will be more!

If you hold the rutting ground, you will get fresh bucks in every year without fail, you will always have a few females loitering about the place, but as the rut or the desire to rut increases, they start to pile in, they might disperse after the rut or they may hang around for a bit after the rut, in my case with the red deer, usually once the hinds turn up, they stay turned up and then they don’t disperse until literally middle to the end of March.

What you have to realise with the herd species is, they could be with you this morning and tonight, they could be 5 miles away, there’s a lot of ground in that 5 miles with a lot of stalkers and gamekeepers etc so to be brutally honest you’re better off just thrashing them yourself.

You may seem or think that I am being harsh, and maybe my methods or tactics are over heavy handed-so to speak, but in reality, I’m shooting 50 red deer a year of 3 fields, that’s it, 3 high seats 3 fields, and all those red deer, but I am smack bang in the middle of the rutting ground and the rutting ground has been there for the last 50 years it’s ingrained in them to be there ,may be the same in your case.

1. If they will get shot as soon as they cross the boundary after the rut then how have they got to the age they are now?

2. How do you know the deer numbers in his area, I know of fallow populations that I could easily shoot out in a single or maybe 2 seasons

A common theme with your posts is that you always seem to be certain that everyone else’s ground is exactly the same as yours. Not everyone needs or should shoot every deer they see.