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30-06
03-22-2006, 06:50 PM
Im Thinking about putting in for a leh on mule doe this year .im wondering what the odds are,if there worth getting.and that the tast like if there good thanks any advice would be appreciated

mark
03-22-2006, 07:26 PM
its easy to get the doe tag, some odds are like 2:1 or better in places. the meat is usually great, if i can remember the last time i shot a doe! make sure theres no baby!

30-06
03-22-2006, 07:30 PM
alright thanks mark will keeo i tin mind

beeker
03-22-2006, 07:33 PM
Don't shoot a doe, there is no challenege involved. It is much more rewarding to shoot a buck.

outdooorsman
03-22-2006, 07:48 PM
if all you're shooting it for is the meat, go and shoot a doe, especially if you are just getting into hunting. taste much better than a rutted out buck any day!

cowboy-up69
03-22-2006, 07:49 PM
Im gunna put in for a doe tag this year, whitey and muley. But Im gunna try and get them with my new bow. We'll see I guess

30-06
03-22-2006, 07:50 PM
ya im just getting into it and i want meat

Marc
03-22-2006, 07:51 PM
If it's your first season or your fairly new to big game hunting and you want to get a couple of animals under your belt a doe draw is a great way to improve your odds in getting a deer. If there is a doe draw in a given area it means that the population is near saturation in that area and could use a few does taken. I hunted region 5 and 7 last fall and we were seeing without exaggeration 20 to 30 doe and fawns a day. If I were hunting up that way again this fall I'd be putting in for a doe tag. Don't let people try and talk you out of it because it's a doe. It's better eating then some old tuff buck.

The main thing is to try and keep the new hunters interested in hunting and part of hunting is taking something home once in a while. You’d be amazed at how proud a young hunter can be, and the glow on his or her face when they’ve shot their first deer be it a buck or doe. It’s a great accomplishment to them. Why would anyone want to discourage someone from the experience so early in his or her hunting experiences for the life of me I don’t know. You can have multiple tags for different regions in a year so don't be worried that it's the only deer you'll be able to hunt. It's pretty much a guarantee of having meat in the freezer. I say go for it and be proud of what you get and don’t let others try and put you down for it.

Marc.

swamper
03-22-2006, 08:11 PM
I have always been the first to say don't shoot a doe, or a cow moose, or a calf, but I have had a change of heart on the doe issue. Here in the Cariboo the deer population had grown so much that we now have to take a good hard look at herd management, (not trying to sound like our Yankee bretheren) and cull a few does and get the buck to doe ratio back in line.
In 2003 between Quesnel and Williams Lake there were 700 reported incidents of vehicle/deer contact, much of it resulting in the death of the deer and major damage to vehicles. It's time to thin the herd down a bit. So for the first time in my 50 years I am going to put in for a doe draw. Yes Beeker, it may not be a challenge, but after 3 very close calls, and one dead deer with my buddy's truck, I do believe it's time. And like others have said, it puts meat on the table.

ruger#1
03-22-2006, 08:12 PM
in rock creek you can see 50 and over in one Field, i seen 8 bucks all together in one Field, they were two points to three, and yes does are good.

beeker
03-22-2006, 08:15 PM
I'm not trying to put anyone down for shooting a doe. I just seeing things from a little different perspective. I think part of the learning process for a beginner hunter is learning that its not easy. By going for a region 8 mule doe your season will be over 20 minutes. If you atleast hold out for a buck you will get to go out hunting more which is really what its all about. In any case, someone has to shoot the does it just wont be me.

ruger#1
03-22-2006, 08:26 PM
ive been hunting with people that had doe tags before and they always try to get a big doe and end up not filling there tag.but there week wasnt wasted, they had fun and at least were able to go on a hunt.

huntwriter
03-22-2006, 08:29 PM
I agree 100% with Marc. One of the biggest mistakes we can make is to tell young- and new hunters that it is not worth to shoot a doe.

Just yesterday I have had a conversation with a friend, a professional hunter, about this very subject. He too agrees that the big buck hype is one of the biggest detriments that can spoil the fun for a new hunter by putting to much pressure on them.

It is a fact, that even professional trophy hunters cull does just to stay in shape and for wildlife management. Being a good shot on a archery or rifle tournaments means absolutly nothing to me as far as being able to be a good shot in a hunting situation.

The only thing that makes a hunter a good field shot is to get as many critters under his belt as possible. The more the better and doe's are a good way to start. Myles Keller a Hall of Fame trophy hunter said that he shot for many years only does until he became confident enough to shoot at a big buck. Even after he had shot four North American Bow Grand Slams he continued to take every doe he could. This is called wildlife management.

If we suggest to the young and new hunters not to shoot doe's or even make fun of them for doing so then we do not help them to become hunters. We hinder them.

I hunt by a saying of my father, which is; "Never pass up on something that you end up shooting on the last day of the hunt."

plumbob
03-22-2006, 08:56 PM
I agree with huntwriter as it's a great way to build confidense.I live south of quesnel and every day theres at least 26 does out in our field we put in for doe draws every year just to keep the population down.We tried to let people come on the land to hunt but it's not long before fences are cut and so on and so on.So I say the best of luck in the draw and the hunt.And after all you don't eat antlers.

bsa30-06
03-22-2006, 10:17 PM
I say if you get the draw take a doe it will be a good convidence builder and get some experience under your belt.It will also put some meat in the freezer.No one should be making fun of a fellow hunter or giving them a hard time about the size or sex of an animal taken as long as it was done legally.I think it's a good way to get young hunters hooked on the sport, going out time after time looking for that big buck could discourage a young or in-experienced hunter.

dave_fras
03-22-2006, 10:23 PM
hey i put in for a mule doe every year,,,,,, but i will only shoot it with my bow.... and just because u get the draw it doesnt mean u need to shoot it.... its is pretty easy to get a small buck in october tho... u just need to know where to go

Tarp Man
03-22-2006, 10:29 PM
Well, my first large animal shot was a mulie doe. Yes, not as much bragging material, but the meat was very good. Definitely a good way to introduce my family to game meat. A rutted out buck would have been a bust. Despite the headgear. As a newbie hunter, I had been along on a few short trips and to get my teeth into it early sure helped the hunting bug bite hard. Would I ever shoot a doe again? Maybe. It is handy to have the tag and hunt an area for a buck, but if no luck, the odds for a doe usually mean meat in the freezer.
-Tarp Man

livingston
03-22-2006, 10:39 PM
I agree with Marc as well, nothing wrong with taking a doe. this year in area 3 just out of clearwater one morning we saw 35 does in the span of a couple of hours not a even a spike buck to be seen. Lots of guys hunting around that area, damn I wouldnt want antlers on my head if I was a deer in that area.

slyfox
03-23-2006, 09:06 AM
I put in for doe in reg 3 every year and if you get it you can take a buck to.

Chris8
03-23-2006, 10:48 AM
Does are totally worth putting in for. They taste delicious.

PGKris
03-23-2006, 11:36 AM
Like Marc said, 20-30 does per day is not uncommon in regions 7A and 5, especially along the blackwater and tako roads. We hunted that area for 3 days last during bow season last fall and saw 58 does and 4 bucks. That's out of control. I'm all in favour of doe draws. I like meat and thats what does are. Obviously, don't shoot one that has a fawn with it. I'm going to be putting in for 5-13 this year I think. What region are you going to put in for? Some areas of region 5 have ridiculously low odds.
KRIS

sealevel
03-23-2006, 11:49 AM
Does are made for new hunters and old first time bow hunters if you get a draw go for it the meat is great.

huntwriter
03-23-2006, 12:04 PM
Does are made for new hunters and old first time bow hunters if you get a draw go for it the meat is great.

:confused: I think does are made for every hunter not only old first timers and new hunters.

As it has been stated here a few times now, some hunters see 20 and more does but no bucks. I would say that is well out of whack. The does should be culled drastically down. In some places I would recommend that a hunter only can get a buck tag if he first kills a few does. In Wisconsin where the deer population was the same this system worked very well do reduce the doe population. You could shoot as many as 10 does in one season.

MichelD
03-23-2006, 12:12 PM
I agree with Slyfox.

I put in for mulie and whitetail doe every year. I've only got the draw twice, but I've been along when a buddy has got one too.

You don't have to shoot a doe if you really don't want to, but it gives you an opportunity to get some meat to take home if you don't see a buck in your chosen area.

I've applied in places I've never been to before too, so it gives me an opportunity to try new places, see what the buck hunting is like, and if it ain't that great but there's a doe around, well then Bonus.

I went to one place a few days ahead of the Nov. 1 LEH opening day hunting in the any buck season, didn't see any, but I had the does figured out by then, so in the first 1/2 hour of daylight on Nov. 1, I had my doe on the ground.

But I would have stayed around if that hadn't worked and looked for either a doe or a four-point. Having a doe tag just improves your options.

And boy are they nice to eat!

Phred
03-23-2006, 06:46 PM
I've shot a couple of does, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. The high quality table fare is worth it.
Anyone I've talked to that said, "I would never shoot a doe, cow or a calf", has never had a real reason not to. They just said that it was female, and therefor they would never shoot it. If you read about wildlife managment, you'll see that taking a few does does some good.

Besides, chowing down on females is fun:cool: :tongue:

huntwriter
03-23-2006, 06:54 PM
I've shot a couple of does, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. The high quality table fare is worth it.
Anyone I've talked to that said, "I would never shoot a doe, cow or a calf", has never had a real reason not to. They just said that it was female, and therefor they would never shoot it. If you read about wildlife managment, you'll see that taking a few does does some good.

Besides, chowing down on females is fun:cool: :tongue:
A lot of hunters don't "waist" a bullet or arrow on a doe because of peer pressure and all the big buck hoopla in hunting magizines. This buck craze puts way to much pressure on young and new hunters.

I have known hunters that went years without shooting anything because they waited for the big bucks. How can they shoot a big buck, if it walks past there stands, if they never have shoot at anything but a target.

So yes, I agree with you 100%

sealevel
03-23-2006, 07:01 PM
I think with our 4 point only in sept-nov- & dec. our buck to doe ratio is getting a lot better i would hate to see a open doe season . But a leh doe is great.

tmarschall
03-23-2006, 07:28 PM
If you don't start harvesting does, here is an example of how much out of hand things can get. A friend of mine here "high fenced" his 500 acres several years ago. The first season they harvested 133 does, the next season 83 does, the third season they started harvesting bucks. Most of the rest of the county and region is in similar shape... just tooo many does!!!!

ruger#1
03-23-2006, 07:48 PM
no way to a open doe season it should be leh only. back in the early 90s there was a doe season in region 3 , and there were lots of hunters in the area i hunted it didn't bring the population down much. a lot of it is politics. i always go for leh doe draws. nothing wrong with it. it is better then eating an old rutting , stinky buck. unless your just hunting for trophy's. funny thing is crop owners can get a permit to shoot as many deer as they want to protect their crops, thats fawns, does and bucks. i know one guy that used to do this to protect his apple trees and apples. he said hes shot so many deer it made him sick. so if you do shoot the odd doe on leh or open season. it would be alot better if us hunters do it then a rancher or farmer.

livingston
03-23-2006, 09:30 PM
I have put in for the doe but never got one but would have no problem shooting one.The way I see it if I am going to spend money to go hunting in the interior of bc from the island I am definately going to be coming back with some meat for the freezer. I only get a small amount of time for vacation in a year and i am going to make it count.If its a calf or a cow or a doe or a buck it doesnt matter to me, sure I'd love to get a big trophy buck every time but I just dont get the time in a year to go for a big trophy mulie or whitetail from the interior of bc.Blacktail from my backyard I can be a ittle more selective but if I dont have anything in the freezer I'll take a spike it doesn't matter to me.But its still hunting no matter what anybody says, I just love getting up at the crack of dawn and watching the sun rise or getting soaked to the ass out in the pouring rain walking ridge lines or stands of beautiful timber if I see anything or not having fun challenging yourself enjoying yourself in beautiful BC thats all that matters.

kishman
03-23-2006, 10:44 PM
If it's your first season or your fairly new to big game hunting and you want to get a couple of animals under your belt a doe draw is a great way to improve your odds in getting a deer. If there is a doe draw in a given area it means that the population is near saturation in that area and could use a few does taken. I hunted region 5 and 7 last fall and we were seeing without exaggeration 20 to 30 doe and fawns a day. If I were hunting up that way again this fall I'd be putting in for a doe tag. Don't let people try and talk you out of it because it's a doe. It's better eating then some old tuff buck.

The main thing is to try and keep the new hunters interested in hunting and part of hunting is taking something home once in a while. You’d be amazed at how proud a young hunter can be, and the glow on his or her face when they’ve shot their first deer be it a buck or doe. It’s a great accomplishment to them. Why would anyone want to discourage someone from the experience so early in his or her hunting experiences for the life of me I don’t know. You can have multiple tags for different regions in a year so don't be worried that it's the only deer you'll be able to hunt. It's pretty much a guarantee of having meat in the freezer. I say go for it and be proud of what you get and don’t let others try and put you down for it.

Marc.

Great advice, this is my first big game season as well and that sounds like a great way to get some good meat, and some experience huntng/field dressing large animals.
P.S. can't wait to see that new hat:wink: