Need ideas on helping manage deer club

[Duck Butter]

Originally Posted by spoony

Any tips on managing population?

if you have too many deer, just add coonazzes and you will not have that problem anymore

[Nickt87]

Originally Posted by bjhooper82

Sounds like you just need to find a new lease.

Not gonna happen, there are way too many pros compared to cons for this camp. My dad was one of the founders in the late 70s and I've been up there since I was 6weeks old. Not giving up on it, just trying to make improvements and get back to where we were.

[cgoods17]

There you go! Stay positive Nicky-T!!

[Duck Butter]

This thread could go 100 pages about antler restrictions and whether they work etc but for the most part all your club members have to get on the same page because if not you are spinning your wheels. If some want it to be a 'trophy' club, some want to see deer everytime they go, some just want some meat and will shoot every legal buck they see, then you are not on the same page and will ultimately lose sleep over it and thats not what its all about its supposed to be fun. I have family members that if there were 10,000 does standing in a field they will shoot the one buck (spike, 3 pt, whatever) before they shoot a doe That gets old but they ain't changing their mindset and I would imagine with 33 members in a club there are some people that aren't changing as well.

In general, the deer herd (both health and size) are tied directly to the soil. More fertile the soil the more deer you can support and the bigger they get. Typically piney woods are not fertile soils so you have to come to terms with the fact you are not going to consistently kill the amount of big bucks like places along the MS River unless you high fence it and spend a ton of money supplementing them.

As far as mistakes go people do make them because in most instances you only have a second or two to make a decision whether or not you are going to shoot a certain deer (they usually don't come out in broad daylight and stand there under a feeder or food plot and let you look at them from all angles), BUT if the mistakes seem to be not really a mistake then you got to get rid of those folks or you are going to lose more sleep.

If I owned my own place I would do something like Specktator suggested - shoot it if you are going to put it on the wall and let the kids or newbies shoot whatever they want. Its supposed to enjoyable, not stressful

[Finfeatherfur]

We hunt in Franklin county and have great deer numbers. We also have the problem of deer being killed on public lands that surrounds us, the same deer we pass on. It happens - and we can't loose sleep over it.

We have on 300 acre section that we literally call the "killing grounds". Anyone hunting that section is to shoot any doe they see, as well as any legal buck. We bring the kids to that section and guest, because we know that is the best place to have the triggers pulled. We also have a section that is 7 miles away, where each membership is only allowed one doe to harvest (if they want to) as well any buck shot on that section must be sent to the taxidermist. That is the easiest way we try to manage it - no points - no spread - no age, but if you shoot it, it goes on your wall. You will be amazed how fast those 2.5 y/o deer stop getting shot!!!

[Frank Buck]

We have a couple acres just shy of 200 in our family....about 30miles as a crow flies from Fin's place in Jefferson County Ms. We are surrounded by paper company leased by a large club that runs dogs....We shoot does for meat....early....then we don't pull the trigger unless it is worthy of being on the wall....We KNOW we let deer pass that get shot by our neighbors....but....OH WELL....we are not going to do it! There is simply no sense in killing 1.5 to 2.5 yo eight points, just because the neighbor....MIGHT shoot it....A doe taste better anyway....Just my dad and brother hunt with me there, along with my daughters, nieces and any of my friends who have a kid that have never killed a deer. We see a lot of deer, but we see a lot of deer because we feed and don't kill everything that walks....It is frustrating at times, but it does pay off....I understand that I am lucky to have the property and not everyone has that ability, but it is just how we run things. It works....We have roughly 10-15 documented deer a year that are "no shoots" and you would be surprised how many make it to the next year. The surrounding club will get 2-4 of them, but the majority make it....and stay where dogs don't hound them and people don't shoot at them all the time....We walk or golf cart everywhere and we keep the pressure off of them...it CAN be done on a small piece of property, if done right.

[Josh C]

Originally Posted by Frank Buck

We have a couple acres just shy of 200 in our family....about 30miles as a crow flies from Fin's place in Jefferson County Ms. We are surrounded by paper company leased by a large club that runs dogs....We shoot does for meat....early....then we don't pull the trigger unless it is worthy of being on the wall....We KNOW we let deer pass that get shot by our neighbors....but....OH WELL....we are not going to do it! There is simply no sense in killing 1.5 to 2.5 yo eight points, just because the neighbor....MIGHT shoot it....A doe taste better anyway....Just my dad and brother hunt with me there, along with my daughters, nieces and any of my friends who have a kid that have never killed a deer. We see a lot of deer, but we see a lot of deer because we feed and don't kill everything that walks....It is frustrating at times, but it does pay off....I understand that I am lucky to have the property and not everyone has that ability, but it is just how we run things. It works....We have roughly 10-15 documented deer a year that are "no shoots" and you would be surprised how many make it to the next year. The surrounding club will get 2-4 of them, but the majority make it....and stay where dogs don't hound them and people don't shoot at them all the time....We walk or golf cart everywhere and we keep the pressure off of them...it CAN be done on a small piece of property, if done right.

Frank mentioned a very important rule! We own a small piece of paradise in Avoyelles parish and when we started walking or using a golf cart, our deer sightings and killings went up through the roof! When the neighbor starts his 4 wheeler and we have deer in the plot, they will take off running. This would be a rule if I was running a club.

[specktator]

Only time we use a ATV/UTV is to pick up a kill, to fill a feeder, or move a stand. We walk everywhere. It's just 300 acres though.