Do I really have to explain?
Nope! But it's a love/hate relationship I love shooting a big old doe, "Monster Does" I call them. I get nearly as tickled to get one as I do a good buck
The older they get, the smarter they get!
Bisch
Bisch: That is exactly my point. A big old buck seems pretty calm to the savvy these girls have.
I have one giving me fits right now.
Bill,
I've seen enough of these old girls to know you're frustration. This ole girl gave a few guys the business up at Shrewhaven Lodge a few years back. I happened to catch her off guard leading her posse (she had 4 others with her) at 1:00 in the afternoon up on Banana Ridge. She was a dry doe and I was fortunate to fool her. I was downwind of one of the feeders by about 100 yards that some of the camp members who rifle hunt on the property keep going during the fall. I think they were probably scent checking the feeder from downwind from a distance for danger.
(http://i1246.photobucket.com/albums/gg617/shrewshooter/rays2012deerCHanniversarybow.jpg) (http://s1246.photobucket.com/user/shrewshooter/media/rays2012deerCHanniversarybow.jpg.html)
Nope - none needed!
I kinda like them...they taste good!
I had one figure me out last night then do her thing all over the pasture behind me...I REALLY hope to catch her unaware sometime soon!
Those old girls teach the bucks everything they know. :dunno:
I spent a good part of my season last year hunting a big old mature doe. I finally drilled her the first week of December. I put up a tree stand in a choke point that she had been passing through. At the last minute I had a weird feeling that she was going to see me in the stand, not as much cover as I originally thought. I got out of the tree and made my way around to the other side of the trail. I shot her at 12 yds while she was looking at that treestand.
I agree with you guys....they have messed up so many hunts that I can't count them. There is such a great feeling (though)when you finally outsmart an old gal and win the chess match. I killed one many years ago near Refugio, Texas that when the lease biologist aged her he put "nine plus" on the paperwork...She was smart to the end and tough as a boot to chew!
QuoteOriginally posted by fireball31:
I spent a good part of my season last year hunting a big old mature doe. I finally drilled her the first week of December. I put up a tree stand in a choke point that she had been passing through. At the last minute I had a weird feeling that she was going to see me in the stand, not as much cover as I originally thought. I got out of the tree and made my way around to the other side of the trail. I shot her at 12 yds while she was looking at that treestand.
That's pretty typical, I shot one of my biggest does in the same scenario...while she was looking up into one of my other stands
They seem to stand back and bust me from a far. I will be drawing on a young buck or doe,and they are standing back there giving a warning and have fouled up my shot.
Wise old ladies!
No need to explain...I hunt mule deer does and the old girls are as sharp as any whitetail
DDave
QuoteOriginally posted by damascusdave:
No need to explain...I hunt mule deer does and the old girls are as sharp as any whitetail
DDave
Unless you are in Colorado where they are dumber than horse s%#*
There was a three legged doe around my place for 4 years. She had triplet fawns every year. She was the wisest deer I've ever seen. I couldn't get within 60 yards of her, even belly crawling in high weeds.
I hate them also, They taste terrible......J/K
I mean, they tend to remind me how bad of a hunter I am...
No need.
They are just as tough if not tougher to kill than a buck in my opinion
Hardest deer in the woods to get.
QuoteOriginally posted by Cyclic-Rivers:
I mean, they tend to remind me how bad of a hunter I am...
Exactly - I had one remind me how bad of a hunter I am this morning!
I was sitting in a ladder stand that's about 8 yards off a E/W trail. Wind was ENE. Deer arrive from the east @7:50 and stop at an edge created by a N/S fence line and the patch of woods (mostly mature white oaks) that I was in. I saw the lead/mature doe, and the 4 or 5 others following her before they saw me. I had decent cover between my stand and where the deer had stopped. The ladder stand faces the E/W trail that they were on, so I had to stand and rotate 90 degrees clockwise for the shot. Thinking I had enough cover to hide my movement, I S-L-O-W-L-Y began to stand. Almost immediately, that lead doe tilted her head back and locked in on my exact location. 2 seconds later, she busted out of there! :smileystooges:
The others didn't have a clue what was going on, but after a minute or two, they too followed their leader.
Frustrated?? Of course, but it was also a great learning experience. Next time I probably won't try to stand so soon. I should have given her time to relax as she moved from the fence line into the woods. The other thing is... maybe I need to rotate the stand 90 degrees clockwise, so I can cover the main trail without having to stand.
Either way:
MatureDoe = 1; NittanyRider = 0
That's funny, I was just talking to a buddy at work about this earlier. How those older does make the big bucks look like yearlings. I'd be just as happy to hang a trophy doe like that on my wall as I would with a big buck
ugh. they are the smartest deer in the woods, and they rile EVERYTHING up at the slightest irregularity they sense. i had one that just about drove me out of a prime hunting spot, she was so bad.
QuoteOriginally posted by bear bowman:
They are just as tough if not tougher to kill than a buck in my opinion
Yep; I'd say tougher.
"I don't like strong women, 'cause they're onto my tricks....."
I had an old doe see the legs of my newly erected ladder stand. She saw the legs, but didn't look up-just moved back the way she came, and wandered around under the nearby holly trees, trying to pick up my scent, I think. I trimmed several limbs and used them to increase my back cover. I should have dropped one to the ground at the base of my stand. By the way, she was less than 10 yards away-needed just one more step to get shot.
It's a love/hate thing for sure. Mostly love, though. About a month ago, during the archery season, I had an old doe acting so calm and comfortable that 2 other yearling does nearby weren't the least bit nervous about my presence. But I was out all day last weekend and was busted by a beautiful older doe -- gray winter coat typical of fall mulies. She caught me moving about 100+ yards off while I was on the trail and she was back in the wood. She was on full alert and moved to cover. I could tell she wasn't too scared but definitely playing things safe (now the rifle season). I setup next to a tree back a ways, in case other deer came by and to grab some food (dinner time). After about an hour, I got up and spooked her again at about 40 yards -- snorted when I zipped up my pack. Oddly, she headed for a bit of an opening and just stood there for me to look at. Another deer went a different direction behind a rise while she stood & made a more conspicuous escape. The other deer snorted 5-6 times trying to catch my scent but there wasn't much wind. Eventually, they both made their way off but in entirely different directions. If I had to guess, she was trying to decoy me away from the other deer (possible buck). Smart lass! Hunting out here is buck-only so I'm thinking these old girls get to see a lot & learn a lot.
I wouldn't really say I hate old does. I admire them. And they teach me everywhere I am weak in my hunting skills (which is a lot). They're frustrating. But it's all part of the sacred game. That experience turned what was a discouraging day of no sign into an awesome learning experience. It led me back off trail to a different part of that wilderness area where, I discovered, all the deer seem to be hiding. Fresh tracks and even fresh urine. There was a great rock pile I'm noting for an ambush site if I can get back before the season closes. If it weren't for that old doe...
Had a run in with one a few nights ago myself. This one is easy to recognize from the past couple of years. She finally walked by me at 5 yards but it was past legal shooting light by probably 5 minutes or more. Closest I've come to getting her the past few years.
I got busted by a big ole cow of a doe opening evening last weekend. Had 4 other does go by and never stop to off a shot(all cut across the log trail to quickly) and here comes big Bertha. She stops on a dime (vitals directly behind a tree mind you) looks my way, lip curls and starts blowing. All the other does proceed to race back down and head on out where she bounded off too. %@#*! Was hardly a tickle of a breeze, but she got me. It was hot after getting up so I opened up my jacket and here came the parade LOL. Good times.