too few deer to take one?

Zradix · September 28, 2015, 08:55:00 AM

Hey gang.
I have a question for ya.
This year it looks like I'll only be able to get to one of my hunting spots most of the year.
Has to do with tight schedules and this spot is only about 5 mins from the house.

I have a game camera up.
So far I've only seen an adult doe and her yearling.
They come by pretty regularly during good shooting times.

Question is...should I take one...or maybe even both?
Worried about sustainability.
I keep telling myself more will move in...lol
What would you do?

Thanks

ron w · September 28, 2015, 08:58:00 AM

If I were to take one it would be the yearling, I would let Momma go to breed. Plus the lil' one would eat good. But that's just me.

September 28, 2015, 08:59:00 AM

Wow! That's a tough one? I would talk to some local Game&Fish people, or local biologists to try to better ascertain what the actual population is like in that area. What you see on camera is not always indicative of what is actually there.

Bisch

Zradix · September 28, 2015, 09:07:00 AM

both good points.

Michael Arnette · September 28, 2015, 09:16:00 AM

Good advise from Bisch, the least impactful would be to take the yearling...if that doe servives there is a good chance she'll have one or two more added to the herd next year.

achigan · September 28, 2015, 09:19:00 AM

One facet of the solution wold be, "Who else hunts around here?" If you are all of like mind, to let the mama pass, that would be a possible choice...

DanielB89 · September 28, 2015, 09:21:00 AM

I had a scenario like this last year.. every day a mother and her fawn were in or through there and those were the only 2 deer we saw there.. I moved the camera around 200 yards and then had 10 deer on camera. I am not sure how/why, but it did work out that way this time..

Izzy · September 28, 2015, 09:23:00 AM

If you kill one or both and the habitat is good there'll be replacements. Deer are a renewable resource and some of those old does are mean, territorial critters that won't let anyone but there female fawns share what they have.

KentuckyTJ · September 28, 2015, 09:26:00 AM

How big is the place? Is that the only spot you have had your camera? DanielB89 is right, since I've been running trail cameras one thing Ive learned is moving one 200 yards away will get a whole new group of deer. Their home range isn't as big as you would think if they have all they need in a small area.

I have hit the does pretty hard over the past few years on my place. Its now rare I will see a doe. I am not shooting anymore for this year at least. With that said if your freezer is empty fire away.

dirtguy · September 28, 2015, 09:36:00 AM

Hi Zradix,

Although I live in Connecticut, every year I vacation in Shelby Michigan (on the big lake, north of Stony Lake. I tend to get up early every morning to fish or hike or bike. I saw a lot of deer out there. There were almost always deer on the golf course and along the road north to Little Point Sable. Also along West Stony Lake Rd in the orchard east of the highway. The population seems pretty strong out there. I wouldn't hesitate to take one or the other.

Zradix · September 28, 2015, 09:44:00 AM

..lol..the freezer is empty..lol

The area is only about 9 acres.
I've only put my camera up on what seemed to be the most used trail.
I've only seen one other hunter out there..ever.
Sorta small spot and close to town.
Nice to have it mostly to myself.
I think others pass it by thinking it's too close to town to be a good hunting spot.

Either that or the fact that almost 1/3 of it is thick thorny bushes that sorta make a fence around the spot....lol

After spending some time out there I figured out the best way to get to the decent woodsy area in the center without getting skinned alive...lol

The darned bushes "mostly berry bushes" are 4-6' high and have thorns 1/4"-1/2" long with lots of old dead ones to fill in the gaps.

Last year I was regularly seeing 6-7 deer on the camera in that area and took a yearling...and it did eat good..just quickly..lol

You all might be right about there being more deer around that are just "camera shy".

The amount of tracks around seems to point to more than just 2 deer...but the little buggers do tend to wander about.

Zradix · September 28, 2015, 09:48:00 AM

dirt guy..
There is a nice piece of public land just north of the point...Stone church road I think?
Neat tall and steep hills out there.
Just don't get caught hunting on the Little Point Sable assoc. land...they are pretty serious about no hunting around there.

GreyGoose · September 28, 2015, 09:56:00 AM

What other sign of deer are you seeing in the area?

Zradix · September 28, 2015, 09:59:00 AM

just tracks, trails and scat.

Old rubs but nothing fresh this year.

KentuckyTJ · September 28, 2015, 10:21:00 AM

Most likely a food change

ChuckC · September 28, 2015, 10:59:00 AM

Just a bit for thought. I had a camera set up on a small clearing that I made and planted. Got lots of sporadic movement thru, nearly all with their faces in the ground nibbling, But when I sat a stand a few times trying to see what and when things were happening, I saw that there were deer, mostly bucks, that walked inside the edge, BEHIND the camera, that I never knew about.
ChuckC

Zradix · September 29, 2015, 01:11:00 PM

Well guys..YOU WERE RIGHT!
Moved the cam to get more of an overview of the area..
there are 6 deer on cam now.
4 does 2 yearlings..one of the yearling might be a button.

Hopefully this weekend I'll get a real good look at one!

Thanks for the help!

Jakeemt · September 29, 2015, 08:49:00 PM

That sounds like a fantastic place to hunt once the pressure starts climbing. a small over looked spot close to town with a wall off briars around it sounds like just the place a lot of deer would retreat too under heavy hunting pressure!

Cyclic-Rivers · September 29, 2015, 09:31:00 PM

I think you have more options now. Good luck.

highlow · September 30, 2015, 08:04:00 AM

ChuckC beat me to it. Doubt the population would have decreased that drastically so quickly. Glad to hear of more sightings. Good luck.