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#1 Overlooked Threat to Deer Managers….

Have always thought getting a 22.-250 set up with a high end thermal scope would be a riot! Just haven’t done it primarily bc of cost but I can imagine it’s a very effective way to kill yotes and coons. On my list of things to do for sure.

Listened to Tony Lapratt make the case that the average buck will breed 5-6 does per fall. His opinion was that why would he want any buck to have to travel off his property to find the next doe so he likes a 4 or 5 to 1 doe:Buck ratio. Fewer does means the further a buck will likely travel/wander in search of next one. Seemed to make sense.
Im not a huge believer in the social stress concept. Not that I don’t believe it probably does exist but I don’t feel that it results in any real measurable difference in the health of the herd or the size of a bucks rack. At least not in the numbers of deer that existed in the 2000’s and those numbers were significantly higher than todays herd in most of the Midwest. Especially where you and I hunt (I also hunt w central IL)

If you know of some guys that you trust to shoot yotes/coons in feb/mar I’d be interested in getting their info. I have tons of yotes and coons on my riverbottom farm
 
BearCreek said:
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What are everyone's thoughts on bucks being more huntable and healthier if they have less does to breed? Seems to make sense although will they just move to another location to attempt to breed other unbred does and have hostile encounters with other bucks? I've also seen it suggested that having less does makes a property more hospitable to bucks due to less social stress. Great topic.
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My thoughts, which also correlate with at least a couple of my neighbors, FWIW...

While there is definitely an uptick in buck movement, particularly in the daytime, associated with the rut at my farm...it is also not that common to see a lot of wild chasing there either. An observation shared by nearby landowners. Our theory...there are so many does available that the bucks really don't have to go all out to get to the next hot mama...so they don't.

Meanwhile, one of my close neighbors also frequently hunts in another region in the state and reports "wild" chasing and plenty of it, in the other area. But there the doe population is modest.

So I would interpret all of that to think that the bucks probably are healthier where they don't have to work so hard to get does, but they are probably a little less vulnerable to hunting as they aren't criss-crossing the farm(s) looking for does all the time.
 
Daver said:
My thoughts, which also correlate with at least a couple of my neighbors, FWIW...

While there is definitely an uptick in buck movement, particularly in the daytime, associated with the rut at my farm...it is also not that common to see a lot of wild chasing there either. An observation shared by nearby landowners. Our theory...there are so many does available that the bucks really don't have to go all out to get to the next hot mama...so they don't.

Meanwhile, one of my close neighbors also frequently hunts in another region in the state and reports "wild" chasing and plenty of it, in the other area. But there the doe population is modest.

So I would interpret all of that to think that the bucks probably are healthier where they don't have to work so hard to get does, but they are probably a little less vulnerable to hunting as they aren't criss-crossing the farm(s) looking for does all the time.
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I agree with Daver's observations. Our farm has a very high doe population that also seems very healthy in that we see many sets of twins and even triplets from time to time, even with a high coyote density as well. We see our "homebody" bucks staying close to home and not having to go far to find does, as well as "stranger" bucks showing up throughout November as well.

As far as coyotes go, I'm of the belief that you really have to hammer them to make a dent. Shooting a handful a year isn't going to make a dent. You need to trap and, ideally, have an effective thermal hunter in there as well. We don't do enough in this regard but so far it seems to be alright. *knocks on wood*
 
Had a group of 6 coyotes take down a fawn in front of me this morning. Managed to get some cell video of it. This is the second deer that I know has been killed on this farm by them in the past month. I see them running deer regularly. I watched this hunt go on for 15 minutes and I will say they are very efficient and systematic killers. The way they hunted it reminded me a lot more of a pack of wolves than the coyotes I have seen in the past. This fawn didn’t stand a chance….they wore it down and once it stopped to defend itself there were just too many of them.
 
daniel93077 said:
Had a group of 6 coyotes take down a fawn in front of me this morning. Managed to get some cell video of it. This is the second deer that I know has been killed on this farm by them in the past month. I see them running deer regularly. I watched this hunt go on for 15 minutes and I will say they are very efficient and systematic killers. The way they hunted it reminded me a lot more of a pack of wolves than the coyotes I have seen in the past. This fawn didn’t stand a chance….they wore it down and once it stopped to defend itself there were just too many of them.
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“PACK OF WOLVES”. BINGO!!!!! Exactly what I’ve been explaining on what I’ve seen too!!!! It used to be 2-3 coyotes. Now it’s “10”. Why they are getting more mature deer as well. They really can take down any deer.
My main hope is more & more guys understand this & go to war. I wish we had a bounty on them. Thermals, traps, etc. War!!!!!
Buddy hunted a little farm I have down the road with a 15 acre draw on it. He shot 6 coyotes in 2 days. He says “I may have to charge you for arrows!”
Got my little rabbit distress call in my pack this year!!!! Shooting every one I see.


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Had a photo of one chasing a deer yesterday. Didnt let this one get away.
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_watched coyotes actually cut a deer out of a grazing deer in a corn stock field and drive it off up river by it’s self.Sure deer cause some damage to corn but nothing like raccoons are causing.Iowa’s deer herd is disappearing hate seeing a deer killed by the side of the road with a possible person hurt but a lot of people need to wake up and stay off their phone.I sure hope deer hunting in Iowa doesn’t go the same way as our great pheasant hunting went, what a waste thanks DNR.What a loss…
 
I haven 't had a ton of time in a tree this fall but I did manage to take a few days off for a 4 day weekend. I saw more coyotes than I've seen in years this past week. Watched 3 bed on the crp hillside in the sun from about 10am till dark. Never moved other than an occasional stretch. Saw another one chase a doe over the hill night before. Invited a buddy with some thermals to come for hunt. Hopefully he can smoke a few.
 
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