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Message: <blockquote data-quote="retrieverman" data-source="post: 4382434" data-attributes="member: 24452">On the subject of killing does, I’ve killed a few since the 2011 drought but not many, because the deer numbers around my place plummeted between 2011 and 2013.  I’ve pretty much left the girls alone and let a couple guys coyote hunt in hopes of rebuilding the population, but I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately and starting to question if what I’m doing is right (trying to rebuild to pre 2011 level).My data may be a little skewed, but I think there may be an advantage to lower deer numbers…ie better buck quality.From 2004 when we acquired the place until 2011, we killed one 170 class, had on camera but found dead one 160 class, and killed 7 140-150 class bucks between my brother, his buddy, my son, and me.  Since 2011, we’ve killed a 180 class, three 170 class, four 160 class, five 150 class, and two very mature 140 class bucks between my brother, my son, my daughter, and me.  I know weather conditions probably played a factor, but I haven’t dug into the weather pattern differences between the two time frames.</blockquote>