Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Deer Hunting => Topic started by: OltHunter on December 09, 2011, 09:43:34 AM

Title: Sizing a Doe on the Hoof
Post by: OltHunter on December 09, 2011, 09:43:34 AM: im heading out to the desert unit next weekend for a doe hunt with my buddy. This will be my first doe hunt in a long time and with the wide open area with not a lot of reference points, i was wondering if any of you have some advice or tips to judge a does size? id rather not shoot a yearling! obviously if there are a couple does together it makes it easier, but what about 1 single deer at 200 yards?

Thanks!
Title: Re: Sizing a Doe on the Hoof
Post by: h20hunter on December 09, 2011, 09:46:18 AM: Look for a big one next to a little one. Shoot the bigger one of the two.
Title: Re: Sizing a Doe on the Hoof
Post by: Curly on December 09, 2011, 09:48:14 AM: Look at the face of the doe. If the nose is short, it is a young deer.......long snout then it is older.

You will get good after a while with some practice at telling a baby face from an older doe. :twocents:
Title: Re: Sizing a Doe on the Hoof
Post by: PlateauNDN on December 09, 2011, 10:23:05 AM: If it looks like you and your family would finish eating her within a couple of weeks hold out until you see a bigger one. :chuckle:

Curly's idea sounds good. :tup:
Title: Re: Sizing a Doe on the Hoof
Post by: 400out on December 09, 2011, 10:28:25 AM: Quote from: h20hunter on December 09, 2011, 09:46:18 AM
Look for a big one next to a little one. Shoot the bigger one of the two.
:chuckle: :sas: But that about sums it up!
Title: Re: Sizing a Doe on the Hoof
Post by: Mike450r on December 09, 2011, 10:29:00 AM: As was already said, look at the length of the face, also the length of the neck and legs as well.

I made the mistake on an antlerless hunt to make a headshot at about 100 yards based on seeing a big set of ears. Talk about ground shrinkage. I literally picked it up by all four hooves and carried it like a suitcase.
Title: Re: Sizing a Doe on the Hoof
Post by: 724wd on December 09, 2011, 10:38:12 AM: Quote from: Mike450r on December 09, 2011, 10:29:00 AM
I made the mistake on an antlerless hunt to make a headshot at about 100 yards based on seeing a big set of ears. Talk about ground shrinkage. I literally picked it up by all four hooves and carried it like a suitcase.

man, have i been there! one year i watched a doe walk behind a rose bush, and when she came out the other side, i whapped her. then i saw the doe run off, leaving her fawn (November, so no spots, thank god!) laying on the ground where i'd shot her. you know those bags on the back of a fourwheeler? slipped her inside, zipped it up and drove her home! :EAT: :lol4: tender? OMG, the meat was zipping just pulling her hide off! YUM! :chuckle:
Title: Re: Sizing a Doe on the Hoof
Post by: 400out on December 09, 2011, 03:56:57 PM: Quote from: 724wd on December 09, 2011, 10:38:12 AM
Quote from: Mike450r on December 09, 2011, 10:29:00 AM
I made the mistake on an antlerless hunt to make a headshot at about 100 yards based on seeing a big set of ears. Talk about ground shrinkage. I literally picked it up by all four hooves and carried it like a suitcase.

man, have i been there! one year i watched a doe walk behind a rose bush, and when she came out the other side, i whapped her. then i saw the doe run off, leaving her fawn (November, so no spots, thank god!) laying on the ground where i'd shot her. you know those bags on the back of a fourwheeler? slipped her inside, zipped it up and drove her home! :EAT: :lol4: tender? OMG, the meat was zipping just pulling her hide off! YUM! :chuckle:
:chuckle: just not enough huh!
Title: Re: Sizing a Doe on the Hoof
Post by: h20hunter on December 09, 2011, 04:14:44 PM: Doe tastes yummy.
Title: Re: Sizing a Doe on the Hoof
Post by: seth30 on December 09, 2011, 04:16:00 PM: Quote from: h20hunter on December 09, 2011, 04:14:44 PM
Doe tastes yummy.
:yeah:
Title: Re: Sizing a Doe on the Hoof
Post by: carpsniperg2 on December 09, 2011, 04:48:28 PM: Look at the front of the doe on the brisket. If the skin looks loose or floppy it is going to be a older more mature doe. If it looks real sleak and tight to the chest then it will probably be a younger doe. Best way that I have found so far to tell on a doe on the hoof in the field.
Title: Re: Sizing a Doe on the Hoof
Post by: steen on December 09, 2011, 05:49:12 PM: Here are a few my girls took. All good eating, all mulies and all alot of fun for me and I never took the shot!!!! Three of my girls and each hunt was different. One passed on a doe with twin fawns, one wanted a buck and changed her mind and took a doe (youth doe tags). All three girls are passed the youth tags and I'll miss those awesome hunts. Each daughter was different in her choice, I left it up to them and was proud of all their choices. I'm missing one daugher's doe on account of I never got a picture with my camera, she didn't want to shoot a doe but Dad made her.

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi757.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fxx215%2Fsteen_photos%2FTaras%2520hunts%2FIMGP0302.jpg&hash=fd56a78990e8e3d969f76b598271f525416bd170)

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi757.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fxx215%2Fsteen_photos%2FLeahs%2520hunts%2FIMGP0337.jpg&hash=9b16d2ff01097304db0cdb9d3d81ceb0c2c6a0ea)

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi757.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fxx215%2Fsteen_photos%2FTessas%2520hunts%2F019.jpg&hash=fbde47a5dfabe0445ed3c66f65df095fd2366308)
Title: Re: Sizing a Doe on the Hoof
Post by: MHWASH on December 09, 2011, 06:36:05 PM: Quote from: h20hunter on December 09, 2011, 09:46:18 AM
Look for a big one next to a little one. Shoot the bigger one of the two.

Trust me, that doesn't always work. :bdid:
Title: Re: Sizing a Doe on the Hoof
Post by: Kain on December 09, 2011, 07:29:26 PM: I like them bite size. :chuckle:

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi406.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fpp150%2FNaithankain%2F09deer.jpg&hash=c15025ddfa0eaf6eef7b2dbd94e8c9b30968aa5d)
Title: Re: Sizing a Doe on the Hoof
Post by: wrongway on December 09, 2011, 07:54:41 PM: make sure she has no milk on her lips before the shot lol
Title: Re: Sizing a Doe on the Hoof
Post by: Elkrunner on December 09, 2011, 08:05:00 PM: If its brown its down brotha!
Title: Re: Sizing a Doe on the Hoof
Post by: OltHunter on December 10, 2011, 12:20:45 AM: Thanks for all the advice! Learned some good stuff, ill let u all know how it goes!
Title: Re: Sizing a Doe on the Hoof
Post by: KopperBuck on December 10, 2011, 02:06:13 AM: I shot a yearling calf that I thought for sure was a 1.5 yr old. Till her momma ran by 5 minutes later. Didn't help that that calf was 1.5x the size of the deer I shot that year. Aim legal, aim right, eat right. Good luck man.