doe harvest

Deer Report: Doe Harvest Jumps, Mature Buck Harvest Sets Another Record

Jan 9, 2026 NDA Staff

U.S. deer hunters gave the antlerless deer harvest a much-needed boost in the 2024-25 season, putting the total back above 3 million for only the third time in 11 years and ahead of the antlered…

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The Benefits of Balancing Deer With the Carrying Capacity of Their Habitat

Nov 17, 2025 Kip Adams

“Carrying capacity” is an often-used concept in deer management discussions. Biologists, managers and hunters routinely refer to the carrying capacity of an area, or whether a deer herd is above or below this magical point….

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9 Tips for Making Doe Harvest and Venison Donation a Community Celebration

Sep 22, 2025 Kim Zuhlke

Despite widespread awareness of the importance of doe harvest, many hunters struggle to meet goals and maintain deer populations in balance with habitat. Our local group of NDA volunteers, the Coulee Country Branch, has been…

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The National Deer Association’s Guide to Doe Harvest

Aug 12, 2025 NDA Staff

Whitetails are prey. Like any prey animal, they produce enough offspring to compensate for losses to predators, so when there aren’t enough predators around, whitetails overpopulate. Today, hunters are by far the number one predator…

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The Joys of Serving Others Through Doe Harvest

Apr 8, 2025 Elizabeth Kligge

It’s really hard to find time to hunt deer when your job revolves around giving other people opportunities to hunt deer. As NDA’s Director of Hunter Recruitment, I make plans to get out there for…

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I Tagged My Oldest Doe Ever. Was it a Warning Sign?

Dec 18, 2024 Lindsay Thomas Jr.

I was desperate. I was down to my last few days of hunting for the year, and my freezer would have been chirping if it was a smoke detector. The woods seemed desolate, too. I…

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Weak Excuses and Legitimate Concerns of Late-Season Doe Harvest

Dec 11, 2024 Kip Adams

During my career as a deer biologist, I’ve heard many weak excuses for why hunters pass up opportunities at antlerless deer late in the hunting season. I’m sure you’ve heard some of them, too. Conversely,…

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12 Signs You Should Harvest More Does

Aug 21, 2024 Lindsay Thomas Jr.

How many does should you harvest? It’s a perennial question for our organization and many deer hunters. Here are 12 signs to look for that indicate you need to take more than you have been….

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Some Whitetail Does Are Super Fawn Recruiters. Here’s What That Means for Deer Harvest.

Mar 13, 2024 Lindsay Thomas Jr.

Would you be surprised to learn not every doe raises a fawn each year? Zero is an option, even when fawn predators are not a factor. For some does to skip years, though, there must…

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This Spooky Old Doe was a Trophy Deer

Dec 17, 2023 Lindsay Thomas Jr.

Even though I had the wind in my favor, she walked in asking to speak to the manager. Those ears were like radar dishes, the nose skeptical, the front leg lifted and ready to stomp….

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