If you want to shoot bucks on a food plot, don’t shoot does!
QUESTION: I want to take a few does for the freezer, but my friends said I shouldn’t shoot any from my food plots because then the bucks won’t come out later in the season. If the bucks aren’t there now, what difference does it make?
ANSWER: They may not be there now, but they’ll come. If you want to find bucks during the rut, look for does, because that’s what bucks will be doing. That’s one reason, but there’s an even better reason not to shoot does in your food plots: It creates disturbance.
Deer using the plot will tolerate a certain level, but the more disturbance, the quicker they’ll learn to avoid the area, or at least use it less during daylight. If the primary purpose of your plot is to attract bucks, you want does to feel comfortable so they’ll use it more during the day.
— Recent Ask the Biologist Question: If You Plant It: Food plots and feeding programs don’t guarantee big bucks. Find Out The Answer!