Some data from a study in Virginia... sometimes killing momma is what let's you have a shot at the buck. If she is an older doe, have no fear in shooting her. It often is the best QDM decision.
"Surprisingly, it is often the buck’s mother who forces the buck to disperse! A telemetry study done by Drs. Stefan Holzenbein and Larry Marchinton in Virginia shed new light on this phenomenon. Radio collars were placed on 34 buck fawns to track their movements and death rates for two years. The mothers of 15 fawns were also caught and released 20 miles away. This was done to orphan 15 of the 34 bucks fawns (to simulate harvesting of does). The remaining 19 buck fawns were left with their mothers.
The scientists discovered that 9 percent of the orphaned bucks dispersed to new areas. However, over 85 percent of bucks left with their mothers dispersed. Most of this movement happened during either the summer fawning season or later that fall during the rut. The scientists concluded the mothers themselves forced these bucks to disperse! They suggested this occurred to reduce inbreeding.
The scientists also found that orphaned bucks lived longer. Only 55 percent of orphaned bucks died during the study while over 90 percent of bucks left when their mothers died. Starvation or predators caused most deaths.
The scientists felt orphaned bucks lived longer because they were able to stay home. Non-orphaned bucks were forced into unfamiliar areas (usually two to six miles away) where more deaths took place. These bucks did not know the escape routes and best places to find food and as a result, mortality was higher."
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