I am managing for trophy bucks so the ideal ration is supposed to be 2 does per buck which favors the largest bucks fertilizing most of the does. I was getting close before the new hunters joined the foray. They seem to be killing more than allowed (1 buck per year) because they often don't recover their first kill because they run so far without a blood trail. In addition to cover, I think my multiple water sources help keep the deer close. Prairie offers cover, but deer are primarily browsers. They seem to particularly like blackberry canes. I planted turnips a few years back but they never touched them. Deer seem to love turnips on other people's property, but I don't think that my deer ever felt hungry enough to try them. My best cover are the blocks of overgrown spruce which are off limits to people at all times. These provide both shelter and food. I judge my buck-to-doe ratio subjectively based on my sightings in the stand. I get out a lot, and can judge the trends from year to year. We have a large number of does, so I try to max out every year. I also helped a neighboring landowner recover a doe that ran into my place, and helped him with a long drag, and even loaded it on my vehicle and brought it to his place. Was glad that he took it and happy to help him, but it ran a long way before going down. Everybody has this happen occasionally, but it should not be the norm.
