Why doe not easier to hunt than buck (in CO)?

[rbaldini]

Folks,

I'm new to hunting. 2018 will be my first. I've been checking out the harvest statistics provided by CO Parks and Wildlife. I find it surprising that doe hunts do not appear to have a higher harvest rate than buck hunts.

Here are 2016 success rates for rifle hunters, excluding Private-Land-Only tags.
Buck: 47%
Doe: 42%
Other years show about the same pattern.
(Now, I looked at just units that include buck and doe tags, for fair comparison. In season 2, at least, there was no significant difference between the two.)

Given that there are at least 2 doe for every buck in Colorado, I'm surprised by these numbers. I'd think that doe would be a significantly easier hunt. So why not? One guess is that I think doe tend to be in bigger groups (is that true?)... maybe more eyes -> harder to get? Or maybe people don't try as hard for doe? Or are doe just more skittish than testosterone charged bucks?

(This pattern does not apply for CO elk, by the way. In 2016, 14% of bull hunters succeeded, compared to 22% cow hunters.)

Thoughts?

 

[Aussie_hunter_JD]

I haven't hunted there but in my experience there's a universal driver at play. Those big sexy things on a bucks head that is. Here people will let 10 females walk passed in the hope of seeing one good male.

 

[Jerky]

I've personally let my doe tags lie unused after the freezer was full.

That, and I doubt people are that motivated to go the extra mile to fill a doe tag.

 

[p_ham]

That, and I doubt people are that motivated to go the extra mile to fill a doe tag.

I would agree that people in general, aren't as willing to put in as much effort on a doe. Or cow elk for that matter. I have heard countless times "I'm not hiking all the way into **** if there's no horns."

 

[Poke 'Em]

I buy a doe tag every year in case I don't find a buck I'm after, but I usually don't fill it. This is Montana, but I guarantee that approach is what drives the stats. If I wanted a doe, I guarantee I could fill that tag with a 100% success rate every year.

 

[el unit]

I've personally let my doe tags lie unused after the freezer was full.

That, and I doubt people are that motivated to go the extra mile to fill a doe tag.

Same here, with cow elk too.

 

[uncle sage]

For me, three things have to happen to consider shooting a breeder doe.

1. None other can be had.
2. The meat is badly needed.
3. There obviously are plenty of animals on the given habitat.

I've taken a lot of big game animals in my day. It's just the way i've rolled but never have i wanted or had to shoot a doe of any kind.