Herd Management

Category: land-management
Topic keys: deer-management, herd-management, buck-management, doe-management, doe-harvest, culling, age-structure

Current guidance

As of 2026-05-24, the most recent claim on this subject.

On herd management, Don has moved to heavier doe harvest, reasoning that too many does makes bucks hard to kill during the rut while too few makes bucks range farther and fight more; he shot eight does and four bucks on his roughly 100-acre farm and links reduced doe numbers to more scrapes, rubs, and daylight buck movement, though nearly every buck ended up with busted antlers from increased fighting. He advises hunters fine-tune doe harvest locally rather than relying solely on state DNR rules. Terry, watching EHD losses in Kentucky, wants to reassess deer numbers before deciding on doe harvest, while Terry has separately noted seeing 32 does one night and 28 the next, suggesting hunters have gotten too strict on doe management. On bucks, Don aims to remove about 75% of three-year-olds per age class and favors a one-buck limit paired with a nonresident hunter cap.

How the guidance evolved (most recent 120 of 308)

• 2024-09-08 Don said he believes CWD hysteria is driving states to avoid managing for older age-class bucks out of fear those deer are more likely to carry the disease. 20:11 — Episode 238 - 2024 Buck Forecast - MORE GIANTS SHOT THIS YEAR
• 2024-09-08 Don said Kansas, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio could all outproduce any other state for trophy deer if they simply managed for older age-class bucks. 20:32 — Episode 238 - 2024 Buck Forecast - MORE GIANTS SHOT THIS YEAR
• 2024-09-08 Terry compared claims that older bucks test positive for CWD more often to saying a 90-year-old is more likely than a 30-year-old to test positive for Alzheimer’s, calling it ridiculous. 23:37 — Episode 238 - 2024 Buck Forecast - MORE GIANTS SHOT THIS YEAR
• 2024-09-08 Don plans to target harvesting ten to fifteen does on his farm this year to control the population. 24:25 — Episode 238 - 2024 Buck Forecast - MORE GIANTS SHOT THIS YEAR
• 2024-09-08 Don said he will hunt gun season for the first time in decades this year, targeting only does rather than a trophy buck. 24:52 — Episode 238 - 2024 Buck Forecast - MORE GIANTS SHOT THIS YEAR
• 2024-09-08 Terry predicted that within two more years there will be a shortage of really good five and six year old bucks due to premature harvest of future giants. 30:06 — Episode 238 - 2024 Buck Forecast - MORE GIANTS SHOT THIS YEAR
• 2024-09-08 Terry specifically predicted a shortage of five and six year old bucks in 2026 and 2027. 30:15 — Episode 238 - 2024 Buck Forecast - MORE GIANTS SHOT THIS YEAR
• 2024-09-08 Don said many hunters who want giant bucks still can’t resist shooting a buck only one or two years away from its full potential. 30:49 — Episode 238 - 2024 Buck Forecast - MORE GIANTS SHOT THIS YEAR
• 2024-09-08 Don said managers need to recognize that a poor antler-growing season next year could cause mature bucks to actually lose inches compared to this year. 46:37 — Episode 238 - 2024 Buck Forecast - MORE GIANTS SHOT THIS YEAR
• 2024-09-16 Don shared he’s revised his view on culling, now believing that in some situations, aggressively culling lower-end bucks can meaningfully influence a herd’s genetics. 29:54 — Episode #239 - EHD Is Closing in on Don’s Farm!
• 2024-09-16 Don advised protecting bucks with 10 or more points as two-year-olds the same way hunters protect button bucks, letting them mature. 30:51 — Episode #239 - EHD Is Closing in on Don’s Farm!
• 2024-09-22 Don opposes antler point restrictions, preferring to manage Illinois deer quality through age structure regulation instead. 49:36 — Episode #240 - If Don Was DNR, How He Would Make Illinois Better Than Iowa
• 2024-09-22 Don would bring in a top biologist such as Bronson Strickland or Gary Alt to help manage a state’s deer herd. 53:06 — Episode #240 - If Don Was DNR, How He Would Make Illinois Better Than Iowa
• 2024-09-29 Don says the regulation changes he’d implement aren’t aimed at fixing high grading directly, but at getting more bucks into older age classes overall. 36:45 — Podcast #241 - Don’s Target Buck Revealed - Non-Typical Giant!
• 2024-09-29 Terry compares wanting a promising young buck to reach maturity to wanting a talented seventh-grade basketball player to make it to varsity. 37:40 — Podcast #241 - Don’s Target Buck Revealed - Non-Typical Giant!
• 2024-10-06 Don made a clean heart shot on a doe during his third hunt of the season, and she only ran about 60 yards before dying. 3:37 — Episode #242 - Stop Hunting October Mornings
• 2024-10-06 Don plans to prioritize getting several does shot early in the season, choosing doe-friendly stands over some of his better trophy-buck spots. 5:00 — Episode #242 - Stop Hunting October Mornings
• 2024-10-06 Terry observed that passing on a mature 150-160 inch three-year-old buck can give a hunter a chance at a 190 inch deer in a later season. 7:52 — Episode #242 - Stop Hunting October Mornings
• 2024-10-06 Don explained that posting trail-camera photos online won’t get the buck killed, since local hunters won’t change their hunting patterns because of his posts. 10:42 — Episode #242 - Stop Hunting October Mornings
• 2024-10-20 Don said he has shot two does so far this season and would like to shoot 12 to 15 total. 15:49 — Episode #244 - October Lull? Don and Terry See Bucks Moving in Mid October
• 2024-10-20 Don said he has created a sanctuary, protects his deer, and feeds them through winter. 29:58 — Episode #244 - October Lull? Don and Terry See Bucks Moving in Mid October
• 2024-10-27 Don plans to fill his four firearm doe tags this season as part of herd management. 2:51 — Episode #245 - Halloween Hunting Should Be Great! Weather and Hunting Forecast from Don Higgins
• 2024-10-27 Don explains he needs to reduce doe numbers on his farm and finds a firearm far more efficient for that than a bow. 2:31 — Episode #245 - Halloween Hunting Should Be Great! Weather and Hunting Forecast from Don Higgins
• 2024-11-03 Don’s season goal was to kill about 15 deer on his farm, mainly does, split across October, November, and the late season. 6:10 — Episode #246 - Don Says - Best November Hunting in 50 Years
• 2024-11-03 Don reports his October harvest tally: five deer taken, four does and the buck Zacchaeus, with November totals still to be determined. 6:30 — Episode #246 - Don Says - Best November Hunting in 50 Years
• 2024-11-03 Don plans to call a couple of roughly 170-inch management bucks on his home farm dead if they show up, though he may just video them. 7:17 — Episode #246 - Don Says - Best November Hunting in 50 Years
• 2024-11-10 Don avoids hunting does in his best stands to prevent disturbing the farm before gun season, hunting less productive spots instead. 18:50 — Episode #247 - Lockdown, Drone’s, and Deer Pimps
• 2024-11-17 Don explains that Wes Delks and Terry are both hunting on his farm for a few days to help with deer management, including shooting does and bucks. 0:46 — Episode #248 - Big Buck Down! Wes Delks Joins Us to Discuss UHAUL
• 2024-12-01 Don predicts his farm will produce big bucks almost every season if the current management program continues. 5:00 — Episode #250 - Prepare for Late Season Big Buck Hunting
• 2024-12-01 Don is building a new PowerPoint presentation on managing a property’s buck herd that he believes no one has ever presented before. 11:31 — Episode #250 - Prepare for Late Season Big Buck Hunting
• 2024-12-08 Joe explains the Mexico ranch’s management program requires bucks to be at least six years old before they can be harvested. 10:05 — Episode #251 - Update on Don & Joe Miles Kills 2 Giant Mexico Bucks!
• 2024-12-15 Don explained every property has a maximum potential, or ‘ceiling,’ and his consulting goal is to help clients reach but not exceed that ceiling. 14:34 — Episode #252 - Don says, “THERE IS NO SECOND RUT!”
• 2024-12-15 Don warned that shooting a buck below your goal late in the season is effectively shooting next year’s bigger, more mature buck. 26:50 — Episode #252 - Don says, “THERE IS NO SECOND RUT!”
• 2024-12-15 Don advises never culling year-and-a-half-old bucks regardless of antler shape, waiting until roughly age three when true potential shows before culling. 61:35 — Episode #252 - Don says, “THERE IS NO SECOND RUT!”
• 2025-01-05 Don believes most property owners don’t understand the huge advantage that land ownership gives them over hunting on permission or public land. 6:23 — Episode #255 - Deer Movement and Weather Fronts
• 2025-01-12 A friend’s neighbor in Indiana killed a buck both had agreed to pass, breaking their mutual agreement to let the deer walk. 12:07 — Episode #256 - Hard Winter and Early Buck Shed? Illinois CWD Announcement
• 2025-01-12 Don says that even if a neighbor breaks a pact to pass a buck, he’ll still pass it himself rather than shoot just because the neighbor might. 13:47 — Episode #256 - Hard Winter and Early Buck Shed? Illinois CWD Announcement
• 2025-01-12 Don wants to harvest a consistent number of does each year, such as six or eight, rather than swinging between heavy harvests and years of almost none. 41:05 — Episode #256 - Hard Winter and Early Buck Shed? Illinois CWD Announcement
• 2025-01-19 Don argues state DNRs’ refusal to manage deer herds for quality — not landowners or fence-builders — is the real cause of fewer mature bucks. 40:32 — Episode #257 - Too Early to Shed Hunt - Show some compassion!
• 2025-01-26 Terry states that the most important factor in developing a property for big bucks is managing your neighbors, not just your own land. 22:45 — Episode #258 - Live Podcast from Mt. Hope Ohio
• 2025-01-26 Terry explains he culled his 167-inch buck as the weakest of the farm’s four-year-olds, illustrating identifying and removing genetically weaker bucks in an age class. 33:01 — Episode #258 - Live Podcast from Mt. Hope Ohio
• 2025-02-09 Terry notes that without neighbors pressuring the property line, a landowner can actually control which deer live to an older age structure. 12:43 — Episode #259 Apple Tree Spacing in Deer Plots
• 2025-03-10 Don says his culling-bucks seminar will detail changes made on his own property and will make a statement that goes against mainstream hunting-industry and biologist views on genetics. 2:31 — Episode #263 - Live from the Iowa Deer Classic
• 2025-04-13 Don plans to shoot a dozen does next season instead of stopping early, since eight didn’t reduce his herd. 26:01 — Episode #268 - Thermal Drone Tells the Truth on Don’s Farm
• 2025-04-20 Don insists it never happens without genetics, no matter how much nutrition or age a buck is given. 21:40 — Episode #269 - Genetics, Nutrition, or Age (which is more important)
• 2025-04-20 Don says he has never seen a single buck reach giant antler status without having the genetics for it. 30:09 — Episode #269 - Genetics, Nutrition, or Age (which is more important)
• 2025-04-27 Aaron says he’s a big advocate of Earn-a-Buck programs, requiring hunters to shoot a doe before taking a buck. 37:30 — Episode #270 - Deer Nutrition with Dr. Aaron Gaines
• 2025-05-04 Don says their consulting goal for every property is twofold: grow the biggest bucks possible and set the property up so the client can actually kill them. 23:28 — Episode #271 - Cool Wet Spring Concerns for Antler Growth and Nutrition
• 2025-05-04 Don says age is the key reason Iowa produces so many big bucks while Michigan and Pennsylvania don’t, since those states lack enough older bucks. 42:46 — Episode #271 - Cool Wet Spring Concerns for Antler Growth and Nutrition
• 2025-06-22 Don says he has noticeably less soybean browse pressure this year than in the past and attributes it to shooting a lot of does last fall and winter. 4:54 — Episode #278 - Are Deer Getting Smaller?
• 2025-06-22 Based on this year’s reduced browse pressure, Don plans to continue his aggressive doe-shooting program, likely taking several more does again. 5:01 — Episode #278 - Are Deer Getting Smaller?
• 2025-07-13 Don says he has never once succeeded in holding a buck on a summer range by manipulating food, cover, or human intrusion once the buck’s seasonal pattern is set. 40:57 — Episode #281 - How Don Tracks Giant Bucks Years in Advance
• 2025-07-13 Don insists deer genetics within a neighborhood can be intentionally changed through herd management, citing his own farm as living proof against the conventional wisdom. 60:31 — Episode #281 - How Don Tracks Giant Bucks Years in Advance
• 2025-07-13 Don observed that after shooting more than double his usual number of does last season, browse pressure on his food plots this year is far lighter than in the past couple years. 56:34 — Episode #281 - How Don Tracks Giant Bucks Years in Advance
• 2025-07-20 Don said he shot more than double the number of deer he’d ever taken in one season on his farm last year. 9:11 — Thermal Drones, Trail Cameras & Big Buck Strategies | Chasing Giants Podcast #282
• 2025-08-17 Don believes letting nature take its course over time, rather than mass culling, would allow deer herds to self-correct for CWD resistance. 21:33 — EP #286 - Preparing for Hunting Season: Plots, Cameras & CWD Truth
• 2025-08-24 Don says he almost never advocates culling yearling or two-year-old bucks. 46:22 — #287 “Predators, Food Plots & Cracker Barrel Woke?
• 2025-08-24 Don advises shooting the worst two of four three-year-old bucks on a property to help mother nature narrow down which bucks remain. 48:56 — #287 “Predators, Food Plots & Cracker Barrel Woke?
• 2025-08-31 Terry’s plan for the season is to focus on killing some does. 3:54 — #288 2025 Buck Forecast: EHD Devastation, Trail Cam Insights & Hard Truths About Trophy Bucks
• 2025-08-31 Terry said one remodeled spot has a feeder near the barn where shooting a doe won’t push deer into his sanctuary. 4:01 — #288 2025 Buck Forecast: EHD Devastation, Trail Cam Insights & Hard Truths About Trophy Bucks
• 2025-08-31 Don speculated the unusual buck patterns might be linked to him having shot all the does on his farm the previous year. 25:00 — #288 2025 Buck Forecast: EHD Devastation, Trail Cam Insights & Hard Truths About Trophy Bucks
• 2025-09-07 Don recommended the listener consider shooting his five-and-a-half-year-old buck to make room for an up-and-coming younger buck. 58:07 — Deer Velvet Shedding & Fall Buck Shifts: Don Higgins Responds to Rumors | Chasing Giants Ep. 289
• 2025-09-28 Don says there’s no shortage of does on his farm and he won’t lay off doe harvest entirely, just shoot fewer than last year. 16:38 — #292 - Public Land Busts, Big Timber Dreams, & Target Bucks
• 2025-09-28 Don will shoot a doe with buck fawns if the opportunity comes by his stand, but won’t shoot every doe opportunity like last year. 17:46 — #292 - Public Land Busts, Big Timber Dreams, & Target Bucks
• 2025-09-28 Don estimates about half a dozen bucks on his property he wouldn’t mind seeing culled. 19:50 — #292 - Public Land Busts, Big Timber Dreams, & Target Bucks
• 2025-10-12 Don plans to be more selective with his grandson this youth season, no longer allowing yearling or two-year-old bucks and targeting three-year-olds and better. 6:14 — #294 From Old School to High Tech: Don Higgins Reflects on 40 Years in the Deer Woods
• 2025-10-12 Terry said that with EHD continuing to take a toll on Kentucky’s deer, he wants to assess deer numbers to guide doe harvest decisions. 7:37 — #294 From Old School to High Tech: Don Higgins Reflects on 40 Years in the Deer Woods
• 2025-10-12 Don noted the two biggest bucks he saw hunting that week both emerged from switchgrass bedding in the evening. 32:10 — #294 From Old School to High Tech: Don Higgins Reflects on 40 Years in the Deer Woods
• 2025-10-19 Don credited wildlife scientist Bronson Strickland’s book for validating the culling-based deer management approach he had already begun. 12:46 — The Magic of Late October | Cold Fronts, Big Bucks & Character in the Woods | Chasing Giants #295
• 2025-10-19 Josh Pretzer shot at one deer during a doe-management hunt, thought he’d missed, then shot and dropped a second deer that came out. 27:41 — The Magic of Late October | Cold Fronts, Big Bucks & Character in the Woods | Chasing Giants #295
• 2025-10-26 Joe describes the exorbitant patience required to avoid shooting the buck at three or four years old. 18:25 — “200-Inch Nebraska Giant: Joe Chambers’ Incredible Buck Story | Chasing Giants Ep. 296”
• 2025-10-26 Terry admits he saw 32 does one night and 28 the next, suggesting hunters like himself have gotten too strict about doe management. 56:46 — “200-Inch Nebraska Giant: Joe Chambers’ Incredible Buck Story | Chasing Giants Ep. 296”
• 2025-10-26 Don says controlling the doe population is part of managing a property, so hunters should keep shooting does. 57:23 — “200-Inch Nebraska Giant: Joe Chambers’ Incredible Buck Story | Chasing Giants Ep. 296”
• 2025-11-02 Don believes keeping the doe-to-buck ratio in line has positively affected his property in many ways. 5:48 — Barometer Secrets & Rut Forecast for Early November! | Chasing Giants 297
• 2025-11-02 Don described his friend Tim Heath of Lincoln, Illinois as the person closest to him in understanding how to manage bucks on a property. 44:04 — Barometer Secrets & Rut Forecast for Early November! | Chasing Giants 297
• 2025-11-23 Don explains that managing the deer herd is about as important as managing the property itself. 29:07 — EPISODE 300! Don Changes His Mind on the Rut + Drone Debate Heats Up!
• 2025-11-23 Don advises that if a property has too many does, it’s time to start shooting more of them to correct herd balance. 29:31 — EPISODE 300! Don Changes His Mind on the Rut + Drone Debate Heats Up!
• 2025-11-23 Don recommends the hunting industry take a major step back on technology use to protect the future of quality deer hunting. 34:09 — EPISODE 300! Don Changes His Mind on the Rut + Drone Debate Heats Up!
• 2025-11-23 Don worries drones in the wrong hands can be devastating on mature bucks. 31:48 — EPISODE 300! Don Changes His Mind on the Rut + Drone Debate Heats Up!
• 2025-11-23 Don warns that someone with a drone can check out an entire township for deer in under an hour. 41:38 — EPISODE 300! Don Changes His Mind on the Rut + Drone Debate Heats Up!
• 2025-11-23 Don says hunters need to start looking out for the deer resource instead of their trophy walls. 43:34 — EPISODE 300! Don Changes His Mind on the Rut + Drone Debate Heats Up!
• 2025-11-23 Don explains a mature buck’s odds of being killed are only about 10% if bedded on a neighbor’s property instead of yours. 45:27 — EPISODE 300! Don Changes His Mind on the Rut + Drone Debate Heats Up!
• 2025-11-30 Don shot eight does and four bucks last year on his roughly 100-acre farm, more does than he’d ever taken there before. 14:32 — Late Season Starts NOW — Cold Fronts, Bucks on Food, and Thanksgiving Reflections | Episode #301
• 2025-11-30 Guest hunter Wes Delks told Don he’d only seen three antlerless deer across six hunts over four days on Don’s farm this season. 15:09 — Late Season Starts NOW — Cold Fronts, Bucks on Food, and Thanksgiving Reflections | Episode #301
• 2025-11-30 Don advised hunters to fine-tune their own doe harvest decisions rather than rely solely on state DNR regulations, since local herd situations vary. 16:27 — Late Season Starts NOW — Cold Fronts, Bucks on Food, and Thanksgiving Reflections | Episode #301
• 2025-11-30 Don observed that shooting fewer does this year led to more scrapes, more rubs, and more bucks moving on his cameras in daylight. 16:58 — Late Season Starts NOW — Cold Fronts, Bucks on Food, and Thanksgiving Reflections | Episode #301
• 2025-12-07 Don says shooting a bunch of does last year on his farm really increased the buck activity and rutting sign he’s seen on his farm this year. 30:39 — Late Season EXPLOSION! Why Giants Are Falling Everywhere | Chasing Giants #302
• 2025-12-07 Don observes his bucks must be fighting like crazy this year since almost every deer he has has busted-up antlers. 30:50 — Late Season EXPLOSION! Why Giants Are Falling Everywhere | Chasing Giants #302
• 2025-12-07 Don explains there’s a balance to doe numbers: too many does makes bucks hard to kill during the rut, while too few makes bucks range farther and fight more, injuring each other. 32:12 — Late Season EXPLOSION! Why Giants Are Falling Everywhere | Chasing Giants #302
• 2025-12-14 Don warns that continuing to support all this hunting technology only decreases the number of bucks that reach maturity. 48:21 — Episode 303 – Late-Season Deer Movement, Winter Food Strategy & The Future of Big Bucks
• 2025-12-14 Don explains that properties leased short-term by nonresident hunters who only shoot bucks become de facto doe sanctuaries for most of the year. 54:19 — Episode 303 – Late-Season Deer Movement, Winter Food Strategy & The Future of Big Bucks
• 2025-12-21 Don had three bucks on his property he wanted removed by season’s end, including a three-year-old eight-point management buck. 1:19 — When Managing Deer Means Saying NO to Giants | Chasing Giants Podcast #304
• 2025-12-21 Don chose to fill his second Illinois tag on a management-class eight-point buck rather than his top target buck going into the season. 6:52 — When Managing Deer Means Saying NO to Giants | Chasing Giants Podcast #304
• 2026-01-04 Don recommends using late season to evaluate food plots and decide whether to harvest does to keep the buck-to-doe ratio balanced going into winter. 4:44 — Kill More Deer. Feed Hungry Kids. | Boone Brothers | Chasing Giants 306
• 2026-01-04 Terry describes a Fleming County, Kentucky consulting visit where he saw more deer sign than anywhere else he’s consulted across the Midwest. 5:19 — Kill More Deer. Feed Hungry Kids. | Boone Brothers | Chasing Giants 306
• 2026-01-04 Don describes a client in Illinois where nuisance deer permits are handed out freely, letting landowners shoot deer year-round with much of the meat going to waste. 10:24 — Kill More Deer. Feed Hungry Kids. | Boone Brothers | Chasing Giants 306
• 2026-01-11 Terry believes thermal drones shouldn’t be allowed for hunting during season, but sees them as a fantastic off-season tool for understanding herd dynamics. 12:31 — Most Hunters Get This Wrong | The Hard Truth About Killing Mature Bucks | Chasing Giants #307
• 2026-01-11 Terry still capes out management bucks he doesn’t plan to mount and gives the hides to his taxidermist, who can use extra capes for damaged client trophies. 46:53 — Most Hunters Get This Wrong | The Hard Truth About Killing Mature Bucks | Chasing Giants #307
• 2026-01-11 Don says he is totally against antler point restrictions, believing there are better management approaches. 36:02 — Most Hunters Get This Wrong | The Hard Truth About Killing Mature Bucks | Chasing Giants #307
• 2026-01-11 Don argues the most important step any state can take for mature buck age structure is pairing regulations with a reasonable nonresident hunter limit. 37:10 — Most Hunters Get This Wrong | The Hard Truth About Killing Mature Bucks | Chasing Giants #307
• 2026-01-18 After heavier doe harvests, Don saw daytime buck activity and rut sign like scrapes increase far beyond anything he’d seen before on his farm. 54:05 — LIVE at 360 Blinds: No Script, No Filters — Just Real Questions | Chasing Giants 308
• 2026-01-18 Don notes a downside of heavier doe harvests was that nearly every buck on his farm ended up with busted antlers from increased fighting. 54:18 — LIVE at 360 Blinds: No Script, No Filters — Just Real Questions | Chasing Giants 308
• 2026-02-01 Don plans to plant more food plot acres this year because unusually high numbers of deer are staying on his property. 6:08 — CULLING BUCKS: Why Shooting 3½-Year-Old 8-Points Actually Works | Chasing Giants #310
• 2026-02-01 Don thinks it’s ridiculous that states like Illinois ban supplemental feeding outside of hunting season during severe winter conditions. 8:25 — CULLING BUCKS: Why Shooting 3½-Year-Old 8-Points Actually Works | Chasing Giants #310
• 2026-02-01 Don states his farm has produced three 200-inch class bucks in recent years: Smoky at 206 inches, Male at 221 inches, and Doubting Thomas at 203 inches. 33:05 — CULLING BUCKS: Why Shooting 3½-Year-Old 8-Points Actually Works | Chasing Giants #310
• 2026-02-01 Don predicts that if his son-in-law and grandsons continue managing his farm as he has, they will keep producing 200-inch bucks after he is gone. 37:00 — CULLING BUCKS: Why Shooting 3½-Year-Old 8-Points Actually Works | Chasing Giants #310
• 2026-02-01 Don asserts his buck-culling management has had a bigger impact on producing giant bucks than his maxed-out nutrition, habitat, or sanctuary programs. 37:36 — CULLING BUCKS: Why Shooting 3½-Year-Old 8-Points Actually Works | Chasing Giants #310
• 2026-02-15 Don said there’s no doubt a one-buck limit has a positive impact on the quality of a deer herd. 13:58 — CWD, One-Buck Limits & The Truth About NDA | Chasing Giants 312
• 2026-02-15 Don said he fully supports a one-buck limit but believes it should be paired with a nonresident hunter limit, or a state loses the benefit to more nonresidents. 14:47 — CWD, One-Buck Limits & The Truth About NDA | Chasing Giants 312
• 2026-02-22 Don explains he aims to remove about 75% of three-year-old bucks in each age class, since fewer competitors makes the best bucks more likely to stay and grow. 30:28 — Chasing Giants LIVE at the Midwest Sportsmen’s Classic | Shipshewana, IN | Presented by FAE
• 2026-03-08 Don says isolation is a key factor in his farm’s deer quality, something he didn’t realize was a diamond in the rough until thirty years of work there. 40:30 — Permission Properties, Scrape Magnet Explained, and Our Health Journeys | Chasing Giants Ep. 315
• 2026-04-12 Don advises clients creating a new sanctuary to stay out completely for the first five years, not even for shed hunting, to build the deer’s sense of safety. 56:02 — Don Higgins Breaks Down His Favorite Properties of 2026 - Chasing Giants #320
• 2026-04-26 Don recommends adding diverse food sources like pumpkins to make a farm stand out to deer, helping hold them and keep them from wandering off and getting shot elsewhere. 17:04 — Don Shares Personal News + The #1 Mistake Hunters Make | Chasing Giants Podcast 322
• 2026-04-26 Don noted that Illinois backed away from its CWD sharpshooter program, reportedly because it was having no effect. 41:02 — Don Shares Personal News + The #1 Mistake Hunters Make | Chasing Giants Podcast 322
• 2026-05-17 Bryhn Craft says he stays neutral on debates like switchgrass versus other cover or feeding versus not feeding, preferring to gather all available knowledge. 5:27 — Why Most Hunters NEVER Kill Big Bucks (Bryhn Craft Tells the Truth) | Chasing Giants #325
• 2026-05-17 Bryhn Craft says after implementing habitat plans, his farms went from holding one booner-class buck a year to six or seven within five seasons. 7:28 — Why Most Hunters NEVER Kill Big Bucks (Bryhn Craft Tells the Truth) | Chasing Giants #325
• 2026-05-17 Bryhn Craft describes passing a legit 180-inch four-year-old buck on his farm because he was instead hunting an older, lower-scoring deer. 56:40 — Why Most Hunters NEVER Kill Big Bucks (Bryhn Craft Tells the Truth) | Chasing Giants #325
• 2026-05-24 Don thinks Indiana should move its gun season out of November, arguing that change could let the state start producing far bigger bucks. 42:34 — Why Mature Bucks Go Nocturnal | Chasing Giants Podcast 326
• 2026-05-24 Don thinks Iowa should eliminate its late muzzleloader season, arguing it kills many mature bucks that would otherwise survive to grow bigger. 52:38 — Why Mature Bucks Go Nocturnal | Chasing Giants Podcast 326
• 2026-05-24 Bryhn Craft’s comment that every 200-inch buck was once a 180-inch buck stuck with Don as a reason not to shoot every mature 180-class deer. 56:57 — Why Mature Bucks Go Nocturnal | Chasing Giants Podcast 326

Contradictions & open questions

Places where the show’s advice on this subject appears to disagree with itself, either between speakers or over time. Both claims are shown as they were said, with dates. Nothing here is resolved — which one applies is the reader’s call, and the owners’.

• Guidance may have changed: Don’s target doe harvest for his farm: a consistent six or eight per year versus a dozen next season since eight failed to reduce the herd.
  • 2025-01-12 Don wants to harvest a consistent number of does each year, such as six or eight, rather than swinging between heavy harvests and years of almost none. 41:05 — Episode #256 - Hard Winter and Early Buck Shed? Illinois CWD Announcement
  • 2025-04-13 Don plans to shoot a dozen does next season instead of stopping early, since eight didn’t reduce his herd. 26:01 — Episode #268 - Thermal Drone Tells the Truth on Don’s Farm
• Guidance may have changed: Fraction of three-year-old bucks Don advises culling on a property: two of four (50%) versus about 75% of the age class.
  • 2025-08-24 Don advises shooting the worst two of four three-year-old bucks on a property to help mother nature narrow down which bucks remain. 48:56 — #287 “Predators, Food Plots & Cracker Barrel Woke?
  • 2026-02-22 Don explains he aims to remove about 75% of three-year-old bucks in each age class, since fewer competitors makes the best bucks more likely to stay and grow. 30:28 — Chasing Giants LIVE at the Midwest Sportsmen’s Classic | Shipshewana, IN | Presented by FAE
• Guidance may have changed: Don’s stated doe-harvest intensity for the upcoming season: continuing the aggressive program, taking several more, versus shooting fewer than last year.
  • 2025-06-22 Based on this year’s reduced browse pressure, Don plans to continue his aggressive doe-shooting program, likely taking several more does again. 5:01 — Episode #278 - Are Deer Getting Smaller?
  • 2025-09-28 Don says there’s no shortage of does on his farm and he won’t lay off doe harvest entirely, just shoot fewer than last year. 16:38 — #292 - Public Land Busts, Big Timber Dreams, & Target Bucks

Questions on this topic (60 of 160)

• Terry asks Don what will happen if one of his grandsons is hunting and Babe walks out at 25 yards. 28:08 — Episode #182 - Don’s Buck Management Plan for 2023
• Terry asks Brent what his goal is for hunting Don’s property. 11:19 — Episode #85 - The Ones That Got Away… New Series by Don
• Listener Drew Wright asked the smallest acreage needed to produce and hold mature bucks on an isolated property. 32:53 — When Managing Deer Means Saying NO to Giants | Chasing Giants Podcast #304
• Listener Jeff Sparks asked what Don thought of allowing party hunting for does only in Illinois. 51:26 — When Managing Deer Means Saying NO to Giants | Chasing Giants Podcast #304
• Listener Jabin Walker asked what Don does with excess doe meat and for advice on handling surplus harvests. 53:36 — When Managing Deer Means Saying NO to Giants | Chasing Giants Podcast #304
• Parker Redicker asked whether he should shoot a mature buck whose antler growth declined this year, or let him go hoping for a rebound. 15:08 — Episode #187 - Do Trail Camera’s Spook Mature Bucks?
• Rich Eddington asks what impact it would have if someone with a lot of money bought adjoining land and used Don’s management practices. 41:43 — Don Higgins Breaks Down His Favorite Properties of 2026 - Chasing Giants #320
• Terry asks Don to walk through his social-media series debating whether genetics, age, or nutrition matters most for a deer herd. 13:57 — Episode #269 - Genetics, Nutrition, or Age (which is more important)
• Should land managers worry about down antler years as long as buck age structure stays intact, or push for change when circumstances shift? 19:49 — Episode #83 Don’s Buck Inventory shows 32 bucks over 150”
• Jerry Kienas asks if his food plot program is missing anything for antler growth, and how to attract and hold bigger bucks. 66:46 — Episode #83 Don’s Buck Inventory shows 32 bucks over 150”
• Tim Lowe from Fort Wayne, Indiana asked whether Don supplemented his wild herd with his former captive deer and how long he’s culled for these results. 42:11 — Episode #76 - Where are the big bucks? August is here! Final Prep
• Brock asked whether Don and Terry struggle to shoot mature bucks they’ve watched grow up for years, or if he’s just getting soft. 42:36 — Barometer Secrets & Rut Forecast for Early November! | Chasing Giants 297
• An anonymous listener from Farmville USA asks whether a well-managed property can have an ‘off year’ when good bucks pass through but don’t stay. 20:12 — Episode #148 - Are Bucks Shedding Antlers Early This Year?
• Alex Bains asks how many bucks per age class is ideal, and what buck-to-doe ratio to target per 100 acres. 53:10 — Episode #148 - Are Bucks Shedding Antlers Early This Year?
• Jesse Decker asks how to differentiate an abnormally large two-year-old buck from an average three-year-old, since body shape is hard to judge. 60:18 — Episode #119 - Memorial Day Tribute and Aging Bucks on Trail Cam Pics
• Barry Holt from Gap, Pennsylvania asks what’s more frustrating: a neighbor shooting a buck on your target list, or one you wanted to let grow more years. 51:12 — Episode 199 - Dewormer in Deer Feed, Tractors, Screens, and Windmills
• Did you meet your doe harvest goals, and when did you focus on thinning the herd? 38:15 — Episode #256 - Hard Winter and Early Buck Shed? Illinois CWD Announcement
• Lewis asks whether a property can have too many does. 53:27 — Episode #61 - Live from the Midwest Sportsman Show - TOUGH QUESTIONS FROM LIVE CROWD
• Terry relays a listener’s question asking whether too many does will push a buck off the property. 63:51 — Episode #61 - Live from the Midwest Sportsman Show - TOUGH QUESTIONS FROM LIVE CROWD
• Justin Rice from Poynette, Wisconsin asks when Don and Terry first noticed more older age-class bucks and whether their management influenced neighboring bucks. 60:00 — Episode #115 - Don’s Top Four Properties Visited This Year
• Grant Flipping from Jefferson City, Missouri asked why Missouri, despite bordering top whitetail states, is never mentioned as a hot spot, blaming state mismanagement. 43:59 — Episode #176 - Don’s Advice for Battery High Prices
• Paul asks whether Don still believes the deer herd remains below pre-EHD levels and whether he’s now shooting does on his own farm or for landowners. 44:15 — Episode #149 Frigid Temps and Deer… Merry Christmas 2022!
• How many buck fawns does it take to produce one target buck—at least five years old and 180 inches—given predation, mowing, poaching, and hunting mortality? 38:33 — Episode #252 - Don says, “THERE IS NO SECOND RUT!”
• Bob asks how to identify which does should be culled versus kept when managing herd ratio, given uncertainty about doe genetics. 48:40 — Episode #27 Season is closing in. Final prep work is being done along with addressing some hurt feelings.
• Josh asks if Don has ideas to convince neighboring landowners to pass on three-year-old bucks. 53:50 — Episode #263 - Live from the Iowa Deer Classic
• Would Don shoot an unfamiliar three-and-a-half-year-old buck on public land rather than risk another hunter taking him? 78:36 — Episode #125 - Wheat Prices May Change Late Season Hunting
• Brandon McDaniel asks whether Kentucky should offer an extra buck tag for tagging additional does, per a Fish and Wildlife survey on increasing doe harvest. 47:56 — Episode #171 - Take What a Property Gives You!
• Dan Schultz asks what Don thinks state DNR agencies should manage for—age structure, population numbers, or trophy opportunities. 55:56 — Episode #171 - Take What a Property Gives You!
• Ryan Turner asks whether nutrition and habitat work he does for buck fawns mainly ends up benefiting neighboring properties once bucks disperse. 68:31 — Chasing Giants Episode 121 - Residual Herbicide Discussion & Don is Buying a Farm
• Matt Schultz asked what harm working or using land near a sanctuary in late winter through early summer does if bucks have already left for their summer range. 34:17 — Episode #264 - Big Rope Scrapes and Big Bucks!
• A newer land manager in the Carolinas asks the panel to explain doe-to-buck ratio for beginners and when he should be killing more does. 46:57 — EPISODE #107 - Don Knows How To Fire Up Southern Folks!
• An audience member asks whether a herd’s protective lead doe that alerts other deer becomes a liability or remains an asset to hunters targeting larger bucks. 49:41 — EPISODE #107 - Don Knows How To Fire Up Southern Folks!
• Dave Least asks whether it’s better to shoot does early before they’re bred or if timing doesn’t matter. 32:08 — Episode #240 - If Don Was DNR, How He Would Make Illinois Better Than Iowa
• Eric Wolf asked whether he should remove all older does as soon as possible to ensure buck fawns get maximum nutritional benefit before birth. 54:45 — Episode #92 - Don in Facebook Jail?
• Jeremy Melville asked whether Don lets family and friends shoot three-to-four-year-old eight pointers to give them opportunities, or to remove deer unlikely to score high later. 58:54 — Episode #92 - Don in Facebook Jail?
• An audience member asks how Don and Terry calculate carrying capacity and set doe harvest numbers on their farms and consulting clients’ land. 31:53 — Episode #211 - Live from RWWP Dealer Event - BINGO
• An anonymous Missouri listener asked whether sanctuaries are best placed in the center, exterior, or a combination on a property. 58:48 — Episode #163 - The Hype of Chestnut Trees…
• Eli Doyle asks Don and Terry’s thoughts on the Illinois bill loosening nuisance deer permit rules and what it would take for better deer management practices. 22:54 — Episode #273 - Clover Maintenance and Spring Planting
• Casey Virgin asked how aggressively Don would run a cull program on mature bucks unlikely to become desirable trophies. 37:53 — Episode #36 Peak Rut Update, Warm Weather, maybe a little election and religion
• Terry asks Don whether Boone Brothers solves hunters’ moral dilemma of killing does without a good way to use the meat. 9:36 — Kill More Deer. Feed Hungry Kids. | Boone Brothers | Chasing Giants 306
• Dylan Shaw asks what counts as human intrusion and how much intrusion-free acreage a property needs. 30:13 — Episode #24 - Don is glassing bucks at night while Terry tests Don’s idea of Saddle Hunting…
• Is it more important to remove adult does that may carry big-buck genetics, or protect them so they keep producing potential big bucks? 54:25 — Episode #281 - How Don Tracks Giant Bucks Years in Advance
• Jacob Wessels of Fairbury, Illinois asks whether antler point restrictions do more harm than good and if Don would encourage Illinois DNR to implement them. 49:39 — Episode #7 - Hunting during lock down - Things do not always go easy in the “Real World”
• If cull bucks and small yearlings are left to breed the does every year, what happens to the doe herd’s quality over time? 25:15 — Episode #95 - Live from Guthrie, KY
• With an abundant doe herd, what part of the season is best for taking does? 40:54 — Episode #95 - Live from Guthrie, KY
• Terry asks Don to explain his culling philosophy of letting the best bucks in each age class live while removing eight-pointers first. 25:30 — CULLING BUCKS: Why Shooting 3½-Year-Old 8-Points Actually Works | Chasing Giants #310
• Garrett asked whether a three-and-a-half-year-old buck scoring 250-plus inches, having added 100 inches from the prior season, would be a target on Don’s farm. 43:25 — Why Some Hunting Properties Work Instantly… And Others Fail - Chasing Giants Podcast #319
• Terry asked Don what he learned from raising cattle that ended up paralleling deer management. 11:30 — The Magic of Late October | Cold Fronts, Big Bucks & Character in the Woods | Chasing Giants #295
• If Justin passes a buck with a possible pedicle injury this year, will his antlers return to normal or stay non-typical? 25:40 — Episode #227 - Science Behind Summer Solstice and Whitetail
• Keith Evans asked Don and Terry’s thoughts on banning cell cams and whether they save as many bucks as they kill. 40:02 — The Weirdest Rut Ever: Warm Temps, Barometers, and Big Bucks | Chasing Giants Ep #298
• Larry Beachy asked how long Don managed his wild deer population before starting to cull younger bucks. 21:48 — Episode #105 Live from Shipshewana, IN - 2 Episodes in One!
• John Miller asked what buck-to-doe ratio Don maintains and whether too many does is a problem. 129:46 — Episode #105 Live from Shipshewana, IN - 2 Episodes in One!
• Paul Troyer asked whether he should have shot a doe with triplet button bucks to keep them around. 113:24 — Episode #105 Live from Shipshewana, IN - 2 Episodes in One!
• How detrimental does Don think coon hunting with hounds is to a quality deer property? 38:18 — Episode #262 - The Controlled Burn on Switchgrass GONE BAD!
• Why did Don’s buck only grow four inches between years — weather related, nutrition related, or did other area bucks also not grow much? 47:36 — Episode #46 Dual Bolt Crossbow Opinions and New Products from Real World
• Bryan asks Don what his number one deer management technique has been. 21:01 — Episode #22 - Special Contest Winner Bryan Medinger and Don has big announcement
• Are you concerned about maintaining a specific buck-to-doe ratio on your hunting properties? 34:00 — Episode #5 - November is Here!
• With 20 acres of timber and good food plots, what else can I do to keep bucks on my property? 37:05 — Episode #5 - November is Here!
• Don asks Aaron whether supplemental feeding bans meant to slow CWD are actually warranted. 35:57 — Episode #270 - Deer Nutrition with Dr. Aaron Gaines
• How can hunters get more excited about taking more does? 53:36 — LIVE at 360 Blinds: No Script, No Filters — Just Real Questions | Chasing Giants 308

Unofficial fan project. AI-synthesized from public episodes; may contain errors.