So what if the deer has an embryo the point these days is to control the population. I know it sounds harsh but it is kind of like those that say they don't shoot a deer if it is young but a dead deer is a dead deer and if it makes you feel any better a young doe won't have an embryo. Man I am still wondering why you are digging inside to even find an embryo I have never even thought about doing that. Just go hunting man.

Many of the hunters I know opt to take a doe early in the season. Their reasoning is that if you fill the freezer early in the season with a doe, you will feel less obligated to shoot a small buck.

It all depends on what you are hunting for. If you are a meat hunter - and there is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to put venison in the freezer for this purpose - then I would advise to you harvest does when you have the opportunity. Anytime you let a legal deer walk, there is a chance that you will not get another opportunity. It's a gamble. That is the chance you take. If your main concern is harvesting a nice buck, then let the does walk and hope that a buck is following them. As I said earlier, it all depends on what kind of a hunt you want to have.

Like Herbie we have an extended doe and spike season after our rifle season. so we usually wait till the end. every doe we cleaned had an embryo though. It kinda made me wonder why they have it at the end of the season.

If you have lots of does then meat shouldn't be a problem, older ones can be weary, but as far as challenging quarry they aren't. Bow hunt them early and let em' walk late in the season, this is what I have learned by taking three sets of twins that I would like to seen mature. "If its brown its down" may rhyme, but has only so much reason. Following a good year our camp just voted only one doe per member, to protect the herd from over hunting.

I believe that it really all depends on your hunting area but in the North East the does in January are pregnant, and the deer herd is not as good as the mid-west per say, so therefore shooting a doe in late seasons risks shooting not only a doe, but a potential buck with god only knows what kind of genes. However, the deer heard should be managed properly so that the buck-to-doe ratio is close to equal. Now i know everyone is thinking that that wont happen, and you are all probably right. So I guess depending on the area, does should be taken early in the season before they get bred.