It is hard to manage a deer herd on 500 acres but you can have some impact. I would point out a couple of things:
1) Generally you will see more small bucks and does even in a well balanced herd because the big bucks didn't get big by being visible. A camera census may help.
2) I doubt the smaller bucks are breeding the does. You may see them chasing the does but if there are dominant bucks around the does will find them.
Typically the QDM managers I know use a combination of camera census, written hunter reports and harvest information to determine the deer density, sex ratio and percentage of older age class bucks. Then they set the harvest goals for the club. A QDM club I belong to requires that every deer harvested be checked in, aged and scored at the club or face a fine. That club requires a 100 inch minimum antler score before it is harvested or pay a fine. Generally that protects all the bucks under 3.5 years old.
My 2 cents would be to hammer away at the does and let all the under age bucks pass. Determine what's the minimum age buck you want to harvest and wait for him. I would also try to recruit the adjoining land owners to protect the young bucks.
1) Generally you will see more small bucks and does even in a well balanced herd because the big bucks didn't get big by being visible. A camera census may help.
2) I doubt the smaller bucks are breeding the does. You may see them chasing the does but if there are dominant bucks around the does will find them.
Typically the QDM managers I know use a combination of camera census, written hunter reports and harvest information to determine the deer density, sex ratio and percentage of older age class bucks. Then they set the harvest goals for the club. A QDM club I belong to requires that every deer harvested be checked in, aged and scored at the club or face a fine. That club requires a 100 inch minimum antler score before it is harvested or pay a fine. Generally that protects all the bucks under 3.5 years old.
My 2 cents would be to hammer away at the does and let all the under age bucks pass. Determine what's the minimum age buck you want to harvest and wait for him. I would also try to recruit the adjoining land owners to protect the young bucks.