Does and Fawns

[ShooterMike]

Shoot young does?
Shoot a doe wither her fawn?
Shoot fawns?

I don’t know if it’s a matter of conscience, ethics, or principle, but I don’t feel good about shooting fawns or does with fawns or young does.

Not looking for “argument” on the matter; rather, I’m soliciting the perspective of others.


Semper Fi,
Mike
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[d_rek]

I don't like taking a doe if she is with one or more fawns. I will take a doe if there are additional doe and fawns around. Yes I shoot young does as long as they are not with fawns.

Single does with fawns have probably cost me more venison over the years than anything. Just can't bring my self to pop them when they're with their babbies.

I should also add this is in semi-rural ag land. Doe to buck ratio is way out of whack - tons of does running around. Does not hurt our local herd to take a few extra doe out of the mix whatsoever.

 

[Wyatt_burp]

Depends on the day, and how much venison in my freezer. I only hunt public and deer population is huge, where I am going this afternoon there is no limit on does. I've let big ones with babies walk, I shot them, I killed small does. If you are hunting for food and have limited tags I wouldn't shoot a small doe. But with an outrageous population and no limit, I'll kill a small one for a family BBQ, and just throw a front shoulder through the grinder for burger and smoke a rear quarter on the traeger.

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[Nutterbuster]

I shot a fawn and a yearling doe this weekend. They're both legal deer in Alabama. Our biologists have determined that harvesting them is not a concern for the herd health, and probably is beneficial.

It doesn't stoke the fires the way my 8 point did, but it's fun and I see it as a moral non-issue. Do or don't, as you please.

 

[ShooterMike]

Depends on the day, and how much venison in my freezer. I only hunt public and deer population is huge, where I am going this afternoon there is no limit on does. I've let big ones with babies walk, I shot them, I killed small does. If you are hunting for food and have limited tags I wouldn't shoot a small doe. But with an outrageous population and no limit, I'll kill a small one for a family BBQ, and just throw a front shoulder through the grinder for burger and smoke a rear quarter on the traeger.

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The issue of population in an area is a point I hadn’t considered. Thank you for that. Unfortunately that’s not a “problem” where I hunt. The area and county I do hunt goes “antlered deer only” in mid November. I have two does and fawn who are regulars around the trees I set up in.


Semper Fi,
Mike
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[elk yinzer]

I can't bring myself to shoot them anymore when they are with their fawns. Several years ago shot one and the two fawns stuck around for 3 hours bleating the whole time.

 

[TNbowhunter]

I prefer not to shoot does with little ones--maybe it's a remnant of my Disney/Bambi childhood, who knows. With fawns, you also run the risk of unknowingly shooting a button buck, which is not ideal. Not to say I haven't or never would do it, but I prefer not to.

 

[mattsteg]

Depends on the local population, management objectives, time available, and state of my freezer. And in most places where I hunt state game regulations and management objectives are in-line with mine.

I'll generally go for antlerless deer (with a preference for older does but not a super strong one) in elevated population areas where the population impact is negligible (or even a decrease in population desirable), when I want to up my freezer stock and I have either time to process or conditions to hang. In lower population areas, if I don't have a ton of time for processing, or if I don't have freezer space, I'll pass. Fawns are fully able to fend for themselves when our season is open, so I don't really worry about that.

 

[gcr0003]

Shoot young does?
Shoot a doe wither her fawn?
Shoot fawns?

I don’t know if it’s a matter of conscience, ethics, or principle, but I don’t feel good about shooting fawns or does with fawns or young does.

Not looking for “argument” on the matter; rather, I’m soliciting the perspective of others.


Semper Fi,
Mike
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This is a heavily debated topic with does and button bucks but now AL made it legal to shoot fawns so that too is up for question.

I have no problem with someone shooting a legal deer; however, I find no sport in shooting fawns or nursing mothers. I don’t think it’s a moral thing because at the end of the day we are still killing stuff and to me killing is killing.
I posed this along with another question to some friends. This is what they had to say.

 

[gcr0003]

This is a heavily debated topic with does and button bucks but now AL made it legal to shoot fawns so that too is up for question.

I have no problem with someone shooting a legal deer; however, I find no sport in shooting fawns or nursing mothers. I don’t think it’s a moral thing because at the end of the day we are still killing stuff and to me killing is killing.
I posed this along with another question to some friends. This is what they had to say.View attachment 37933View attachment 37934View attachment 37935View attachment 37936View attachment 37937View attachment 37938

Of course in my question I took it one step further by asking about spotted fawns specifically. I think you see that a few of them said as soon as there are no spots they are fair game.

 

[TNSTAAFL]

Only an 8 year hunter, so keep that in mind, but I've only seen one spotted fawn during hunting season. Lots of non spotted fawns.

I've shot two fawns this year, one doe one button buck (discovered after). I had no deer kills last year so the freezer was empty and these were the first two opportunities I've had in two years. Couldn't pass it up.

I've passed some fawns in the past but, only when I had bigger deer around to target. I guess I did let one solo fawn walk one time, but I had venison in the freezer already.

I personally don't have a problem shooting a doe with one or more fawns. I've done it several times. Only once did the fawn bleat after. That was a little unsettling but it didn't last. The thing is, most adult does have fawns. Even if you can't see them at the moment, doesn't mean they're not around the area. So shooting only those "without fawns" doesn't guarantee what the situation is.

Certainly population objectives are a part of this conversation. My state would like more does/fawns harvested, and way fewer bucks harvested. So I feel like my personal approach is in line with state biologist objectives for herd managment.

All this to say, I got into this hobby to kill deer and enjoy venison that I harvested. If I didn't target does or fawns I would have little to show for my efforts and few venison meals. I have only seen three legal bucks in eight years of hunting. Two are on my wall and one got a pass as he was a yearling 4-pointer.

Everybody's state, herd, and personal goals are unique to them of course. I don't begrudge others' choices on the matter.

 

[Loopwing]

Spots, does with obvious fawns in tow, and button bucks get a pass. A buddy of mine shot a smaller deer a few years back when it crossed the trail in front of us. The mother emerged from the woods and slowly walked over to the dead deer and layed down beside it. Out of mercy he killed her too. I was standing right there and saw the whole thing. A family unit gets a pass. Now a single small doe without spots just might die given the day.

 

[swd]

We have a large deer population around here. I'll let does with spotted fawns pass. Biggest reason is the idea of the fawn starving. After the spots fade, all bets are off. I need 5 to 6 deer per season to fill my freezer, more if hunting for friends and family. The young ones do not have a robust flavor, but my goodness are they tender!

I do try to pass button bucks because our ratio is way off. That said, I have killed a couple of button bucks unintentionally.

 

[kyler1945]

I’m curious about the folks who say they’ll shoot a doe that’s not with fawns. If you’re doing that prior to the rut, there’s a better chance than not that the doe your shooting has a fawn with her, it just isn’t in eyesight.

Doesn’t this fall into the same line of thinking as “make my meat in a square package, as long as I don’t have to see what happens prior.” That we like to bash?

I totally get not wanting to shoot a doe because you don’t want to watch a fawn grow up before your eyes. But being ok with it happening as long as you don’t have to watch it seems odd juxtaposed with the other option.

I’m not a biologist, but for the average herd that’s in good balance, a fawn is more likely to die than a doe in a given year, taking humans out of the equation. If your goal is to keep things as harmonious as possible, shoot a fawn. If your goal is to satiate your bloodlust, with as little social cost as possible, and a good story to tell yourself to sleep at night, shoot a doe.

mostly, keep it legal and do what you want to do. And post pictures!

 

[ShooterMike]

Maybe there isn’t a “right answer”, but the comments here clearly indicate that respect, care, compassion, and consideration remain at the heart of what we do.


Semper Fi,
Mike
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[Loopwing]

Most, not all, deer I shoot I have been watching for a little bit before I shoot. Fawns don't stray 200-300 yards off.

 

[OspreyZB]

In NJ for the first few weeks of the season you have to shoot an antlerless deer before you can shoot a buck. In previous years I've passed on does with fawns early in the season and been forced to pass on bucks because of it. Now I shoot the first antlerless deer I can whether it's a big doe or a spotted fawn. Year and a half old does are a good combination of easy to drag + a good amount of meat. I'd honestly rather not shoot does at all unless the freezer is empty but the biologists say most of the places I hunt would be better off with a few less deer so I try to do my part.

 

[Pavehawk01]

I can't bring myself to shoot them anymore when they are with their fawns. Several years ago shot one and the two fawns stuck around for 3 hours bleating the whole time.

Same exact thing happened to me. I won’t be shooting anymore when there are fawns present.

 

[TNSTAAFL]

I’m curious about the folks who say they’ll shoot a doe that’s not with fawns. If you’re doing that prior to the rut, there’s a better chance than not that the doe your shooting has a fawn with her, it just isn’t in eyesight.

Doesn’t this fall into the same line of thinking as “make my meat in a square package, as long as I don’t have to see what happens prior.” That we like to bash?

I totally get not wanting to shoot a doe because you don’t want to watch a fawn grow up before your eyes. But being ok with it happening as long as you don’t have to watch it seems odd juxtaposed with the other option.

I’m not a biologist, but for the average herd that’s in good balance, a fawn is more likely to die than a doe in a given year, taking humans out of the equation. If your goal is to keep things as harmonious as possible, shoot a fawn. If your goal is to satiate your bloodlust, with as little social cost as possible, and a good story to tell yourself to sleep at night, shoot a doe.

mostly, keep it legal and do what you want to do. And post pictures!

Most, not all, deer I shoot I have been watching for a little bit before I shoot. Fawns don't stray 200-300 yards off.

Perhaps. I'm sure it varies quite a bit.

I have a spot close to bedding where it seems like the fawns tend to get up early and mill about, as much as an hour or two before, the adults get up and gather everybody up to head out for evening feeding. The fawns are regularly several hundred yards from adults by the time the gathering happens.

If I didn't observe all that happen, I might presume the fawns are "alone". If I were in deeper I might catch mom getting up with no fawns and assume she has none.

We have these little windows into their lives and it is easy to assume things that may not be so. I'm sure I'm assuming things.

Regardless, as others mentioned, do what is legal, and works for you. Deer hunting is fun, and deer hunters come in lots of shapes and sizes. There's room for everyone.

 

[MN_Bowhunter4]

I fall into the “legal deer” camp. I hunt in a few management hints where the taking of does and doe fawns is encouraged. That being said, I have taken a few does in early season and had to cut through her milk filled teat. That definitely gave me a weird feeling, but again, legal deer.