Would you shoot a doe with fawns?

[JeremiahJohnson]

Would like 2 deer a yr.
But only take 1 antlerless on my current spot.

I hear folks at work talk about "needing the meat" and they drive $45K trucks, go on vacations and blow $ like there's no tomorrow.

Yeah right they "need" the meat.

I like venison, have one roast left from last yrs deer. And I'm toting a friggin' recurve.
Sport. It seems as if greed and other have clouded many a Nimrod's vision.

I'm with you to a point Hook, but there's something else going on. I don't need the meat, I want the meat - true. But, there's more to it than that and I don't call is sport. To my understanding sport is about competition where there is a winner and a loser and there's usually a score to determine both. Hunting has been part of the human race since long before it became unnecessary to do so. Why? Not because it's sport, at least not for me. It's not what I do so much as who I am. I "need" to pursue even though I restrain myself by choosing more primitive weapons - like a recurve at times - and limit myself on what I take. Back to the OP, in this case I would not take a fawn and only a doe that's pretty big because I'm going to process as much as possible, and not even a doe if I believe my numbers are down. So, personal restrain on what I kill and how I kill it are my choice, but not for sport...I am fed in a different way by the pursuit. I am human so there's a mixed bag of emotions - satisfaction in doing the hunt the right way, the kill the right way, - remorse for having taken a life - independence for taking my own food - responsibility for managing a species I love...all that rolled into one. AND, I'm fed whether I kill or not. I experience the pursuit whether the game shows or not. RE-living something primal still resident in my DNA is fulfilling on a different level and it's difficult to put into words.

 

[fullauto 45]

I passed on shooting mama last weekend. she still had a little one that was trying to nurse. It still had spots.

 

[Restroyer]

I passed on shooting mama last weekend. she still had a little one that was trying to nurse. It still had spots.

Good for you. That's the same policy we have. Spots and nursing then no shooting mama.

 

[Zoub]

In most cases very young fawns this late will die. All young of all species need to achieve certain size and mass to be able to survive the winter. Of course average winter in each area determines that size, but born late is born late.

 

[JDubb]

I passed on one tonight with a set of twins.

 

[Sniper 79]

I'm with you to a point Hook, but there's something else going on. I don't need the meat, I want the meat - true. But, there's more to it than that and I don't call is sport. To my understanding sport is about competition where there is a winner and a loser and there's usually a score to determine both. Hunting has been part of the human race since long before it became unnecessary to do so. Why? Not because it's sport, at least not for me. It's not what I do so much as who I am. I "need" to pursue even though I restrain myself by choosing more primitive weapons - like a recurve at times - and limit myself on what I take. Back to the OP, in this case I would not take a fawn and only a doe that's pretty big because I'm going to process as much as possible, and not even a doe if I believe my numbers are down. So, personal restrain on what I kill and how I kill it are my choice, but not for sport...I am fed in a different way by the pursuit. I am human so there's a mixed bag of emotions - satisfaction in doing the hunt the right way, the kill the right way, - remorse for having taken a life - independence for taking my own food - responsibility for managing a species I love...all that rolled into one. AND, I'm fed whether I kill or not. I experience the pursuit whether the game shows or not. RE-living something primal still resident in my DNA is fulfilling on a different level and it's difficult to put into words.

I think you did a fantastic job putting it into words! Awesome!

 

[dusty88]

My husband just shot a big doe Sunday night. It wasn't until after he shot her that he saw her 2 fawns in the area, not trying real hard to get away. He didn't have an easy shot at either of them though so he didn't have to decide.

While field-dressing the deer, we found she was definitely still nursing. We felt a bit badly.... ya know "Bambi" and all but.... mom would have kicked these youngsters off soon.

We sometimes shoot 1 fawn during deer season. We use the larger deer for ground venison and for sausage, except for the loins. We make the little ones into excellent steaks.

I see some people using the word "yearling" for deer born this year. My understanding of the word "yearling' is an animal that is a year old, in its second year of life. That's how the term is used in livestock anyway. This summer's new deer, once kicked off by mom, are "weanlings" if you want to be technical.

 

[infinititech]

No non mature deer here but for some of the reasons stated above I could see a reason to do so. Just not kill just to kill something.

 

[sportsman223]

No, I won't shoot any doe's I have passed several so far this year still have not seen any shooter bucks yet but the time is getting close