Bow hunting in August

[johnch]

One of the farms I hunt has a lot more deer on it than almost anyone but me knew

I like it like that

But the farmer is tired of loosing acres of corn to the deer
So he is getting me 4 - 6 crop damage permits ( depends on what the DNR figures the lose is )

Not my idea , but to keep myself as the only person allowed to hunt there
I will shoot a few deer for him

The permits will be good from Aug. 1 to the last Thur in Sept
So I plan on waiting till late Aug at least to let the fawns stay with the doe a little longer

Freezer meat for me

He will take a few deer , have them processed and donate the meat to the needy

So other than getting the deer gutted and on ice quick
Staying cool myself

Are there any sujestion ?

Do you see a problem with the fawns surviving if Moma is gone at that time of year ?

I am not sure if I can take a buck
But if I can
A rack still in velvet would be interesting
How do I preserve it properly ?

John

[MeanV2]

You have my sympathy! I really don't like hunting Hot weather, but I'd wear lightweight clothes and get the deer gutted, out, and in a cooler as quick as I could.

Dan

[Kybuckhunter]

I see fawns with spots up in September. I personally don't like to kill a doe with small fawns. I guess I've gotten shoft as I age. I can wait to shoot them a little later when they are bigger and the weather is cooler.

I've watched fawns that lost their mother when they were very small and they seem to always look less slick and not grow as fast as the ones still with the doe. I think they will still make it however.

[MO Archer]

I shot a doe early a couple of seasons ago and then the fawn showed itself. It came over and laid down by the doe where she was piled up. It was a pretty sad thing to shoo it away, and I won't kill a doe that early again. I have no judgment on someone that would/will do it though, just not for me.

[byg]

I am not sure, might check the regs, but I dont think you can do anything with the deer. I believe you have to leave them lay where you shoot them. I maybe wrong but I have heard this before.

[kwilson16]

We hunt year-round on suburban kill permits. Lyme desease has become a very real threat to Northen VA homeowners and their pets and hot-weather huntign has resulted.

I use a web-bug suit over shorts/t-shirt.

Pick your shots carefully because if you have to leave a deer overnight to find it, then it will be spoiled.

We can donate the meat to Hunters-for-the-Hungry or keep it. Check local regs.

[mj469]

As said before just check your regulations. Most places I've heard you are allowed to keep the meat or donate it. But I've never heard of being able to shoot bucks. They are doing it to try to keep the population down and the easiest way to do that is by shooting does. I feel for you that you may have to shoot a doe with a fawn but if it is what the farmer wants then if it were me, I would do it to keep him happy. We had a doe and fawn around the farm a few years back and the doe got hit around the first week of august by a car. I know for a fact that fawn made it through the year. I saw he multiple times and she seemed healthy to me. If it were me, I would sit in the stand and wait until I had a doe come in by herself. Give it as much time as possible to see if a fawn is following and make your decision then. Good luck to you.

[hunt12ga]

...read some of the Thermocell threads! Save some plastic milk jugs and fill them up with water and stick them in the freezer. Keep them in a cooler in your vehicle when you go hunting so you can stick it in a deer's body cavity if you kill one.

rw

[johnch]

I looked at the permits and got a chance to talk to the Game Warden

The deer must be recovered
I or a family member can eat the deer meat
Or I can donate it to a non profit org.

I can shoot any deer , but if I shoot a buck
I must give the rack to the Game Warden

I can spot light

I can use anything I want to , a bow , shotgun , any pistol or even a centerfire rifle ( Ohio dosn't allow the use of a centerfire rifle to harvest deer expect for crop damage )

The farm is 2.5 miles from my house , so I can have it home in 5 min

I like the idea of gallon milk jugs full of ice

And the Thermocell is a must , I have 2

The Game Warden sujested I shoot both the doe and it's fawn if I start Aug. 1

So the fun begains

John

[ManofTheFall]

Here in Ohio you can shoot bucks but you must give the antlers to the DNR. You are not allowed to keep the racks.