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If a doe has a fawn or two, what is the impact of taking that doe?
By fawn, I mean born this year...so less than 1 yr old. My thought is to pass on these does, but I know folks that take them anyway. At this point, will loss of the doe have a negative impact on the youngsters, in terms of their survivability during winter?
I was at a QDM seminar they said "if you take the doe the fawns will stay in your area. odds are that it is a 50-50 ratio doe fawn buck fawn if you shoot the doe the buck fawn will stay in that area thus giving you 1 more buck for the following year however if you leave the doe she will chase the buck fawn out of the area and he will not return. but i do not know if this is fact or speculation.
I understand that by the time hunting season rolls around the fawn will survive the winter w/o problems (being a normal winter, all deer have problems in a harsh winter).
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I think the fawns have the ability to survive just fine,, the only problem ive noticed is that they dont have the smarts that they doe would have taught them,, so they seem to not be as afraid of people,, and if they arent protected they become easy to take by someone who is hunting them.. We try to protect them and only take mature animals but when they wander out by the road or off the farm they are fair game for the neighbors,, that said,, I dont take does if I see young ones with her but will take some if they dont have fawns with them,
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dosen't the young buck not need to be run-off?, what about in-breading, plus does that live in other places will be running there young bucks off, maybe to your place. yesterday i had a doe and 2 yearlings with her come within 15 yards, behind them were 3 mature does 60 yrds with no young ones, i was waiting to shoot on of the 3 does and pass on the doe and yearlings, but apparently she didn't like that plan either because when she got past me she told the others to get the heck out of there[:-], i'm all for shooting does, but i pass on the ones with young ones because IMO they are breading stock, a lone doe w/o little ones or a barren doe is what i look for
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Most state funting seasons are set so that most yearlings that are orphaned by the loss of its mother during the hunting season will be able to survive. That said, if the youngster still has any spots on it I would pass on the doe. I once had a clear shot in Camp Blanding to arrow the largest FL doe I ever saw when out walked three yearlings. I didn't have the heart to shoot her. I have seen does with one and two but few with 3. She deserved a repreive. But, it is necssary to havest does when their population so out number bucks that many aren't bred. You can see does during bow season without a fawn or yearling and I always take those when it is legal to do so...
shooting does
