ORIGINAL: jlsherr
Most reponsible hunters will take the appropiate shot. A doe with a fawn behind is not it. I have yet to see a fawn tag and am opposed to taking them. If you feel this is the best way to manage the herd and removing fawns ( spotted young ) is necesary in your area, then by all means shoot away. It simply is not in mine. We are stewards, we have a responsibilty to maintain our resources. I have seen the argument about car kills, wolve kills and starvation. None hold water where I am from. Take only legaly sanctioned bucks and does and leave the rest to grow.
I’m not sure how people are relating 7 month old fawns as “spotted fawns”. I don’t know if there is a deer season that is active April, May, June? But by the time Michigan’s deer season starts, there are no “spotted fawns”. If you did see a spotted fawn in Michigan in October or later, you can bet you are looking at a deer that will be killed by the Michigan winter.
I’m not sure how I would react to a “spotted fawn” if I saw it in November? The logical thing would be to take it, but there is definitely an emotional cringe factor to doing so.
And just an update: I had a large doe with 2 fawns (button, and doe) with her under my stand Monday. 20 yard shot on the large doe and button buck were available, but I wanted fawn doe! She never gave me a clean shot… so I still don’t have my fawn meat.