I don't let the fact that she's a mother persuade my decison. Sometimes a lone doe really has a yearling or 2 in the distance so that can't be use as a determing factor. If you want to take a doe, ya gotta realize she could have yearlings around, and they are very capable of taking care of themselves at this point.. Heck for my first deer I shot a yearling!! After 3 fruitless seasons, it was a huge relief and I was as proud as if it were a big buck! It was a trophy for me.