To shoot a fawn?
 

I hunt a CWD zone here in Wisconsin which this year is earn a buck.
You have to shoot a antlerless deer before you can have a buck.
Last year I let pass a mom and 2 fawns opening day. Actually the last 3 years this has happen. I am torn on shooting either if this presents its self again. I dont want to shoot a fawn and dont want to shoot the mom.
Would you wack a fawn to get it over with?

RE: To shoot a fawn?
 

Side note the farmers wife has a bit to do with it too. Ive heard her comment the old going to shoot bambi.
I usually come back with I just shoot the dad. I have shot doe's on this property but so far she hasnt been around when I leave with them.

RE: To shoot a fawn?
 

Me-No, I would take Mom.More meat and the fawns will be fine.Good Luck!!

RE: To shoot a fawn?
 

No, not to get it over with, but I would shoot one for the most tender wild game meat you can find. I like veal and I like fawn. Call me whatever, but I just like it. I do ensure that it is not a button buck though.

I won't shoot a doe that I know is 3.5 or older. If I am shooting a doe it is strictly for the meat so I go with the younger, more tender variety.

RE: To shoot a fawn?
 

This isn't some moral high ground, but you asked what would I do..No I personally wouldn't shoot a fawn.

That's not a judgement, it's an opinion.

RE: To shoot a fawn?
 

Would you shoot the doe having 2 fawns around?

RE: To shoot a fawn?
 

As long as it's out of spots.....THIS SEASON.....yes. I will shoot doe fawns.

I'm not proud of it. I'm not ashamed of it.

I won't post pictures.

RE: To shoot a fawn?
 

I hear ya on the pictures pal

RE: To shoot a fawn?
 

Shoot the doe, the fawns will be ok.

RE: To shoot a fawn?
 

I wouldn't shoot the fawn.No judgement attached,just me.I prefer the lone older doe.I have shot doe's in the rifle season that had this years young with them.

RE: To shoot a fawn?
 

Yes,any of them! The CWD zone is for population reduction(even though baiting is still illegal). Two years ago earn a buck started Oct 17. I let a fawn in spots pass 2 weeks earlier(just couldn't do it) and of course on the day earn a buck started I had no buck tag and along comes bullwinkle/buckzilla and I had to watch him walk on by. I told myself never again.
Luckily I already have a buck tag coming for this year since I pre-qualified last year with a doe.
Fraley, if you shot a doe last year and did not get a buck you will be getting a buck tag in the mail soon!

RE: To shoot a fawn?
 

No I didnt shoot a doe last year.
But 2 years ago I shot 2, 15 minutes apart and didnt need a sticker for last year.

RE: To shoot a fawn?
 

I don`t think i would change anything that you have done before other than Maby take the mom? depending on how old the fawns are i guess? No way would i take the fawn it could be your next 150class 10pt?(imo)
Just wondering?Did it cost you a buck in the past by letting them walk?

RE: To shoot a fawn?
 

Yeah, only last season pre-qualifies you since there was no earna buck. Good luck this year, do whatever you feel comfortable with to get the tag. If you do pop a fawn don't let the lady see it! Hide it under your coat!

RE: To shoot a fawn?
 

Me personally, No...BUT I've never had to hunt in earn-a-buck.

My cousin in Wisconsin..Got stuck watching nice bucks 2 years ago,cuz he hadn't "earned" his buck tag yet.

RE: To shoot a fawn?
 

Get those fawn backstraps! I don't value one deer's life more than any others. I don't care if I shoot a spotted fawn 1 day and a 200 inch the next day. Im equally proud of them. Thats the way I was raised into hunting. Don't worry about being politically correct to make someone else happy. Lifes too short.

RE: To shoot a fawn?
 

No, I would not shoot a fawn or a doe with fawns. I would shoot a lone doe. The same holds true for bear. A cub no, a sow with cubs no. That is my vote.

Reid

RE: To shoot a fawn?
 

yea i would if i had a large population. now if i was only seeing two or three deer a hunt as opposed to 40 to 50 then no i wouldnt.

RE: To shoot a fawn?
 

I'd take out the mother. It's more meat, and the fawns should be plenty old enough by now to survive on their own.

RE: To shoot a fawn?
 

Why would anyone shoot a small fawn is beyond me , I mean why would you waste a kill tag and your time to gut it out , take it home then butcher or pay to have it butchered for only thirty five to forty pounds of meat.

RE: To shoot a fawn?
 

I personally wouldnt do it. But like others have said i dont have to earn my buck tag. Although fawn meat is tender. One was hit a few years back infront of my house late at night, I ran out got it and butchered it. Best tasting meat I have ever had.

RE: To shoot a fawn?
 

Dr. James C. Kroll has been covering a lot of issues lately dealing with the harvesting of does, in North American Whitetail, and ive seen a few more articles by another biologist i cant think of at the moment. but anyway...
~ feel no guilt about shooting a doe with fawns... because the fawns will make it.
~also people dont shoot does that have buck fawns... bad idea because the mother will kick out the buck fawns to a new area, but if she is shot the chances of having the bucks stay in the area is much greater.
~Does of every age class should be taken, not just the old loner does, not just yearlings, but everywhere in between as well.
~He also stated that in most cases, there are not many lone, barren does. I believe the age of the one they recorded was 15 or something like that.
.... My two cents worth.... shoot what your happy with, but if i see a doe come by she's done. All a doe fawn is to me is a big old smart doe without the experience, so if i have the chance ill take her before she has the opportunity to get smart and ruin some of my hunts

RE: To shoot a fawn?
 

For the same reason you pay more for Kobe beef my friend... it tastes that much better. I butcher it for myself so it doesn't cost me any extra, and honestly, the fawns here are about as big as the mature does in the south.

Motown, you can tell a fawn doe from a fawn buck as long as they are close enough to see if there are nubs. Don't shoot the ones with nubs.

RE: To shoot a fawn?
 

1) I have unlimited tags for does.
2) That doe fawn is capable of reproducing....and I have a population problem
3) I have time to spend an hour processing the meat
4) I feel no reason to be "choosy" over which does I target. Idon't need towaste a chance.
5) Young doe = good eatin.

RE: To shoot a fawn?
 

Plus if your getting30-40 pounds of meatthats a BIG fawn!!

RE: To shoot a fawn?
 

i wouldnt whack the fawn id wait for the doe with the fawn and then whack her;):eek:

RE: To shoot a fawn?
 

I'm with you on this one. It would bother me (call me soft) to know that those fawns are out there without a mom and scared. I would never shoot a fawn, that is like shooting a puppy in my book and I would feel terrible. Plus, in my eyes you are ruining the herd taking out young fawns that could one day become big bucks.;) Now, if it is a doe all by herself then I would have no problem with that.

RE: To shoot a fawn?
 

shoot all three:D, But I am in an intensive harvest area

RE: To shoot a fawn?
 

In areas I hunt that are special regs and they want all the deer shot, a fat doe fawn is in peril. Of course I will shoot the mom 1st if given the chance, but sometimes the youngins come by alone. And yes I check with my binos that she's a she and not a BB. I will say they butcher up fast and are very tender.

RE: To shoot a fawn?
 

For the 10th time already in this thread, you can tell the difference between a BB and a doe fawn. Secondly, there is nothing more natural than for the young and the old to be killed. Shooting deer in their prime, that is what is truly unnatural.

RE: To shoot a fawn?
 

If you were to shoot all three you would have a buck sticker for this year, one for next year's archery, and one for next year's gun hunting. The DNR wants the population in your area to be greatly reduced, hence the earn-a-buck. You would be contributing to the containment of CWD. Plus fawn meat is tastey. If you shoot the doe first, the fawns will probably stay there or can be brought back with a doe bleat.;)

RE: To shoot a fawn?
 

It's funny how different states try to regulate the harvest...Down in NC we don't have that type of rule, funny thing is, look at the posts, some hunters would, some wouldn't...If they just let you kill x number of bucks and x number of does the situation would work its way out...

RE: To shoot a fawn?
 

Their back to earn a buck this year again. Didnt they realize last year when they took it away and more deer were shot in the cwd. I am so sick and tired of those **** off dnr they dont make sense. The deer they all want dead and they bring back earn a buck again. Last year I got to shoot a 6 point 3 days into the season because they didnt have earn a buck and in past years me and my buddy have passed on multiple buck some being close to book size because of the earn a buck. They want them all dead yet they bring back the earn a buck again. GRR im sick of this state and dnr. okay done venting. So they got the cwd regulations out can they be found on their website now then?

RE: To shoot a fawn?
 

First off I am proud to see people actually calling them fawns! I think it is funny with people shoot a five month old deer and then drum it up by calling it a yearling, I always chuckle when I see that, so for that I am proud to see! As for would I shoot a fawn, I have not done it in a while. I shot one a few years ago out of not having a bunch of action, I hadlost my old hunting spot and the new one was not learned yet and I had been with out a deer for two seasons so it was bad luck on the little girls part! That yearling was the best tasting meat I have ever put on the plate, and the only deer that my wife actually enjoyed and did not snub her nose at. I have been thinking about shooting one several times since then, just have not done it yet, but now that I can kill four deer this year I may just do it. Now if it had spots on it I may have a change of heart, but no spots and it will be game! Also, during the rut most does run there fawns off so they can survive just fine on there own.

RE: To shoot a fawn?
 

Even if the fawn is female she has potential to give birth to other large bucks, so why not let her produce more offspring i.e. shoot her right after this has occured? Now, if they have overpopulated an area then by all means go for it. However, natural selection has been working for a long time without your help.;) Plus, young fawns have enough pressure from other preadators besides humans.

RE: To shoot a fawn?
 

The only other predators around here (MD)besides humans are cars.

RE: To shoot a fawn?
 

Why even hunt? Mother nature can take care of itself. Why shoot a fawn? It might get pregnant. Why shoot a doe? It might get pregnant. Why shoot bucks? They have enough pressure from cars and wolves and each other.

That is the worst logic I have ever herd. Did you even read what you wrote? I can understand not wanting to shoot a nub by accident or just not having the heart to shoot a fawn, but come on.

RE: To shoot a fawn?
 

I didn't say that we should end hunting, you went down that road all by yourself. I believe we are part of a heirachy of dominant species whose job is to harvert animals. With that said, I don't shoot fawns since they are the future of the herd. Trust me with cars, wolves, mountain lions etc.. fawns do face more pressure than their wiser adults, would you argue that they don't??

Just to prove my point follow the link (from my home state Oklahoma) and wildlife experts agree to leave the fawns alone since they face outside pressures. http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/deerinfo.htm (you must copy and paste the link for some weird reason.

Now, is that the worst logic you have ever heard?? Of course these wildlife experts couldn't possibly know as much as you. :eek:

RE: To shoot a fawn?
 

AMEN!

RE: To shoot a fawn?
 

So, by this logic no one should ever harvest a doe unless there is a severe population control issue because she may give birth to a future monster buck?