Go ahead, shoot the doe, and her fawns!
 

I'm continuing this from the "would you shoot a doe with fawns thread". I have no problem at all with the ones who said they would shoot a doe with fawns. I do realiize the fawns will make it okay. What bothers me though, is, some said they would shoot the doe and her fawn(s). Why would you even want to do that? Are you that desperate for meat? It's illegal in my state, and probably many, to take two or more does in a day. What is the thrill or challenge of taking a fawn or fawns that come back to look fortheir mother or are standing or laying next to her when you recover her.I think it iskind of gutless. I do also realize we as hunters need to take does, but there are better ways to do it, ratherthan to shoot the little ones after you have shot their mother. Be honest, how many of you would shoot a doe, and if given the chance, would also shoot her doefawn or two doefawns, if it were legal to do so? I sure as hell wouldn't, spots or no spots, legal or not.

RE: Go ahead, shoot the doe, and her fawns!
 

I won't do it, but if it is legal and others want to, go for it.

RE: Go ahead, shoot the doe, and her fawns!
 

Relax superstrutter, Take a few deep breaths, Don't forget your medication. Keep repeating "Everything is going to be alright"

RE: Go ahead, shoot the doe, and her fawns!
 

DITTO ...RELAX

RE: Go ahead, shoot the doe, and her fawns!
 

a deer is a deer

RE: Go ahead, shoot the doe, and her fawns!
 

I shoot all of my does early season. I would shoot the mature doe and I knew for fact that the little ones were indeed does, I would try my best to shoot them also. I try to take as many does as I can and it still seems as if the number of does still double each year. If you want to look down on my for my management style, so be it, I take not offense to it. I understand that each one of do things different. I don't do it for the accomplishment, I do it in an attempt to try to keep the number of does in check. I also understand that there is a fault with my management style. As I said I only shoot does about the 1st month of season, once the rut is even close to kicking it I am looking my buck and nothing else. I don't shoot does in late season, mostly because they might be carring my next buck. I have nothing against those that shoot does in the late season, I also understand that doing so is a more effective way to keep doe numbers in check. It just is not what I do, as I said, I know and understand we all do things differently.

RE: Go ahead, shoot the doe, and her fawns!
 

A personal limitation of mine is spots. If there are no spots then I will shoot it.

RE: Go ahead, shoot the doe, and her fawns!
 

The sad truth of the matter is alot of people shoot at every deer they see and then they wonder why they don't have huge bucks runnin around on their property. Now days thats more of a public hunting land case as more and more private land owners are practicing QDM on their properties but still the case in many instances where they hunt for meat. My take on the matter is do what you please cuz I know my deer herds health and number is in my control and no one elses so whatever people want to do on their land as far as harvesting they can go ahead. Those deer are noones property till they are dead anyways and if someone wants to shoot those deer that present themselves to that person all the power to em. I'll stick with what I do shooting only big does and quality bucks.

I never read the other thread but I was watchin a show the other day and they had wilkdlife biologist speaking on their about QDM and said that if you take out a mature doe with buck fawns by her side those bucks are more likely to stay in your area because if she wasn't shot she would go through what they call "dispersal", where once they are old enough she kicks em out of the home range miles away sometimes. So he was saying by shooting your big does with buck faws with her, will keep more of those young bucks around in your hunting area for the future. Thats interesting and prolly good to know. WCL

RE: Go ahead, shoot the doe, and her fawns!
 

Probably not, I live in LA also and it is illegal and as tempting as it may be, I only feel like cleaning one at a time...

RE: Go ahead, shoot the doe, and her fawns!
 

very well said wingchaser i posted something like that in the poll thread but you said it much better i agree

RE: Go ahead, shoot the doe, and her fawns!
 

If its legal who cares.

RE: Go ahead, shoot the doe, and her fawns!
 

I know you are worried about that doe carrying your future bucks but if your goal is to lower the number andget a better health on your herd improving the health of your bucks you need to do so. Also what does it matter if you shoot that doe early season (where she is most likely to get breed potentialy carrying your next year buck) and shooting those late seaosn does (who potentially have a buck in them or didnt get bread same as the early season doe). Simple matter of fact is a early season and late season doe has the same chance of carrying a buck in them the next spring. Just something to think about and maybe change in your managment style........... We have the same problem here so we shoot as many big does as we can except for when we arehuntign the rut. Rifle season is when we really take em out although i did shoot 3 does with the bow including a buck this year. WCL

RE: Go ahead, shoot the doe, and her fawns!
 

I do the same as you, with the exception of shooting the fawn or fawns with the doe.

RE: Go ahead, shoot the doe, and her fawns!
 

That right there is funny!!:D:DHey strutter,a bit over-zealous? What's the difference between a fawn without spots and a yearling? Yearlings get shot all the time by many hunters. In my WMU 5-D, you can kill as many doe as you have tags for in a given day. Tags are unlimited.;)

RE: Go ahead, shoot the doe, and her fawns!
 

Interesting WCL!! Thanks for the info.:D

RE: Go ahead, shoot the doe, and her fawns!
 

Well many could say this about killing deer in general. I have had many argue this exact point with me about hunting deer or any other game animal. In my state it is legal to kill more than one doe or antlerless deer in a day as long as you have the tags. I'm not sure what the current laws are for this year but you used to be able to get a doe tag a day for private property. So if you had seven tags you could kill seven deer in one sitting if you really wanted to. And they issue the tags so you will kill the deer, not so you can keep them in your wallet as mementos;).

Not everyone hunts solely for the meat or for the "thrill". A lot of people in my area hunt for population control or crop damage. We simply have too many deer for the habitat which means more crop damage and increased accidents. To some farmers they are nothing more than big woodchucks. I hunt for all three reasons, the meat and the thrill of the hunt are nice bonuses, but I kill deer because the state wants me to. I feel it's my duty:D. Hey, I'm just doing my part.

I actually normally only kill one deer a year though, but I have no problems with others that kill as many as they want, as long they are not poaching and don't leave the animal lay to waste. The point is to thin the herd, not let them go to see how big they can get. That is the difference between Deer Management and "Quality" Deer Management. Most people that follow QDM are more concerned with trophy hunting than they are about controlling the ecosystem. Then again if we didn't suck up all the habitat by building strip malls and crap it probably wouldn't be that big of problem.

Paul

RE: Go ahead, shoot the doe, and her fawns!
 

In some areas the deer has been degraded to the point of being vermin,they are thought no more of than a rabbit in your garden or the bugs that fowl your windshield.
In PA hunting deer has always been a very special thing for a very long time.
For me to listen to some talk about the deer they kill in the same terms as a child molester talks of his victims bothers me,the animals are given no respect or worthiness just as an opportunity to kill.
I find it embarrassing and very seldom speak of hunting or ofother hunters in a public situation,because hunting itself seemingly brings out the worst in the very people that enjoy it.
Our sport is bothmoral and ethical and I with I could saythe sameabout those who partake in it.

RE: Go ahead, shoot the doe, and her fawns!
 

A whole year and about 40 or 50 pounds!

RE: Go ahead, shoot the doe, and her fawns!
 

That was my thinking also.

RE: Go ahead, shoot the doe, and her fawns!
 

The does I am shooting are within the first few weeks of the opening of season. There is a very slight chance one of them has come into her cycle VERY early, but it is a very very slight chance. By mid Oct I am done shooting does and I am focused on the two bucks I am allowed each year here in Illinois. I don't shoot just any buck, he has to be that something special for me to pull the trigger. The biggest reason why I don't shoot late season does is because I am normally still buck hunting. I have always felt that if I shoot a doe then my chances of my buck walking by just decreased a bit. My two boys that hunt with me, totally different. If they have doe tags in their pock still, then they are shooting. Good for them. As I said, I understand fully that there is a fault with my plan, but it is the way I do things.

RE: Go ahead, shoot the doe, and her fawns!
 

O I dunnoabout that. Keeping healthy herds and healthy ratios is all part of the QDM and the DNR goes by the same when they issue tags for each year. They look at ratios and total number and a real QDM practicing land owner is going to shoot those does and keep the herd in check with the environment in which the deer are living. Sure they do it for the trophy aspect and are prolly more concerned abuot that but they still know to get trophy deer they have to keep a healthy herd and environment. WCL

RE: Go ahead, shoot the doe, and her fawns!
 

Actually about 7 months.

RE: Go ahead, shoot the doe, and her fawns!
 

That is not always true.:eek:

RE: Go ahead, shoot the doe, and her fawns!
 

IC you didnt say you were still hunting bucks late season just said you woudlnt shoot late season does. So I get it now.....I was simply just saying..."The does I am shooting are within the first few weeks of the opening of season. There is a very slight chance one of them has come into her cycle VERY early, but it is a very very slight chance."... It doesnt matter if the doe is in cycle or not she will indeed come into cycle and get breed with your possible buck so there truely is no difference in an early or late season doe. I know you shoot em early cuz the bucks arent movin and I really target does early too unless I got a buck patterned. If my bucks are on the ground for the year you bet I'll be wackin them late season does and yo should do so as well. It will only improve your herd. WCL

RE: Go ahead, shoot the doe, and her fawns!
 

Actually a whole year and the possiblity of that yearling carrying a fawn for next season. Depends on your management goals which determins which one you should shoot. Some fawns get breed their first year but most dont or dont carry a full term and succesfully have a fawn that spring (atleast in the northern states its tough for them to). WCL

RE: Go ahead, shoot the doe, and her fawns!
 

As I said in the other thread, I have shot both a doe and fawn together and would do it again without hesitation depending on my venision supply at the time. I wouldn't shoot it if it was a button buck though, but mistakes do happen.

If you don't agree with it that's fine, to each his own and I'd love to discuss it further, but I gotto go cook up some of that fawnI killed last year.

RE: Go ahead, shoot the doe, and her fawns!
 

A fawn is simply a first year deer/yearling. Spots and body weight vary.

RE: Go ahead, shoot the doe, and her fawns!
 

While I wouldn't shoot fawns (spotted deer) as that is illegal in VA/NC, once they shed their spots they are fair game. Many of us live in states where there are boatloads of deer and unlimited antlerless tags either through DMAP or buy purchasing extra stamps. I shoot whatever I feel like that day and if it happens to be a 65 lb yearling then tough break. He/she should of bobbed instead of weaved.

I respect the animals I hunt but I respect the farmer as well and he doesn't want to hear a bunch of touchy feely stuff about the little yearlings, hewants them thinned out. Sounds a little harsh but it is what it is. I've killed 3 antlerless deer in a day multiple times. All of the meat gets used and they were fun hunts. If I set on a stand early bow season and see any where from 16 to 25 does along with maybe 3 or 4 bucks it doesn't take me too long to figure out that once gun season is in there is work to be done, so I do it and enjoy those hunts.

We have deer shedding their spots right before and during season as their winter coats come in so that makes for some small deer with no spots that are completely legal and after eating many a dinner made up of these tender picks I can't wait for more. Is it a challenge? Not so much, but that's not what it's about all the time.

On a side note while I definitely agree that QDM is good in theory it simply is not possible/practical for many hunters. I do what I can to improve the habitat on the small farm we own but I am honest enough to know that is far from a full fledged QDM program and itnever will be due to the lack ofsurrounding landowner cooperation, land size, anda lack of resources.

RE: Go ahead, shoot the doe, and her fawns!
 

Hmm well we dont call em that around here. A fawn is a fawn until it is a year old "a yearling" in our book at least. Call it what you will but I guess I've never heard to many people call a fawn a yearling. So your basically saying a fawn that has just been born is a yearling? Seems goofy to me I guess. We grew up raising calves ad showin at fairs and a calf is condisered anythign less than a year old and a yearling class is anythgin older than a year but not 2 years old. WCL

RE: Go ahead, shoot the doe, and her fawns!
 

Thanks for sharing that.;)

RE: Go ahead, shoot the doe, and her fawns!
 

I can understand that Wingchester, probably just different descriptions in different regions. I have hunted here in VA/NC my whole life and the wording I've always heard and used is fawns=spots and yearlings=no spots. Now that may not be fully accurate based on aging deer, just a general rule of thumb in my area.

RE: Go ahead, shoot the doe, and her fawns!
 

We call them a fawn if they have spots around here and once they lose the spots they take on the name "yerlin". Thats just the way I have always done, just like everybody else I know..

RE: Go ahead, shoot the doe, and her fawns!
 

Well now that we got that cleared up that we all call it different, haha, whats next on the discussion, haha. WCL

RE: Go ahead, shoot the doe, and her fawns!
 

How about "how do you say potatoe".... hahaha

RE: Go ahead, shoot the doe, and her fawns!
 

If it were legal in WV to kill 2 in one day I would. I have shot a doe one day and went back and killed the yearling the next day.Why, because it's legal and I wanted to.

Our bow season does not come in until Oct, so by that time the fawns are w/out spots and can survive on their own. In my mind there is nothing wrong with it.

I get so sick and tired of the "rules" that people keep trying to place on Hunting.

My god, between the "let em go" crowd and the"don't kill the yearling/fawn crowd" the only deer that's "ok" to shoot is a 3.5+ yr old buck or an old doe and even that depends onwho your talking to.............:eek:

How about you kill what you want and I'll kill what I want and as long as both are legal we keep our recommendations/suggestions to ourselves?[:@]

RE: Go ahead, shoot the doe, and her fawns!
 

Agreed.......

RE: Go ahead, shoot the doe, and her fawns!
 

Well considering we are typing on line it may be hard to say it and compare or potatoes, lol. WCL

RE: Go ahead, shoot the doe, and her fawns!
 

I think there are certain situations where I think it's ok to take a doe and the fawns. I've done it more than once. I bowhunt inside city limits and shot the entire deer family b/c they were devouring our fruit trees and garden. I ate them and they were delicious. Would I do this out at our farm? No I wouldn't but I don't care if a fellow hunter does. It's his tag, his right.

RE: Go ahead, shoot the doe, and her fawns!
 

I think too many of you watched Bambi one too many times.

In many places does need shot, and a lot of them. Big does, little does, makes no difference. A certain number needs removed. I really don't think anyone on here who does/would shoot young does makes it out like they are some sort of superhunter. They are just doing what needs done, because judging from these posts, very few are up to the task at hand.

Deer hunting is not some mystical zen religious experience, nor is it a bloodthirsty murder spree. Somewhere in the middle(and its a BIG middle) lies going out, having fun, and shooting something.

RE: Go ahead, shoot the doe, and her fawns!