Ethical fawn question?
 

I've been hunting for quite a while and have never encountered this situation. However,my question isregarding if it is ethical to kill a doe with young fawns?

At what age are the fawns able to take care of themselves i.e. find food etc..??? I have corn feeders and they have a huge acorn supply. For one, if they die after I shoot their mom I really killed 3 deer.

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but I want to do the right thing.

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RE: Ethical fawn question?
 

I think by the time the season opens and they have lost their spots they should be good to go. If they are eating regular food, they shouldnt starve to death. If they have spotsI wouldnt shoot the mom. But if they dont have spots andI want some deer meatI will shoot her or one of the fawns (we call them yerlings here when they lose their spots). I think the biggest threat would be predators though.

RE: Ethical fawn question?
 

I agree,

I have never seen a fawn while hunting because they simply are grown up enoughand they look like small does/BB

RE: Ethical fawn question?
 

Yes you have. For the last time, a deer is still a fawn after it loses its spots. A yearling is a deer that is a year or year and a half old. A button buck is a buck fawn, not a yearling.Yes, a fawn can take care of itself if the doe is killed. It's usually an ethical thing for many hunters, including myself.

RE: Ethical fawn question?
 

the fawns should be fine without the adult doe

RE: Ethical fawn question?
 

I've never understood the whole ethical thing when it regards doing something legal. Sounds like someone wants to whale on some runts, yetfeels the need to getprior approval from the masses.;)

RE: Ethical fawn question?
 

Interesting topic [8D]

RE: Ethical fawn question?
 

I want to do the ethical thing and what is also best for the herd population. I have no desire to take out a fawn, but I have seen abig mother doe I wouldn't mind taking out. :)

I have heard from a few friends if I kill the doe the fawns will die too.

RE: Ethical fawn question?
 

I feel that if they've lost their spots they are old enough to take care of themselves.

RE: Ethical fawn question?
 

Once a fawn starts eating "hard food" it can survive on it's own. Their survival skills are learned from their mama. So their survival is less likely without their mom. I have seen what I believe is fawns who lose their mom hanging near or joining other family groups.

If you want to shoot a doe or fawn you have my blessing:D

RE: Ethical fawn question?
 

The fawns will be fine. Shoot momma in a heartbeat.

RE: Ethical fawn question?
 

GMMAT has posted a copy of an email he received a reply to from his local game biologist. I don't remember what the exact time frame was, but....It was very clear that by the time fall rolled around the fawns are perfectly capable of fending for themselves.


Just to add another spin on things.....Why not shoot the fawn? Ever had backstraps from one? If you have, you know what I'm sayin....;)

RE: Ethical fawn question?
 

ive never shot a doe that had fawns casue i wanna be safe just in case a fawn cant be my theirselves.

RE: Ethical fawn question?
 

<a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v485/medicsnoke/?action=view&current=KY001.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v485/medicsnoke/KY001.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

RE: Ethical fawn question?
 

Thats what its all about!!:DMy uncle would be proud of ya, he usually shoots 3 or 4 of those a year to smoke. He doesn't call them fawns, he calls them "smaller targets" LOL.

RE: Ethical fawn question?
 

Last time I checked, spotted fawnswere illegal to kill, at least in LA. they are. You may want to check regulations before you start posting some pics on a popular hunting site.

RE: Ethical fawn question?
 

It's legal, and therefore ethical. If the fawns make it to hunting season they'll make it to winter, after that all bets are off.The antlerless limit for my county is 8, and I have a freezer to fill, I'll pop Mom and the fawns if opportunity presents.

RE: Ethical fawn question?
 

I also don't believe this is an "ethics" thread! There is nothing about shooting a fawn with spots/no spots that is illegal that I am aware of. It is just a matter of personal opinion whether to shoot the adult doe or not or to shoot the fawn or not.

If the fawn(s)seem to be old enough to provide for themselves and don't appear to be sick or feeble, I would think thatthe adult doe makes a great target. It may come down to what you want/need to keep your deer herd balanced!

On a personal note, I don't shoot the fawn(s). With or without spots! That's my right as a law abiding ethical hunter, and it's just the choice that I make. I equally don't care if any other licensed hunter does make the choice to shoota fawn.I would not think any less of a hunter who does decide to shoot it. As I stated earlier, it's just a personal choice that each hunter makes and is entitled to make.

RE: Ethical fawn question?
 

When our season opens 10/15 fawns are perfectly capable of surviving on their own provided they were born in late May or early June.

RE: Ethical fawn question?
 

You are wrong. There are states that outlaw taking spotted fawns. LA. is one for sure. It may be legal where you are, but it's not legal in every state. Once the last spot is gone, it's the hunters choice.

RE: Ethical fawn question?
 

Don's correct...and I live in a state where the season opens in early September.

Just a personal decision.....and NOT based on "ethics"....if it doesnt have spots....mama AND the doe are fair game. No issues if you shoot one with spots, either. But can I get an invitation to dinner?

RE: Ethical fawn question?
 

Have at it all you want, from what i have read, after about 3 months old, which is the age when they switch to hard foods full time, they are able to live on their own.

RE: Ethical fawn question?
 

I know I will probably get flamed for this,but why kill a fawn?

Most guys on here hunt for the challenge and I just don't see the challenge in a fawn. Plus, the fawn will produce more deer in the future, right? I could understand whacking a fawn if disease or population issues were a problem. Either way, I'm not going to get upset.

RE: Ethical fawn question?
 

I'm not gonna flame you. Instead...I'll educate you.

I kill female fawns for these reasons......

I cite the latter in your second scenario.

Plus.....it's legal. They taste great! And......"Challenge" never enters into the equation.

RE: Ethical fawn question?
 

deer populations increase every year...even with hunting....fawns + bow= meat on the table. shoot what you want, pass up what you want....there just deer;).. dang... you could be the first trophy spike hunter j/k. some hunters don't get the same amount of time in the woods as others, there fore they might not be as selective when it comes time to shoot.

RE: Ethical fawn question?
 

In PA here last year they opened a doe only season for 2 weeks before the open of the actual archery season. I saw a fawn with visible spots in september. I would not shoot the doe.. I didnt feel comfortable.. I will shoot a yearling/fawn doe that year vs the mature doe. How do you know that the fawn will be able to re produce? Im not saying I always shoot small/young doe just something a wildlife biologist said during a meeting at my gun club.

RE: Ethical fawn question?
 

At least in this area, by early September the fawns are feeding by themselves in the field next to my house, so I would think they are good to go.

RE: Ethical fawn question?
 

If you can get multiple antlerless tags, the fawns make great table fare! Just a good idea to let the bb's pass,never know if he'll grow into the next booner.

RE: Ethical fawn question?
 

Great eating!! Not to mentiona REAL EASY DRAG.:DAny antlerless deer is legal in Pa.;)

RE: Ethical fawn question?
 

I didn't even know there were whitetail in Louisiana!

RE: Ethical fawn question?
 

Easy there big papa. I just posted the links to medicsnoke's post. Thats not me or my deer.:eek:

RE: Ethical fawn question?
 

My first bow kill (last year)was a HUGE doe in residential area just north of Charlotte NC (behind my house). She waswith two fawns (a button buck and a small doe). I've seen the button buck while hunting later in the season, But I believe the other fawn was hit by a car. While I don't plan on shooting the button buck for a few years, I'm looking forward to seeing his growth this season.

In response to your question, I believe the fawns can make it, I just don't know they have the best chance.

RE: Ethical fawn question?
 

Didn't you know Louisiana has one of the healthiest deer herds in the country. LA. also has some of the largest bodied and racked bucks in the country. Just look at the record books:eek:.Yankee hunters can only envy our healthy and huge bucks.LA. deer and deer management is 2nd only to Florida. Just ask TDWW.;)

RE: Ethical fawn question?
 

It's not legal to possess a spotted hide in WI unless you get a special permit for it. Not sure how that works since it is legal to shoot one. I guess if you want to keepthe hide you'll need to get a special tag for it.

RE: Ethical fawn question?
 

That'sas dumb as no Sunday hunting in Pa!!;):D:D

RE: Ethical fawn question?
 

Agreed! I was told it had something to do with poaching, you need to get the tag to prove the hide is from a legal in season kill. BTW Wi season opens Sept 15

RE: Ethical fawn question?
 

they got some good ones, but i wouldnt go that far;)

RE: Ethical fawn question?
 

Opening day KY in 2007, 100% legal.

RE: Ethical fawn question?
 

If you want a challenge take up golf or Japanese calligraphy.

Hunting purely for the challenge of it is unethical in my opinion... so if thats the reason you hunt... perhaps you ought to check yourself. You can enjoy the challenge of it, we all do.... but taking the life of an animal just because its a challenge.... :eek:

The whole reason I deer hunt.... is because they are made out of meat. And I will smack a doe fawn as often as I can. If you eat veal... then you'd eat a fawn too. And yes in the places I hunt... we need to shoot all the deer we can to keep the populations in control. VA has been VERY lucky when it comes to some of the more serious diseases... and I think a lot of that is because we take a fair number of deer out every year. Our carrying capacities are pretty high anyway in most places.... but they can explode out of control very quickly.



As to fawns being able to survive: In general I think that there should be little if any concern in our minds about shooting a doe with fawns during the states general archery seasons. Special season will have special rules. Our license dollars pay biologists to figure this stuff out for us. They are not going to give an antlerless blessing if the fawns cannot survive on their own. During the peak breeding of the rut is when you'll see groups of fawns roaming around together...because they have been run off... especially button bucks.... if you see a small deer/fawn all by itself in late October/early November.... 95% chance its probably a button buck.