Taking a fawn for the freezer?
 

On a typical bow season I will try and take an adult doe early to ensure some meat in the freezer and then if luck is with me I will also put a good buck on the wall and into the freezer.

But when December rolls around my goal is to get at least 2 fawns into the freezer. Man do I catch grief for this!! I catch flack from everybody for not only the size of my kills but also my "heartless" desire to harvest a couple fawns. I put deer in the freezer to enjoy the venison and IMO, nothing tastes better and is more tender than a 6 or 7 month old fawn. Hands down a fawn makes for the best steaks, roasts, and everything else. Sure you sacrafice a little poundage but the quality of meat more than makes up for it.

How about you, are you "heartless" like me, will you harvest a fawn, if not why?

RE: Taking a fawn for the freezer?
 

Well of course I will.

My line of delineation ends at "female".

Anything "not male" is a target. Period.

RE: Taking a fawn for the freezer?
 

man i shot a deer with spots yesterday lol i shot at the mom first but i only got one shot at her and i missed her before she got into the woods and i shot her baby it was walking out of the corn field i was hunting on. i was crop damage hunting yesterday and that is how i shot one. and i agree i will shoot a baby over a big doe everyday for the tender meat man that is the best venison i have ever had.
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RE: Taking a fawn for the freezer?
 

Let me add.....

THE "main" reason I carry binos afield with me....is to discern BB's from does.

Food for thought.

RE: Taking a fawn for the freezer?
 

Ditto on this one.

RE: Taking a fawn for the freezer?
 

IMO, the only nasty tasting venison I have EVER had that I know how it was taken care of, was a big ole buck in full rut on a dead run from hunters ..... that thing smelled when we opened it up like ... I dunno ... it wasn't gut shot at all, but it smelled rank ... and the meat was nasty .... I have not noticed a difference between a fawn and an older doe ..... so I will NOT shoot a fawn in most cases ...

RE: Taking a fawn for the freezer?
 

I will they taste better IMO.

RE: Taking a fawn for the freezer?
 

If anyone's got a delimma re: amount of work involved v. amount of meat recovered from shooting a fawn......let me giv eyou a tip.

I killed two fawns, last year. I never field dressed either of them. I quartered them and removed the backstraps without having to gut them. It took "maybe"15 minutes, each. Neighbors loved them (hams/shoulders) and the backstrap medallions were out of this world.

The only thing you miss out on is the TINY bit of inner TL's. I'm Ok with that.

RE: Taking a fawn for the freezer?
 

Nah, I go for quantity over the thought of milk fed veal. I've had fawn meat and don't see it as any better. In fact, I'd almost classify it as mushy. I'd rather shoot a 140 pound 4 pointer.

RE: Taking a fawn for the freezer?
 

I have accidently and to tell you the truth, I dont like the mush. But if I ever had to shoot one say if it was injured to the point it would not survive the long WI winters, id take it out, Id hate to but why let it suffer, then id atleast donate the meat to the local food pantry.

RE: Taking a fawn for the freezer?
 

I guess I am heartless because a yearling doe is fair game in my book.

RE: Taking a fawn for the freezer?
 

I will shoot a fawn. My wife likes them more then an older deer. It may take more to fill the freezer but that is fine by me.

RE: Taking a fawn for the freezer?
 

No desire to shoot a fawn. Female or not! I shoot plenty of does during the antlerless and urban portions of gun season to help control our deer herd. I've got no problem letting the fawn doe help produce next year's litter. Between my dad, my son, and I, we can take out a good number of does each year!

RE: Taking a fawn for the freezer?
 

Same here!

RE: Taking a fawn for the freezer?
 

HAHAHA!!!

Jeff - taking that out of context is hilarious. Did I see you on To Catch a Predator???

RE: Taking a fawn for the freezer?
 

Yes I will shoot them, they have the perfect size hams for my rotisserie cooker and the crock pot I keep at my office. Sometime if a big doe iswith a little one(no spots of course) I will shoot the bigdoe and then wait a while and try to bleat the fawn back in. Or while I'm trailing the doe once I get to a point where I can see her on the ground I will set up andbleat, sometimes the fawn will respond from nearby. Trust me I know how it sounds but it's all venison and they need thinning, might as well go in my freezer.

RE: Taking a fawn for the freezer?
 

I really dont want my first kill to bea fawn. But Im shooting the first thing that walks by my stand.

RE: Taking a fawn for the freezer?
 

That's a great outlook for someone in your shoes. You have PLENTY of time to learn what makes you tick. There's no substitute for putting one on the ground, though.;) I wish I'd done it, sooner.

RE: Taking a fawn for the freezer?
 

Absolutely!! I recommend any bowhunter that has never taken a deer, take the first one they can, just to see how it feels, see how nervous you get, see how much your leg shakes when its over, and see how much you love it!

RE: Taking a fawn for the freezer?
 

my first doe bowkill was a doe that had just gotten its spots off, it weighed in at 45 pounds at the meat locker..............i slung it over my back to carry it out

RE: Taking a fawn for the freezer?
 

After confirming there are no spots or buttons, I shoot em.

RE: Taking a fawn for the freezer?
 

Heck, look at this. I clubbed an injured fawn to death a couple weeks ago and got jumped on. Now everyone is shooting them. LOL[&:]

RE: Taking a fawn for the freezer?
 

I have B4 but I think its a waste of a tag now. But my wife does like the meat better than older deer.

RE: Taking a fawn for the freezer?
 

I'm heartless and don't need to condone my hunting practices. Butyoung deer taste better, and I'll kill oneevery time, given the chance. I'm just saying.

RE: Taking a fawn for the freezer?
 

The meat sure is better on the young ones so I would think about it even though I never have before.

I shot a 2 yr. old buck 2 years ago and the meat was so much better than the old doe I shot last year. The doe was still really good but you could tell a difference in tenderness.

rick

RE: Taking a fawn for the freezer?
 

It depends on one's approach to hunting.
I have never hunted for the meat, so no for me.
I try to do the most difficult thing possible, so shooting babes is out.
Not saying there's a thing wrong with doing so now..., so long as they're not buttons.
Just seems pointless in my head.

RE: Taking a fawn for the freezer?
 

I don't know dave. A little birdie told me that the rule at the petting zoo in B-more was if it was brown it was down for you boys. :D

Heard from others who hunt there, that spikes, 3's and 4s, whatever went down.

RE: Taking a fawn for the freezer?
 

If you don't want your first kill to be a fawn, then don't shoot a fawn .... I never understood the mentality of "getting that first kill under your belt"

RE: Taking a fawn for the freezer?
 

Yea, I wouldn't want to put my first kill under my bed either. Gets stinky after a while. But I do like to get one under my belt. Especially new hunters, it builds confidense, each shot teaches you a bunch.

RE: Taking a fawn for the freezer?
 

HAHAHAHA!!!! Ya Got me, Mark!!! :D Turns out while I was typing that response, my wife and I were talking about a new bed! :D

RE: Taking a fawn for the freezer?
 

Well you didn't hear the whole story. I didn't shoot the little ones. In fact, I was chastised more than once for letting deer walk. The landlord wanted them whacked, I let the other do the numbers. I just picked the bigger does.

RE: Taking a fawn for the freezer?
 

Thank God you don't get it,Tony

I am so thankfull for the up bring I've had,I really feel this demand we hear so much about getting youngters involved in hunting has lead to way to many people hunting that have no right to be in the woods trying to kill something that they have no respect for.
No **** bragging about killing a fawn?
Brings to mind the ole saying "better to be thought a fool than to open ones mouth and remove all doubt".

RE: Taking a fawn for the freezer?
 

I will late in the season, but usualy try not to. I shot one with my bow that busted me while I was getting ready to shoot the buck that was following her. She cost me the buck so I put her in the freezer. I have no problem with it as long as they are doe fawns and dont have spots. I try to not shoot fawns cause lots of times its really hard to tell if they buttom bucks or does. I just play it safe and try to stick to the mature does.

RE: Taking a fawn for the freezer?
 

I live in texas and i practice deer management to its fullest extent and im only 17 you people who shoot the fawns need to take a second and realize even though it aint a button its goin to grow up to produce bucks and the more young females you kill you are ruining your buck to doe ratio which will cripple your herd in years to come. Im not sayin immediately but down the road. I know it tastes good and you need the meat but what fun about shooting something that is not really aware of things yet. its like puttin a young pen raised doe in a pen and just dressin up and shootin it. its pointless. well theres my 2 cents

RE: Taking a fawn for the freezer?
 

Whack Em' and Stack Em'

RE: Taking a fawn for the freezer?
 

Thats right Jim, me too. I was raised up hearing only a piece of crap would ever shoot a doe no matter her size. Men kill only bucks. ;)

Yea, those tough men were right. Just like you.

RE: Taking a fawn for the freezer?
 

My point has been made. Once again.;)

RE: Taking a fawn for the freezer?
 

i do not have a problem with someone doing it but i would hold off i get 2 deer with my bow one buck with my shotgun and one doe or buck with the ml i will be buying. but only one buck the entire year.

I would hold off until the last few weeks of season. now if ml season come around and i have no deer if it is brown it is down. i want some venison i have been without for a few year. i am tired of people giving it to me Oswell.

RE: Taking a fawn for the freezer?
 

Yea me too.;)

RE: Taking a fawn for the freezer?
 

Oops, sorry guys, I forgot to call an "ethics police alert" that infects our webpages..