Shooting does with fawns?
 

I'd like to know some of your opinions on shooting a doe with a fawn (or in my case 3 fawns) Yesterday I had a doe at 12 yards, I have seen her before and she always has her 3 kids in toe. Do you have a heart and let her walk or do you take her down and let them fend. I couldn't do it. especially with one trying to suckle and their soft little bleats as they scamper after momma. I have no problem taking a doe but I felt that it would have been like taking 4 deer if I shot her.

RE: Shooting does with fawns?
 

i would never do it becuse i dont wont them to die im with you

RE: Shooting does with fawns?
 

Sure wouldnt. I would let her walk, and her kids...

RE: Shooting does with fawns?
 

If the fawns were eating on their own, they will be fine...Seasons are structured so the fawns will be old enough to make it on their own...

But...If it will make you feel bad, let the doe walk...No problem with that either...

RE: Shooting does with fawns?
 

If that doe is dropping triplets, she gets a pass everytime (from me)....Normally, by the time our season opens the fawns are in the yearling stage and I don't see hardly any with spots and we all know they will make it once they start eating as yearlings. I will normally seek out a doe that does not have any yearlings when the rest of the doe's have them. I have also shot doe's with a yearling but like I said if that doe is dropping three at a time, she gets my respect right there and gets a pass....

RE: Shooting does with fawns?
 

They normally get a pass from me, especially with triplets but I have no problem with whatever decision the hunter decides to make. For me, it's usually a no shoot situation.

RE: Shooting does with fawns?
 

A "fawn" is a fawn (deer born, this year). It becomes a "yearling" in January (look up the definition). I ONLY point this out for clarification. What you guys call your "this year's deer" is of no concern of mine.

Here's a returnemail I got from our NCWRC wildlife biologist....addressing this veryissue. I asked this question a while back. It's important to note that our season begins, here, in early September.

RE: Shooting does with fawns?
 

My heart Is just as big as the rest of you who will let that doe walk!! I'll shoot that doe If she has fawns or not. The fawns will make It on there own. This topic Is getting beat to death here lately.

RE: Shooting does with fawns?
 

The fawns/yerlins will make it,however I feel that if she is dropping three she should get a pass, unless your area is over populated with deer. Mine isnt and a doe with three fawns will get a pass by me..

RE: Shooting does with fawns?
 

here in michigan i hate to say if i think they would survive i would take her down. due to the amount of does to our buck ratio. there are way to many does thats why michigan had an early doe season this past weekend that you could use anything from a rifle to a bow for does only

RE: Shooting does with fawns?
 

I will "Whack" the doe if it benefits the herd and my management goals, the fawns will be fine. I have seen the fawns first hand make it to the next year.

RE: Shooting does with fawns?
 

I think if you take the doe, which I have no problem with, you are giving the fawns an early lesson to fear humans. The reason I say this is because when you go to track her the fawns will still be there with her.

RE: Shooting does with fawns?
 

Generally, it's customary hunting ethics not to kill female animals that are still with suckling or dependent young. In this case involving fawns with spots, more than likely they are too young to fend for themselves.

RE: Shooting does with fawns?
 

Though I won't say this has never happened.....it's never happened with me. I kill my fair share of does.....and tracked one Friday...with no fawns in sight.

Again.....biologically.....there's NO reason NOT to take does with fawns. It's a moral dilemma (for some).

RE: Shooting does with fawns?
 

I have no problem taking a doe with fawns. There is no biological reason to pass as GMMAT stated. If she has triplets, she definitely WILL NOT get a pass from as my huntingarea is way overpopulated. If you are worriedthe fawnwon't survive without mom for some reason, another doe from the same family will usually "adopt" it.

Like Shultzy mentioned, this gets beat to death. I'm not sure why when a couple minutes of searchingwill provide you withscientific material on this subject.

RE: Shooting does with fawns?
 

if there old enough to feed on there own i would. does anyone know for sure when that is

RE: Shooting does with fawns?
 

I could not do it either. You did the right thing and I am like you, have no problem taking a mature doe but not with the little ones in tow.

RE: Shooting does with fawns?
 

RE: Shooting does with fawns?
 

so aslong as there not born after say mid july your good there are two does i see with the same fawn some time there one or both of the doe with the fawn odd thing i have seen both does alone with the same fawn. i have seen the fawn since early to mid june.

RE: Shooting does with fawns?
 

Tim:

If you can distinguish particular fawns with different does......you're in a league of your own.

Just because we don't see a fawn with a doe.....doesn't mean she doesn't have one (or more). Just because we see a fawn......it doesn't mean it's been orphaned. Mama's will stay back and so will fawns (from time to time).

If you have a moral dilemma with the taking of fawns OR does with fawns......then there's nothing wrong with that. there's also nothing wrong with the taking of either.

RE: Shooting does with fawns?
 

I just have a question. How does anyone know they're triplets? What if ones mom got hit by a car and another took the fawn in?

RE: Shooting does with fawns?
 

I don't know if they are triplets, one seems a bit smaller and the spots are more visible, i see the spots on the rear haunches of only one fawn, This fawn is also always the farthest behind and whines more. (third child syndrome) It is also the only one I have seen try to suckle. Is it possible a doe would have triplets with one being a runt.Or it is possible that this one is a surrogate.

RE: Shooting does with fawns?
 

Well if its a Moral thing....I have High morals then, I will not shoot a doe that still has a Fawn in tow.....Even if the fawn was a early born and has lost its spots. You can tell the difference in a fawn(born this Year) and a yearling.

And Like I say I have High morals and most of the time the yearliings even get a Free pass, becouse I don't want to take the chance of shooting a button buck which most of the time you can't tell till you shoot it the go to recover it and then you find out its a Button!

So yes I have High Morals!:Dand Proud of it!!:D

RE: Shooting does with fawns?
 

I'm not sure how passing does with fawns translates into morals? I'd say it has everything to do with emotion and not much else. It definitely has nothing to do with science.

RE: Shooting does with fawns?
 

one of the does is a good bit bigger then the other and the fawn as alot of spots on one leg. it is easy to see which is which. my guest is one doe is the mother of the smaller one and the baby could be either doe's
but then again i am just guesting

RE: Shooting does with fawns?
 

i have the same situation with a doe and 2 youngsters (still with spots)feeding and bedding in the same area as my fav treestand. if i encounter them this saturday(ohio bow opener) they will get a pass from me.im not gonna waste a tag on 40 pound youngster or on the mom whose still feeding them. it just depends on the hunter..thats my opinion. i would not look down on someone who would or has, if they have the tag, they can fill it how they please.

RE: Shooting does with fawns?
 

i agree not worth the 25 bucks for the tag. now the last week of season if i have no deer if it is brown it is down now if i have a few in the freezer and i have a tag if it is say 1 1/2 years old

RE: Shooting does with fawns?
 

BINGO!!!! Right on, Vito ..


I wont ever shoot a doe with fawns early in the season......I know the fawns will survive but they still look too much like babies... now come late Novemer / December,Momma doewill get wacked if she comes by, but the fawns will get a pass ..... I don't shoot the little ones on purpose ... not that there is anything wrong with those that do .... I just don't ...

RE: Shooting does with fawns?
 

It happened to me last year.. The doe my brother shot ran 40 yards and died but we didnt hear her crash. We waited 3.5 hours and went to get her and the fawn was standing right next to her. No more killing does with fawns for me after seeing that, just cuz it hit a soft spot I guess

RE: Shooting does with fawns?
 

Well i don't think it really matter either way there scientific evidence to support what others have said and just because the doe is by her self don't mean a thing. One of the guys i work with said he has a doe that beds her fawn down on a regular basis just outside his fence underneath a tree and leaves for hours. He even said he can walk up to the fence and the fawn just looks at him. So just cause she's by herself don't mean a thing. Here's some pics of a doe and her fawns frequenting my feeder i'll leave them alone as there are some bigger more mature does i can take if i choose to.
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f284/mopowerman/SUNP0077.jpg
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f284/mopowerman/SUNP0076.jpg

RE: Shooting does with fawns?
 

There is no question they can survive on their own by early bow season.

However, they are very inexperienced to the way of the woods and are vulnerable to predators, especially other hunters without mom. Not saying that in itself is wrong, but it is fact.

Jeff, I am not doubting you, but I am surprised that you've not had fawns hang around a downed doe as you approach/and or field dress. Again, not saying it is wrong, but this happens frequently.

I don't know what happens to an orphan fawn if orphaned in the first couple of months, but if orphaned by the time deer season rolls around, that deer is on his/her own unless if finds another fawn to team/pair up. Deer have a distinct pecking order and a doe with fawns of her own will force the orphan to keep its distance.

But so is the way of nature. I have no problem shooting one.

RE: Shooting does with fawns?
 

In your situation, I would probably pass on shooting the doe. Personally, I think it depends on the situation and the time of year. If it's getting late in the season and I haven't gotten a deer, I would shoot the doe.Where earlier in the season, Ilet them walk. It also depends on how long they hang around my stand and if I am in the right mood. I shot a doe a few years ago because she hung around my stand forever. I told myself if she walked into a certain shooting lane I would pop her. Sure enough, after feeding for a little while, she walked right in front of the lane so I took her down.

RE: Shooting does with fawns?
 

If it is of no concern to you,why do you feel the need to correct someone who like me has grown up calling deer with spots fawns and when they lose their spots yearlings.It is no different than some people saying they killed a deer last night when clearly they arn't hunting at night ,but hunting the evening.It is just what people are used to from their upbringing.

RE: Shooting does with fawns?
 

Depends on the day. But on the days that end in Y, and ones that find me with a nanny tag, it is not a problem.[8D]

RE: Shooting does with fawns?
 

It IS of no concern to me what you call them. I pointed out that I clarify the terminology ONLY for reference.....because the wildlife biologist I cited referred to them as "fawns" (properly).

I actually DON'T care what you call them....one bit.

RE: Shooting does with fawns?
 

You must care since you felt the need to correct someone,I think we all know the difference between a fawn and yearling,but that was not the subject of the post,but as always you seem to turn someone else'e post into something else entirely rather than answer the question which was asked.

RE: Shooting does with fawns?
 

Well, I say let them grow. For those struggling with the deer herds, what is your definition of too many deer? My father speaks of times when he would see 80 deer walk past him. I'd loveto show that to my son some day but I highly doubt that he will ever see that day. Here it comes, control becauseof disease. What wiped out the populations in PA was not disease, it was over hunting. If the2 weeks of doe season continues there it will get worse. Brown and it is down really sucks.One more thing, if you need them shot off on your property, give me a call and I will help you with making your property like the state game areas and I have people at work that wouldlove the venison.

RE: Shooting does with fawns?
 

Shot a doe last night that had 2 fawns with her. Their spots were gone and they were chowing down on alfalfa. They will make it just fine, until we meet again.

RE: Shooting does with fawns?
 

Trey....I'll say this one more time.

I cited the terminology for reference....as the wildlife Bio referred to them as "fawns". I really don't care if you call them "spotties" or "crickets".

No malice intended. Honestly.;)

RE: Shooting does with fawns?
 

during the early season i usually let them walk, especially if they have fawns in tow. but later in the season i have no problem with it, by then they are fending for themselves pretty much anyways.