Shooting doe with yearling? ethical or not?
10-31-2003 | 11:20 AM
#11
Typical Buck
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 847
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From: QDM Heaven
RE: Shooting doe with yearling? ethical or not?
First of all, there is a major difference between a " yearling" and a " fawn" . A yearling is a year old whereas a fawn is 4-6 months this time of year. Regardless they will be fine and you did the right thing.
10-31-2003 | 11:24 AM
#12
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 85
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From: Auburn,Alabama
RE: Shooting doe with yearling? ethical or not?
i try not to shoot a doe that has a yealing with her. but what you did was not wrong. the yearling is old enough to know what to eat and what animals to stay away from. killing the mother did not hurt the yearling, maybe just made it lonely for a little while. but it will find some other deer to hang around. anyway, congrats on the deer.
10-31-2003 | 11:42 AM
#13
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 668
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From: Logan, UT/ NW Penna
RE: Shooting doe with yearling? ethical or not?
The young can take care of themselves for quite a few months by the time hunting season comes around. The doe will be chasing them off in the spring. I have never shot a doe with a yearling, so I cannot relate.
10-31-2003 | 11:53 AM
#14
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 536
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From: Jim Thorpe, PA
RE: Shooting doe with yearling? ethical or not?
You have succumbed to the Disney/Bambi syndrome! Fight it very hard! Tell yourself over and over: " A deer is an animal, I am a human being. God made man to rule over the animals. Deer meat is tasty!"
10-31-2003 | 03:17 PM
#15
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 69
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RE: Shooting doe with yearling? ethical or not?
Now I' m feeling bad. Twice I' ve had a perfect shot at a doe with two yearlings. I' ve passed it up both times. And I' ve never killed a deer with a bow, so it' s extra hard to pass up a shot like that. Next time she comes in, I' ll take her.
-Spike Buck
-Spike Buck
10-31-2003 | 04:07 PM
#16
Nontypical Buck
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 3,784
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From: Pittsburgh, PA
RE: Shooting doe with yearling? ethical or not?
ORIGINAL: Swamp Dawg
Last week I had decided it was time to take a doe to put some meet in the freezer. 2 does walked out from behind me and the first one walked into a shooting lane, so I shot her. She ran 40 yards and crashed hard. Well, momemts later I realize that a yearling was with this doe. I felt horrible. The yearling walked over to its mother and just sat and stared at her for about an hour. To make matters worse, when I skinned her, she had milk. I know it is our responsibility to harvest does on ocassion, but after this incident, I don' t know that I ever want to shoot another doe again. Was this unethical on my part?
Last week I had decided it was time to take a doe to put some meet in the freezer. 2 does walked out from behind me and the first one walked into a shooting lane, so I shot her. She ran 40 yards and crashed hard. Well, momemts later I realize that a yearling was with this doe. I felt horrible. The yearling walked over to its mother and just sat and stared at her for about an hour. To make matters worse, when I skinned her, she had milk. I know it is our responsibility to harvest does on ocassion, but after this incident, I don' t know that I ever want to shoot another doe again. Was this unethical on my part?
11-01-2003 | 02:27 PM
#18
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
RE: Shooting doe with yearling? ethical or not?
I' m with ya. I did the same thing a couple years back. The little guy just stood there waiting for mom to get up. I dont mind shooting does, but I wont do it if they are with little ones anymore. Everything would have been different if he had just ran away.
11-01-2003 | 04:43 PM
#19
Nontypical Buck
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,966
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From: Harford Co Maryland USA
RE: Shooting doe with yearling? ethical or not?
In addition to being the RIGHT thing to do, you also may inadvertantly help the buck population out when this happens in the future. When the mother is taken, the young bucks are not chased away and usually remain in the area. This helps to improve the buck/doe ratio two ways.
11-01-2003 | 05:33 PM
#20
Nontypical Buck
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,214
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From: Arlington TX USA
RE: Shooting doe with yearling? ethical or not?
This topic has been beat to death here lately, but here' s my 2 cents. Take no shame in shooting a doe with a young one. I say their yearlings because they are not year old yet. By the time seanon rolls around, especially by now, they can fend for themselves. Besides, they will probably hook up with another group of does & yearlings.
