fawns ?
 

A good friend of mine says that he shoots fawns because they're better eating/more tender. I've eaten some of his meat, and honestly, I can't tell the difference.

I don't think I could ever bring myself to do it - it just seems sort of "wasteful" (not quite the right word) to me.

Where I hunt in NY (shotgun), on the adjacent public land, there's plenty of people that take fawns every year. I think half of them have no idea that it's a fawn until they get it back to the truck and one of their buddies tell them.

My question is, do you think shooting a fawn is "unethical" ?

RE: fawns ?
 

a hunter kills for meat only, but if your trying to do some qdm, then shooting they fawns are a no-no becuase they could be button bucks. I really dont think there is a difference in the meat.......deer is deer to me.
I only shoot mature deer.

RE: fawns ?
 

I'm not sure of the ethics, but my wife and son would call me a Bambi killer. So i will not shoot a fawn,cause of the home headaches.[:o]

RE: fawns ?
 

I have shot a fawn before, accidentally. I shot the bigger of the 2, but it must have just been the female fawn instead of the Mom. I felt bad, but as long as it is going to be used for food I don't believe it is unethical. My son will be hunting for the 1st time ever this season and I will not discourage him from shooting any deer he sees. Ethics are something each person must define for him/her self. Although their are some basic ethics everyone should follow.

RE: fawns ?
 

Back when I cared to eat deer, I would only shoot bambis. Even today I will take a bambi over any deer under 150 class. They are so much easier to get out of the woods and butcher. If you want more meat then shoot two.

RE: fawns ?
 

I read in Deer and deer hunting that radio collared buck fawns have been known to disperse UP TO 30 miles from the location they were born... So it is safe to say that the majority of buck fawns are gone the next year...

that said, I dont shoot fawns on purpose, but later in the season, when there by themself, it sometimes gets easier to mistake for a doe

RE: fawns ?
 

I don't believe killing faws falls on either side of the "ethical fence" . If it has spots I let it walk but if it's a yearling (small without spots) it's fair game in my book. IMO the most important thing is to identify the sex of the animal. If there is a question of weather or not the animal is a button, it walks. Thats how I call it;) just my $0.02

RE: fawns ?
 

I remember a post similar to this one... makes me recall mixing up a doe and a yearling in the scope of a rifle. I was fairly young then and very upset when I reached the small bodied deer lying on the edge of the woodlot. Personally, I would not intentionally shoot a small deer and by no means would I even harvest a fawn.

RE: fawns ?
 

I wouldn't, but thats my choice. As long as you are legal and it's a clean ethical kill, that will be cherished and/or eaten, no one can judge you wrongly!

RE: fawns ?
 

ONLY when the objective is to put meat in the freezer! I hunt for two reasons! First and foremost the joy of taking that buck that no one else can seem to get and two for the meat in the freezer. I have taken my fair share of yearlings during gun season and I can not tell the difference when it is on the table.

RE: fawns ?
 

First of all, it's only a fawn until it loses it's spots and then it's a yearling. Most have lost there spots by the time hunting season rolls around here in KY. Later in the fall, you can see if they have buttons usually if they are close enough. Yes, some fawns disperse from the area by next season but you still are taking a chance of taking a young buck out that may come back when he's older or that may never leave to begin with. Heck, even if I knew he was not coming back, I don't want to take a young buck out of the system. I would take a yearling late in the season if I had struck out so far and I could determine it was not a button buck. Just my .02. I don't judge anyone if they feel differently!

RE: fawns ?
 

well, if you make the distinction of fawn and yearling by its spots, then no i wouldnt shoot a fawn with spots, like say, early in the season

after that the spots are about gone

RE: fawns ?
 

I wouldn'y shoot a fawn. I am primarily a meat hunter. Don't get me wrong, if bullwinkle walks by my stand, he ain't leaving. But it just seems in my opinion that it's the same amount of effort put forth to harvrst less venison. And having a brother who shoot's anything, I can personally tell you that fawns and yearlings are no more tender than a mature deer. Unlike veal, deer from early on in life are not seditary creatures(locked in a crate) and develope muscle very rapidly, so much for the babay veal theory.

RE: fawns ?
 

Not really, but it is better to shoot a bigger dear such a doe or a buck.;):eek:

RE: fawns ?
 

I might be a bit backwards but I take a little one early if I can & leave the big does to attract bucks later on. It can be tough tho as they seem to travel in bunches in the early season. Ethically I see no issue. Nature would take the weakest first so IMO there is no issue with shooting fawns or yearlings or whatever.

RE: fawns ?
 

Not unethical at all - in fact I when I grew up hunting - if a youngster shot a Button or even a female fawn, he/she got a pat on the back. Any deer is a trophy when you are first hunting.

As I grow older, I don't choose to shoot a fawn, but I'll be the first to pat a new hunter on the back if they take a young animal -

These leases that fine for taking fawns have no idea what they are doing. In most areas - the lease manager should require a doe be taken before a buck - ar at least before a second buck (if the population is high enough). If deer are really that scarce on the lease - then WAY too many members are hunting it.

Just my 2 cents.

RE: fawns ?
 

if its coming down to the wire and i havent gotten a deer a yearling is fair game cause my family loves deer meat and if daddy dont bring any home then hes in trouble.