gutshot

I'm sorry but this ain't Bambi, by now the fawns are self reliant so they don't need thier "momma" anymore. I would have and have taked this very same shot. But to each his own.

hunter25

Everyone hunts for different reasons, but if you were guaranteed that those two yearlings would be okay if you had taken their mother, would you have shot? Adams is right...those "babies" are no longer babies. They'll survive and be just fine. Also, if you orphan a button buck, good chance he'll stay in your area and make it his home. Damned if you do, damned if you don't, right?

Don't worry about it...you'll get many other chances to bag a deer w/ your bow.

gjpwisconsin

IMHO, I would have shot the doe. Every doe I see during hunting season has fawns with her, so it would be very tough for me to find one on her own. For those of you who say the will be kicked out in 2 weeks, in my experience even during our regular gun season Thanksgiving week, the does still have fawns with them.
I agreee with the general consensus though that if you feel good about the decision then you made the right one. We are all different and as long as we are safe and legal it is our choice to make. Nobody else has to live with it after that fact.

dough boy

I had the same situation Saturday morning. A doe and her 2 fawns came in around 7:45. They did not give me a shot, but if the shot was there I would have taken it. HOWEVER.....everyone is not the same. Hunting is different for each person. If you feel you did the right thing, then you were right to let them go. I get excited just seeing deer in the woods. I am of the mindset you don't have to harvest a deer to have a good day in the woods!!!

tbonecpa

Don't shoot anything that you will regret later. Walking up to a mistake on the ground is tough and unlike fishing you can't "release" it. I saw a fawn with spots on Saturday and no doe to be seen. December is a fine time to take the does. They tend to be concentrated at food sources and that makes it easier to pick out "grandma". It sounds like you made the right choice for you. That is what matters.

tazman-j

Everyone is diffrent bro. I don't think there is a right or wrong answer. I did have a buddy that had the exact same scenario that you did except he shot the mamma. He said that the whole time he was gutting her, the two fawns were about 25 yards away in the bushes watching him do it. He had to chase them off so he could finish. He swore as long as he lived he'd never do that again because he felt so bad.

No worries, more deer will come and you will get your shot!

TheYoungOne

she woulda been shot if i was behind the bow!!

WV Hunter

I run into this quite a bit each season. For me, it usually comes down to the actual situation, and what I have going on outside of hunting, as to whether I take the shot...and which one(s) I take. I have taken does with fawns, I have also taken does and fawns together. Last week I had 3 fawns and 2 does come by at 15yds. I chose to pass all, mainly because I didn't have time to fool with a deer that day. I will say though, I notice myself to have gotten a little soft over the years and tend to let more does walk if they have fawns. I'd personally rather shoot a yearling that has not had fawns yet, if I have the choice. Bottom line, like others said....do what makes YOU happy.

P_T_

LOL, they are pretty tender, aren't they?

huntnma

i'm proud of you....i have had plenty of oppurtunities, but if they are with fawns, it's just not right...