I don't let the fact that she's a mother persuade my decison. Sometimes a lone doe really has a yearling or 2 in the distance so that can't be use as a determing factor. If you want to take a doe, ya gotta realize she could have yearlings around, and they are very capable of taking care of themselves at this point.. Heck for my first deer I shot a yearling!! After 3 fruitless seasons, it was a huge relief and I was as proud as if it were a big buck! It was a trophy for me.

I had momma and 2 tiny fawns under my stand this Sat morning for about a half hour. It was a pleasure to watch. I didn't even consider drawing on her - rut coming or not. Call me a softy - I won't kill a doe with fawns.

For a few years now, I have let them go as did you. But after talking with many others on the subject I've decided to shoot away. If the fawns haven't learned the area, food sources and escape routes good enough yet....they won't at all. You don't certainly think they spend 100% of the time with mom, do you? She's off doing her thing and they are off doing theirs. Someone eluded to the fact they don't want to shoot mom....would you not shoot dad if he walked by? Come on!! We are living in a day and age where we need complete families.

I cant do it,I have watched to many young ones and mom wash each other play tag and stuff over the years. call me a softy if you want.

Kill-it!

I'm afraid I'd of done the same thing ,I have a problem with taking a doe away from her young as well ,doesn't matter if it's my first or not .
As far as I'm concerned you can still chalk her up since you had her if you wanted her ,you just chose not to.Way to go ,and I'm glad I'm not the only one who feel's like you did about this situation.

nubo

Well, if you die tomorrow you screwed up big time! If you make it through the night there will be other chances. I think you did the right thing. I figure if the fawns are still hanging with mom and she is waiting up and tending to them shooting her isn't the thing to do. On the brighter side you have turned the corner hunting wise. You have watched three deer at point blank range for 20 min. and have gone undetected. That is importatnt stuff. I have always thought that getting the draw was the true test because after that step it all gets easy. I bet your heart was pounding out of your chest and you felt like you had held your breath for 2 min.?

Been there done that! I've let them walk and I've taken the shot.

Where are you hunting? I hunt in an area that is literally crawling with Does and fawns. So far this year I've let them walk. It will change either this weekend or next because the rut will be starting around the first week in November.

And finally, I believe its Petersens Bowhunting's latest magazine that has an article on "Which Doe to Shoot". It says if you take a doe that has a buck fawn with it, that the fawn will stay in the area. But if it's run off during the rut, it possibly won't stay around while it grows up.

Sounds like you made the right decision for you at that time. Next time who knows? And depends where you live, in a couple weeks, the fawns and does won't be together so she'll be fair game.

Good luck this season.

I wouldve let it walk too but you know some idiot during gun season wont think twice about it and shoot it. I would pass it up because i like seeing does when im hunting. Id rather see 1 or 2 does then not see anything at all.

I agree too, just like what Cardeer said.... I'd let it walk.

I had a chance at a small yearling doe about 2 weeks ago or so. The cute li'l thing didn't even know I was there about 25 yards away. Don't get me wrong.... I mean, I really had to restrain myself from drawing on her, but I chose to let her walk on by. I remember saying to myself as I watched her walk by, "It's okay honey, you go on. Go on get your Daddy for me".

Butch A.

remember stats show that if you harvest a doe who has young ones with her the young ons tend to stay in that area upon growing older. Because they are familiar with that area. and if she has 2 fawns a good chance one is a buck, killing that doe would almost guarentee that that buck stays in your hunting area instead of going off on his own