timbercruiser

Our area is overrun with deer. A couple of years ago I ask the same question you have at a QDMA meeting, old doe or doe fawn. The response was to shoot both of them.

jimmy the foot

take the fawns and be sure the rest will last the winter for next year

AP deer hunter

Interesting thoughts. I'd never thought about shooting a fawn doe but I can see you guy's points. Down here in tx I 'd shoot the big doe because the yearlins will be fine. The high tomorrow is 84 degrees!!! You see why I say they won't freeze to death.I don't like to think about the, well what if she had buck fawns inside herstuff ! But several interesting thoughts.

Firehawk7309

Shoot the larger doe. By this time in the year, the younger deer should be able to fend for themselves.

Jim Beam

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This I got from a deer quality management site.[*]
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Don’t shoot “lone” anterless deer - wait until other deer arrive to provide a size comparison.[*]
Begin harvesting antlerless deer as early in the season as possible. [*]
When deer are traveling in single file between feeding and bedding areas, their positions often are determined by social rank and thus age. Take the lead doe and more often than not you will have the correct one. [*]
When spooked by sight or sound, deer frequently will return to satisfy their curiosity. They will circle the “problem” to get downwind for their noses to confirm if danger exists. With few exceptions, the dominant doe will initiate the investigation. [*]
Fawns are likely to be involved in bucking or frolicking. Avoid those playful youngsters. [*]
During the peak of the rut, it is common to encounter small groups of temporarily abandoned fawns. Their mothers are away courting. If the deer appear unusually small, just wait for a behavioral hint. Also, a somewhat less reliable clue is the color difference between buck and doe fawns, particularly late in the fall. Buck fawns often appear darker, colored with a hint of gray compared with the lighter brown or reddish coloration of doe fawns. [*]
Taking time to think about size and shape comparisons before shooting will increase your chances of making the correct decision. Size and shape are important clues to identifying adults and youngsters. An adult doe has a long face and neck and is basically rectangular in shape. Fawns have short faces and necks and appear more square. Compare these two descriptions with luggage - a suitcase is rectangular and the smaller briefcase is square. The face of an adult doe could compare with a 12 oz. drink bottle and a fawn would match a 6 oz. bottle. [*]
The bottom line to harvesting deer selectively is to follow the golden rule - when in doubt, leave it out. [*]
One can look at saving young bucks now as an “investment” in larger, more robust bucks in the future–with increased weights. Hallmark to successful QDM will be a change in hunter attitude and harvest practices. “It is important for hunters to view themselves as participants in deer management as they practice the recreation of harvesting deer.” (Decker and Connelly, 1990)
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Arrowmaster

I would say take the older doe. Let the little ones grow up. Theres not much sport in shooting fawns. Definetly let the button buck go. I dont understand why hunters shoot yearlings. Theres not much meat on them anyway. I guess this is a pet peeve of mine. Arrowmaster

Tut23

i can see why you guys would shoot a yearling doe. my first deer was a yearling doe, and even tho its tendertheres not very much meat. and skinned a yearling doe looks like a dog. but its up to you on what you take because after all it is your hunting spot.

mlo3135127

Arrowmaster, you are killing two fawns when you kill a big doe. I doesn't matter to me what anyone shoots, but you are killing fawns either way you look at it.