Take the big or little doe?
 

Well, I have a choice to make. Doe shooting is available shortly and I've been watching a doe with what appears to be 4 offspring. 1 button buck and 3 doe fawns. I could take one of the young ones or I could take the mother doe. If I take the big doe, I have more meat, but I'm concerned that the younger ones need her for the rest of the year before they can make it on their own. If I take a young doe I have some tender eating, and I have enough so that I don't need the extra meat. But.... killing a first year doe leaves me a little uneasy.
I'm not about to let them all pass. What would you hunters do? I know I'm going to face this issue in the next few days as muzzloading season is only a week long.

RE: Take the big or little doe?
 

I think you have already figured it out. My guess is you'll take one of the smaller does.

RE: Take the big or little doe?
 

I would shoot the big doe if it were me. I thinK the small ones will do just as good through the wninter months w/out mama.

Is one doe all that you are allowed?

RE: Take the big or little doe?
 

I sometimes shoot a doe on my farm, and choose to shoot big does for the following reasons. First, they are older and wiser, so it's a little more of a challenge. And, theymess-up my hunts more often than younger does. Second,I shoot bigger does so I won't make the mistake of shooting a smaller button buck by accident. And, lastly the bigger does have more meat.

RE: Take the big or little doe?
 

take the mama this late in the year the yearlings dont need her a much.

RE: Take the big or little doe?
 

I read a study the other day that stated that younger does tended to throw more bucks and that older does tended to throw more does....they suspect it has something to do with hormones but no absolutes at this point. They needed to do more work to be sure. This means shooting the older does will yield more bucks in the future. personally I would shot one of the young ones....hard to beat steak that you can cut with a fork.

-john

RE: Take the big or little doe?
 

I used to always shoot the big doe. The winters of 2002 and 2003 were hard on the young deer. In2002 I found 37 winter killed fawns, in 2003 I found 17 winter killed fawns, so in 2004 I decided I would shoot a doe fawn for meat. If you don't get trigger happyit's easytell a doe fawn from a button buck. I figured why not shoot the fawn, there is a chance that it may not make it through the winter anyway. Some guys may not like the idea of killing fawns, but I think that I have a good reason to do so, besides when you kill a large doe there is a real good chance you will be killing two unborn fawnsthat may even be two bucks. Although,if you have lots of deer you may want two kill the big doe. That way, the fawn that you didn't shoot may winter kill and the big doe will be deadas willher two unborn fawns. my site: www.pbase.com/mlo3135127& www.wildturkey.smugmug.com

RE: Take the big or little doe?
 

Great comments guys; and HuntinGUS, you bring up a point I hadn't thought of. I can only take one doe on my tag, but I have access to other tags. Makes me think I could take a young one and then rethink the problem! In any event, I'm leaning towards letting the older doe walk.

RE: Take the big or little doe?
 

I agree with HuntinGus those yearlings will be just fine.

RE: Take the big or little doe?
 

I'd lean towards shooting a young, tender deer. Meat quality in animals declines with age. Besides, they'll all make a meal for something one day. Might as well be you.

RE: Take the big or little doe?
 

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.

RE: Take the big or little doe?
 

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

RE: Take the big or little doe?
 

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.:DI don't like to think about the, well what if she had buck fawns inside herstuff ! But several interesting thoughts.

RE: Take the big or little doe?
 

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

RE: Take the big or little doe?
 

[ul][*]
This I got from a deer quality management site.[*]
[*]
[*]
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)
[/ul]

RE: Take the big or little doe?
 

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

RE: Take the big or little doe?
 

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.

RE: Take the big or little doe?
 

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.