Shoot the ones with the spots
 

A few years ago I read an article about a lady hunter that shot the smallest deer she saw. She would often pass up on good size bucks in favor of fawns. Why did she do this? She made it very clear in her article that she hunted for the meat, not the trophy bucks. The older the deer, the tougher the meat. When a buck is in rut, the hormones can add an unfavorable taste to the meat.

This lady hunter also commented how she was usually the camp cook. So she shot the smallest deer to take back to camp and cook it right then and there.

Having a nice big rack of horns on the wall is nice, but having good quality deer meat in the freezer is just as nice, if not better. When I serve deer meat to guest, I want them to say - "that sure is good, what is it?" What I do not want is my guest saying, "that sure is tough, and it smells funny, are you sure its good to eat?"

The deer hunting community is obsessed with big horns. Which is fine and dandy for the trophy hunter. A few months ago, maybe a year ago, it was outdoor life or field and stream magazine that had a write up - the obsession with big racks is killing the deer hunting community. And in a way, that statement is true. Those deer are there to eat, not just for the horns.

The mind set, the bigger the horns, the better - is backwards. Its about the hunt and the quality of meat. A 6 point deer with a small rack can give the hunter a good hunting experience, just like a 10 point can. The 6 point might just be better eating.

After all, hunting is not just about "killing." Its about being in nature, returning to our primitive state where its just the hunter and the hunted. Most of todays hunters have forgotten what the "hunt" is all about. Did our ancestors hang horns on the walls and tell all their buddies about how big their deer was? Well maybe. But the meat, and the chase of the hunt was more important.

Then there is the theory of killing the bigger bucks reduces the quality of the breeding population. True predators do not kill the biggest and the strongest, they kill the small and the weak. Trophy hunting goes against natural predator instints. If we were to really follow in the foot steps of our primitive ancestors, and real predators we would kill the smaller deer. Just like what real predators like wolves and lions do. Does a wolf take down the biggest and strongest? No, the pack takes down the weak, the slow and the sick. Thus keeping the deer population strong.

My cousin told me the hunting lease he is on is kicking people off for shooting small deer. All the management wants harvested is trophy bucks. Not everyone likes the taste of buck in rut meat. For some reason, even though does are over populated, the land management does not want does shot.

Taking out the strong, only makes the herd weaker. Last month I got a 9 point, and my son got a 6 point. The next deer we shoot might be the smallest thing we see.

This thread is named after one of the articles I read in outdoor life or field and stream. I can not remember which one it was. If someone here remembers reading that same article, please say so. There was one article about a lady hunter that shot the smallest deer she saw. Then there was another article about the hunting communities obession with horns.

Sure, I like a nice set of horns hanging on the wall. But I like opening that freezer and saying "yea,,, baby!" as well.

So which one is more important, the horns or the meat. Having a good hunting experience regardless of the size of the deer, or having a big rack of horns?

To me, its about the hunt, being in the woods pre-season, doing the tracking, taking pictures, feeling the wind in my face. If the deer I get has a nice rack, then so be it. If the deer has a small rack so be it as well. There is no need in waiting for this "monster" buck to come out and having an empty freezer all year. If I get a 6 point or better, or a doe and my freezer is full, then I had a good hunting season.

The story about the 9 point I got in November - http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=2492538

RE: Shoot the ones with the spots
 

Thats why you get 2 tags........she is right though....the smaller the better tasting!

RE: Shoot the ones with the spots
 

To each there own I guess. I personally could care less about the freezer. I hunt because I can. And big bucks are why I go. But growing up I would say about 75% of our meals were venison. Out of neccessity.

RE: Shoot the ones with the spots
 

I have to admit that I wrestle from time to time in my own mind the idea of hunting the biggest and the best. Like you said, in a predator/prey relationship, the predator usually takes the small and the weak. What we as humans tend to do is just the opposite.

I am kind of new to hunting (about 8 years and only have shot 3 deer) so that probably affects some of my thinking. I have no problem with shooting the first doe or fawn I see. I've never had the opportunity to take a mature buck, but I hope someday I do. (Ok, I saw the biggest 10 point I have ever seen while hunting standing 30 yards broadside earlier this year. No shot. Special MLhunt and I only had an antlerless tag. DOH!:)) My first deer was a year and a half old buck, but since that time, I have let all the small bucks I see get a free pass. I guess I let the little bucks walk because 1.) I love seeing big bucks in the woods and you can't see them grow up if you shoot them and 2.) I respect the trophy hunters out there that do want to preferentially harvest a mature buck even though that is not where I am at. For those reasons I let the little bucks alone. Shooting a deer is not so important to me that I can't let a small buck go by. Does and fawns (even button bucks) get no preferential treatment. The little ones sure are good eating. Our season is late enough that at least there are no spots on the fawns.

You have some really good thoughts kev and they are ones that I have thought about a lot. I do think it is mostly about the hunt, but I willsay that since I started all this crazy nonsense at age 38 :),getting a successful shot on a deer is still a challenge for me and the ultimate goal. I guess I'm still evolving as a hunter so my opinions may change over the years. I think that is pretty natural.

Good post!

RE: Shoot the ones with the spots
 

I have no problem shooting a weaned fawn, a doe, a spike, 4-pointer, 10 pointer or whatever is legal where you hunt. BUT to advocate shooting an illegalspotted fawn is kinda stupid.

RE: Shoot the ones with the spots
 

For me it's about the shot that I want to take-whether it's a 4.5 yr old buck or a 6 month old button buck.I've taken my share of older deer and younger deer--most likely will continue to do so

RE: Shoot the ones with the spots
 

Doesn't matter whether they have spots or not, knee high or shoulder high here. Only thing that matters is that if it doesn't have at least two inches of bone on top of it's head it has to have a tag on it unless it's an either sex day. I try not to shoot at, or rather miss in my case, anything that is less than about 70 pounds or so. I have a hard time justifying, to myself, killing a small deer. I think it would make me feel like I'd just stomped a kitten to death. I don't just hunt for antlers though, I hunt because I want to eat the meat and fill the freezer. Any headgear would be a bonus I guess.

RE: Shoot the ones with the spots
 

Well around here a Deer with spots is not illegal.

I have never shot one with spots.But some I sure wouldn't pass :D



big rockpile

RE: Shoot the ones with the spots
 

If I actually saw spots, I would not shoot. For me, it just wouldn't seem right for some reason. Not that I'm saying other people can't do it. That's just what I personally wouldn't shoot. Otherwise, anything that walks past is dead.

RE: Shoot the ones with the spots
 

If I hunted just for the meat, I would quit hunting. I generate a portion of my income raising beef cattle, and quite frankly, I like beef better than venison. I can buy meat in a store or raise my own for less money than what venison costs me per pound. I love to hunt and have killed 7 deer this season (so far) between the two states that I hunt. I have plenty of venison and have given a fair share of mine to a low income family. I don't really like the term, but I guess I am a "trophy" hunter.

RE: Shoot the ones with the spots
 

First and always a meat hunter. Don`t care about horns. I hunt both buck and doe with rifle, shotgun and muzzleloader.
To each his own.

Ron:D

RE: Shoot the ones with the spots
 

I try to take the first legal deer that has a little size to it. In a perfect world I'd get a nice, fat, 2 1/2 yr old farm doe every year. The next deer would again be the first legal deer with decent size. The top pick for a second deer would be the same ... a younger fat farm doe. And if it had young I'd much prefer they were early drops that were fending on their own.

RE: Shoot the ones with the spots
 

Same here, besides, where I live if they still have spots you'd be hunting out of season anyway. Never saw a spotted one in October around here.

RE: Shoot the ones with the spots
 

I dont consider myself a trophy hunter at all, but i am not a 'meat hunter' either. I hunt in a club with a very high deer population, and anything with a forked horn is legal to take. Between my dad, myself, and my brother we have put 15 bucks in the freezer and it still would be cheaper to buy beef or other meat. We spend thousands of dollars and alot of time not because we are hungary, but of our love of the outdoors and hunting. My dad hunts in two clubs, one is trophy management club and all thoseguys are obsessed with giant racks. Kinda foolishto me to pay $1600per year to POSSIBILY killone good buck, when for $650 i can kill5 bucks on average every year. just my opinion

RE: Shoot the ones with the spots
 

It's all about management. Around here, we have too many deer. With the record rains, record foilage, and mild summer, the deer numbers are higher this year than in any other recent year.

We're lucky in Texas that we get 5 tags. I always take my three does/antlerless and typically keep the smallest one for myself while donating the rest of the meat to Hunters for the Hungry or a similar organization. But, big racks are what I really like and I really look for. Shooting the does is something I could go do at any time and I don't really consider it hunting as it doesn't take much effort.

The problem with alot of national magazines is that conditions are different all over the country. The fact is, if proper management practices are used, the biggest deer on your place should also be the deer with the shortest life expectancy since the life-span of a deer isn't very long. With that in mind, I try to shoot bucks that are at least 5 years old and have shot some that have been as old as 9 (rare around here to find one that old).

RE: Shoot the ones with the spots
 

Well here season opens in September.But I had a neighbor shoot a Buck that for some reason still had spots.Some of the guys was giving her a rough time for shooting a Fawn,but this was a full grown WhitetailBuck,with a Rackin November.

big rockpile

RE: Shoot the ones with the spots
 

If you are hunting just for the meat then I say it would be cheaper to buy beef.

I would hate to figure how much my venison cost per pound :eek:

Where I hunt, if it has spots in November, it shore ain't no white tail!

RE: Shoot the ones with the spots
 

If I really sat down and figured up what my venison cost per pound Id probably be too sick to eat it...:D

RE: Shoot the ones with the spots
 

spotted fawn are not illegal in my state, i have killed them but chose to pass on them now after the freezer is full

dr kill

RE: Shoot the ones with the spots
 

I'm stuck hunting public land where I don't see much more than a handful of deer a season, so I shoot whenever I get the chance.
My primary goal is to fill my tag each year whether it with a buck or doe. That said, the first and only deer I saw this year was a 9 pt 3-4yr old buck, and 2 years ago I took a 13 pter.

My biggest gripe about people saying "if you're just out for meat, then shoot a doe" is that bucks have more meat! If you're out for meat, you shoot the biggest animal you can get and short of comparing a 6yr old doe and a yearling buck, 90%+ of the time the buck will be bigger.

Just my thoughts.

RE: Shoot the ones with the spots
 

I hunt public land so I take what I can get...especially with my first tag..."If it is brown it goes down"...

If I fill my doe tag first then I might be selective on a second deer as really all I want is one deer for the meat.

RE: Shoot the ones with the spots
 

I am a meat hunter also, for moral, ethical,environmental, spiritual and health reasons. Not for economic reasons. I realize that legally taken venison is very expensive. I have issues with animal agriculture in the US, and prefer to take wild meat. High deer populations are detrimental to northern forested ecosystems, and I try to do my part for the good of the land.

I will usually shoot any deer that presents a safe, clean kill opportunity. I would probably pass on an exceptionally small fawn, and I would probably pass on any fawn during the first 2 hours of opening morning gun. Bucks yeild more meat than does. A yearling buck will easily yeild as much or more meat than a mature doe, even if the doe weighs more. Doesn't matter, I'll shoot either. The smaller the deer, the less risky of a shot I'll take at it. If I'm going to shoot a small deer, I want a good clean kill on it.

RE: Shoot the ones with the spots
 

The smaller the deer, the better they taste! Bucks get made into sausage, thats why you can only shoot one with rifle and one with bow. (How much sausage could you possibly eat,right?)

RE: Shoot the ones with the spots
 

i eat what i shoot be it a trophy or fawn

RE: Shoot the ones with the spots
 

I've never heard it being illegal to shoot a deer with spots. It's perfectly legal in Missouri. I think for me its not just the shooting ofbig mature bucks that I love to do but its the years afterward when they are mounted that you get to relive each hunt by telling the story of that buck. I personally wouldn't mount a small 8 or 6 pt buck. I shoot my fair share of does but most likely would never mount one. I enjoy venison and have great recipes and methods that hide or mask the gamey taste. I pay 17 dollars for 2 any deer bow tags and 19 dollars for 1 any deer rifle tag. I'm going to try to shoot the biggest deer in the woods so I get the most for my buck...literally!

RE: Shoot the ones with the spots
 

Its is much harder to kill a fawn versus a big buck. Fawns are smaller, thus they have a smaller kill zone to shoot at. That has always been my theory.

RE: Shoot the ones with the spots
 

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GOD I HOPE THIS REPLY WAS A JOKE,
ITS PRETY MUCH LIKE KILLING A FOX I HIT ONE IN THE GUTS AND IT KILLED IT WITHIN 50 FT , MY BROADHEADS DO MUCH MORE DAMAGE TO SMALLER GAME THEN BIGGER GAME THERE FOR ACCURACY JUST HAS TO BE IN THE AREA , BUT WITH BIG GAME A GUT SHOT CAN LEED YOU ON A MILE LONG BLOOD TRAIL , SO I TAKE MY TIME AND PLACE BETTER SHOTS ON BIGGER GAME,
BUT WITH SMALL GAME YOU DONT WANT TO HIT THE FRONT SHOULDER OR TENDER LOIN BECAUSE IF YOU DO YOU CAN THROW THAT AWAY,

RE: Shoot the ones with the spots
 

It makes sense that the young will taste better. Look at veal calves. On the other side of the coin, you can let an older deer hang for 8 to10 days at 40 degrees and it will taste great also. The thing about the younguns is they have been in the environment less time than an older deer and will have absorbed less toxins and heavy metals than an older deer (or fish for that matter) so it is probably healthier food for us overall. You get much less meat however.

RE: Shoot the ones with the spots
 

We process our own deer, so the cost isnt nearly as much as taking it to the packing house. But it is generally a waste of time to cut up a small fawn. Cleaning the meat grinder takes longer. I myself dont shoot fawns or yearlings. I guess Im considered a trophy hunter. Years ago I was a meat hunter. Now its all about the trophy for me. Thats my preference. If shooting a spotted fawn makes you happy the good for you. Here in Indiana we have the one buck law. That makes me hold out for the bigger mature bucks. But like I said thats my preference...