Trophy/Meat II
 

Gentlemen,

Here's my question to you all.............

Referring to etothepii's Trophy or Meat question.

Would you find it ethical to shoot a fawn? I have not done so myself, but when talking about taste, that has got to be the ultimate in venison???

No one likes to carry his deer over the shoulder for all the guys at camp to see, but who's got the real trophy? I guess it depends on your definition of "trophy".

Don't get me wrong, I have a heart:eek:. Therefore, I don't know if I could do it, just asking. The only other problem would be avoiding the possibility of taking a buck fawn.

Bn'R

RE: Trophy/Meat II
 

I shoot fawns and it is not even a question of being eththical. I just haven't got to the point in my hunting career where all I'll shoot are big bucks and does for managment or meat only. I've shot button bucks the last two years and maybe I was a little more disapointed to find out it was a buck fawn and not a doe fawn but oh well killing those deer was still exciting and fun to me so........

Maybe it is not good management but why would you ask if it was ethical?

RE: Trophy/Meat II
 

Where I hunt you have to take a doe or anterless deer before you can take a buck. So if it doesn't have any spots and its the first one I see, or have a shot at, then yes I will take it. It doesn't need to have a rack on its head for me to enjoy the hunt or the steaks.:)

RE: Trophy/Meat II
 

Cisco,

You're right, ethical is the wrong word. Good management is what I was looking for;)

Bn'R

RE: Trophy/Meat II
 

I do not shoot fawns.I get one general whitetail license per year and if I am lucky I draw one antlered mule deer license and one antlerless tag.I certainly am not going to waste one of these few tags for 20lbs of meat.

RE: Trophy/Meat II
 

Stubblejumber,

That is understandleable. Here in MD we can take up to 12 deer just in the region I hunt. 4 bow, 4 muzzleloader and 4 shotgun/rifle. You can also go out of your region and take 12 more if anyone was ever that lucky. In fact you could legally kill 48 deer here in a season if you maxed out every way in all 4 regions.

The thing I find funny about the orginal post is that he makes it sound as if you kill a fawn you are ruthless hunter with no heart. LOL. I guess I am like that guy on the machine gun in the helicopter in Full Metal Jacket How do you kill the women and children? "You just don"t lead em as much"

RE: Trophy/Meat II
 

Last year I had two small fawns skittering under my stand during bow season. They were not much bigger than my beagle. If either had been big enough to make it worth the effort I would have killed them. Killed a button this year. Didn't bother me at all. it was 100 lbs live weight. and damned yummy. I have taken two young fawns. the one I took this year was probably only 80-90 lbs live weight. We can take 4 deer with our basic big game license and unlimited does with bonus tags on private land. weith less people hunting each year I think they will have to increase the number of deer we can take or extend the season soon. We just aren't keeping up with the deer herd in VA. Te quality of deer are getting better, but the numbers are also getting too high.

David

RE: Trophy/Meat II
 

no fawns for me !!!!!

RE: Trophy/Meat II
 

The truth is, I have many friends that have mixed feelings about it. I on the other hand say go for the great taste. However, when given the opportunity right in front of me this year (about 50 lbs or so), I couldn't pull the trigger. Maybe next year......

p.s. Cisco, I don't think you're a ruthless hunter


Thanks for your input,
Bn'R

RE: Trophy/Meat II
 

Not sure I could do it. Besides---I would have a hard time explaining to my wife. She is a great sport about my hunting---even though she would never shoot an animal.

RE: Trophy/Meat II
 

I usually take at least a doe each year but I just couldn't bring myself to shoot a fawn. For heard management or for somebody who really likes the meat, I have nothing against it necessarily, but I choose not to do so.

Cisco: This isn't quite accurate Cisco. In Region C in Maryland you can kill an unlimited number of antlerless deer with a bow, muzzleloader, or gun. Just thought I'd let you know. ;)

RE: Trophy/Meat II
 

No I don't shoot fawns. Typically I get 1 either sex tag and an anterless tag for whitetails a year. I save my either sex tag for a mature buck and try to take a dry doe with the anterless. I was brought up to not shoot a doe with fawns and I guess it has stuck with me for 20 plus years. I don't have a problem with those who choose to shoot fawns or a doe with fawns though, to each their own.

RE: Trophy/Meat II
 

Shoot a fawn??Thats all PETA needs to hear to give hunters a real bad name.To me, hunting represents a challenge, there's no challenge in shooting a fawn, therefore I can't consider it hunting.More like shooting kids in a playground, call it what you want, immoral, unethical, whatever.JMO.

RE: Trophy/Meat II
 

Jimbo, That maybe the case. I hunt region D. But my point was to stumblejumber that if I had very limited tags I would be more selective but here it is not like if you shoot something early for meat you are wasting a potential trophy tag.

Yeah plainsman that is a great analogy "like shooting kids in the play ground" gimme a break. You act like killing a fawn is as easy as walking to the woods edge and whistleing and it will come running to you like a dog. It maybe your opinion that shooting fawns isn't a good idea for management reasons, I still don't see the ethical issue but killing any deer is a challange for me and I shot this fawn the day before the last day of shotgun season here so I took what I got. That is all that is to it. I don't see how anyone could have a problem with that.

RE: Trophy/Meat II
 

Oh please, give me a break. Yeah, fawns are easier to hunt than mature deer, but they don't come running up to you looking for a treat when you walk into the woods. And shooting kids in a playground, I won't even comment on that one. In NY, the deer are in such high numbers, and the amount of damage they do, it is IMO just fine to shoot them if that is what you want to shoot. I won't shoot one with spots though. I shot two mature and two yearlings this year and didn't think twice about pulling the trigger on them. They taste mighty good, and they won't be running in front of my car this year or ruining the farmers crops. If you want to shoot only mature deer, that is fine, but don't equate people who have a different opinion with child killers.[:o]

RE: Trophy/Meat II
 

The description of the term fawn would have to be determined. When I here the term fawn I think of a spotted or very young deer. In other parts of the country the term applies to a deer up to a year old.

RE: Trophy/Meat II
 

I have killed first year deer in the past. Probally 5 or 6 over the past 20 years.
It was usually a case of the deer seeming bigger than it actually was. I tend to pass them up now though and give them a chance to live awhile.

RE: Trophy/Meat II
 

if you want to shoot a fawn or small deer or whatever you want to call it go for it, once a year we have a wildlife cookout, and yea i am responsible for the deer meat, amazing what a 50lb doe taste like after being on the smoker 6-7 hrs with hickory wood and charcoal, so yes i shoot 1 every year

RE: Trophy/Meat II
 

No spots and not a button is in the freezer.

RE: Trophy/Meat II
 

I do not want Baby, I want Mommy or Daddy or better yet GRANDPA!!

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RE: Trophy/Meat II
 

From Peta's point of view, hunting gives hunters a bad name, not what they chose to shoot.

I've shot fawns in the past, I will shot fawns in the future. In my hunting camp in Wisconin normally a fawn or two will be shot every year. This year we made up a board with "achievements" on it that will be carried over ever year. One of them is "fawn killer". It was so funny to see how everyones attitude changed about shooting fawns. No one wanted to make the board for that one, and every small questionable deer was passed on. I was going to shoot a fawn that was milling around eatting acorns, but I got to watch him from so close for so long that I noticed that he he twig and berries (if you know what I mean) so he gets to grow for a few more years.

RE: Trophy/Meat II
 

I honestly wouldn't shoot a fawn. I had two that came within arms length this year and couldn't shoot them. I guess that I had been watching them for too long this year and they kind of became like my little friends. I would watch them every night along with their mom. Their mom was shot this year, but they were still there. I just wanted them to get a little bit bigger. Next year, they probably won't have a chance.

RE: Trophy/Meat II
 

No. There are to many big mule deer doe where I hunt. I pick the biggest doe ion the bunch. Gotta fill that freezer.

RE: Trophy/Meat II
 

im 16....and im starting to get a little more serious about my hunting...the last years since iwas 12 i shot the first deer i had a shot at and was legal...this year i waited for a buck..till about 11 and i realized the weather and guys messed up our spot so i took a big doe for meat..i myself dont like shooting button bucks so i always check them out...if its a big deer ill shot without checking..if its small i check...but still usually pass on small deer...i rather take 1 big doe then a little one..my second year was the only year i shot a yearling...it was a button...but after a long day of hunting he worked out fine..and tasted great..dissappointed it was a button but i was young..not like i been shootin deer for 40 years and shot it...my first deer was a mature doe...and the others ones ive took since then were also....heck they are getting bigger and bigger..i better start weighing them...theres gota be a record somewhere for big does....the last 3 or 4 does i shot were toothless...one had a few teeth on the front bottom this year..a few of my dads friends stopped to see my first doe...they told me shed be one of the biggest id ever kill....my second doe this year made her look small....my second doe this year was bigger then all the bucks laying at the butcher shop...but now im starting to care more about horns..but still take meat when huntings tough...ill shot a yearling as long as im as sure as i can be its not a button...ive actually checked deer out this year and seen a few were buttons...they arent really hard to identify if you take the time to check....i love venison...but them horns look nice on the wall.....so im in the middle....if huntings going tough like this year ill work on the freezer...if im seeing alot of deer ill wait for a buck.....all depends....

RE: Trophy/Meat II
 

I try to pass on all small deer at this point, but I have taken a few small deer in my time, usually because they were by themselves and I had nothing to compare them to. I have also been passing on spikes lately unless firearms season is nearing an end and I haven't filled any tags yet.

RE: Trophy/Meat II
 

IF it tastes good I'll shoot it as long as it's legal...











IF it flies, it dies...or if it runs...swims...jumps...oh heck if it tastes good best shoot it and eat it...don't eat them liberals though (tough and stringy taste a little Gorey)...

RE: Trophy/Meat II
 

In Ct we get tons of doe tags 4 for Bow 2 rifle 2 landowner and 2 muzzeloader plus crop damage. I pretty much only shoot fawns or big bucks when I can, just love the tender meat. Also I really don't like burger and every piece of a fawn is good for grilling or stir fry so the amount of useable meat on a 50 lber for me is about the same as a 120 lber. check the cooking thread for my whole leg recipe.