Do you shoot the doe if the fawns are with her?

[mossy725]

Just curious, about everyone's opinion around here. I've read a few articles where guys won't shoot the doe if the fawns are trailing her, and others it doesn't matter.

Thoughts? Reasons? Opinions?

[Elmo]

I don't think I have the heart to do it. The possibility of the fawns dying without the mother would be a shame. Oddly, I rather just take one of the fawns then wipe out the entire family by taking the doe.

[fasteddie]

I'd shoot her . The fawns will be fine . The mother would kick them out as soon as breeding season was to start anyway .

[132 eight pointer]

Eddie you cold hearted .... yeah I'd take the momma too.

[mossy725]

I'd shoot her . The fawns will be fine . The mother would kick them out as soon as breeding season was to start anyway .

If that is the case, why do we still see fawns with the mother during gun and even muzzleloader?

[G-Man]

take the doe!! especially if with button bucks!! been doing this for years!! see a lot more yearling bucks as there is no momma to kick them out of the area!! they might eventually leave but i'd rather see yearlings just to keep up my sprits!!

T

[mossy725]

Call me what you will, but it is tough gutting a doe when the fawns are standing in sight, blatting for their mother.

[nybuckboy]

I'd shoot her . The fawns will be fine . The mother would kick them out as soon as breeding season was to start anyway .

Not necessarily true... the doe will go out on her rendevous' and leave the fawns in an area and return after she has been bred. The fawns stay with the mother/doe for ever. It's the young first year bucks that get kicked out by the doe to join the boys club.

[Geno C]

Ive taken a mature doe with yearlings the past 3 years in a row, take her lol

they will be fine...

[fasteddie]

If that is the case, why do we still see fawns with the mother during gun and even muzzleloader?

Must be a SouthernTier thing ! The does don't want the kids in the bedroom when her time comes .

[mossy725]

Must be a SouthernTier thing ! The does don't want the kids in the bedroom when her time comes .

Haha, nope. I hunt up by Rochester too. See the same up there.

[WNYBuckHunter]

Heck yeah I would. As long as the fawns dont have spots, they will be fine. They dont depend on the mother any more, just there for companionship until she runs them off during breeding. They will stay in the same herd though, so you still may see yearlings with adult does.

[arrow nocker]

ive passed on does with kids before.One that bedded in my back yard for instance.Had give birth to twins every year.More deer for the herd.She aint around this yr though.But if i do see one with fawns this yr.She is in my freezer.

[New York Hillbilly]

I have never been able to bring myself to do it. It is legal though and they say good deer management, so

i would not look down my nose at others who do. However, it has been my experience hunting my land

(and living on it every day) since 1991, that it's a crap shoot for the fawns once she is gone. They just don't have enough experience getting through their first deer season or winter, and usually end up in somebody's freezer just like momma or being picked off by coyotes.

[wooly]

Heck, I only shoot the doe if the fawns are with her.... I'm just a jerk that way,lol.

Honestly though, it doesn't really affect my decision when meat hunting, sometimes I'll whack the fawn if momma doesn't give me the shot.

Post season heading into winter see plenty of large doe groups being established for survivals sake. If your deer yard in the winter, the young will have plenty of mentors to see them through and show them the ropes.

[growalot]

Took one tonight and the fawn was a BB and her milk was all dried up already

[Slugger09]

I do feel bad, but if the doe is with 2+ fawns, if I were to shoot, I'd rather shoot the young doe cause the adult will probably produce another 2+ deer the following year. Less meat but better eatng.

[Stretchhunts]

I'd let her walk and I have let her walk the last 3 years. Keep them fawns coming.

[BUCKrub91]

shoot her

[Deerthug]

I agree with WNY, as long as the fawns don't have their spots then I would take the momma.

[Cabin Fever]

I have a hard time taking a doe if she has fawns. Especially if she only has 1 fawn. Can't say that they don't need their mother after they lose their spots and have been weaned. They still haven't seen their first winter yet, so it would be benefitial to have momma around to get them through that.

And yes, does and fawns get back together again after she has been bred.

[Pistol Pete]

Fawns all loose the spots when their winter coats grown in, this is controled my the length of day light Why not shoot something you can be proud of !!!

[SteveB]

If you have ever shot a doe, you have most likely shot a doe with fawns - they just weren't with her.

They are very few true dry does and the the only other does without fawns would be some yearlings or one

that lost their fawns due to vehicles, etc.

[sits in trees]

heck i would shoot the fawns too.

[skysoldiercody]

Shoot her!