Shooting Fawns

[Lunker]

My camp is split between meat/trophy hunters, but it usually works out for everyone. However, often fawns are accidental as well. I shot a fawn doe this year, right after I had passed up one. Came in through a thicket about 50 yds away, looked a lot bigger than the deer I had just passed up, so I took the shot. Turned out to be a young one, but I'm not dissapointed. All these doe tags are there for a reason, the DNR would like us to shoot does. So if its a fawn, I don't see why its a big deal. I don't personally shoot young bucks though, I've watched three forks and a knubbin in the lasy two years, going with does instead. Theres my 2 cents

[Fisher Dave]

In all honesty .. I prefer not to shoot fawns, but I will if thats the only reasonable shot that presents itself in the hunting season. I prefer to take mature deer (larger body size) for one simple reason... more meat.

I dont think there are many out there that go out just to *kill* a deer ... I know there are some, but few and far between. In all reality, I dont particularly care for taking the life of any animal, but, every year during the hunting seasons I do my best to harvest a deer (and all other game I hunt) .. not for *killing*, not for a trophy, not to say I'm a more acomplished hunter than another ... I hunt for groceries. If it happens to be fawns or yearlings I'm harvesting ... I guess I'll have more steak in the freezer than burger, and I will save approximately $200 on my grocery bill per deer I harvest... or $100 if it happens to be a fawn.

[fishnutbob]

I havent shot fawns in the past until this year, because of the extra MGMT tags we had in the Orr area. I passed on small deer the first two days then shot the small deer the third day. We did harvest Ten deer this year, with a 6 pointer the biggest. Didnt see any big Bucks Doe's still with fawns so I dont think the rut was in full swing where we hunted. Cold the first day 5 below than warm in the fortys the rest of the week. Nice amount of snow for tracking. Hunted Sat till Fri, That week went way too fast.

[toenail]

2 reasons:
1) they are good and tender meat
2) its a deer harvest, thin the
herd to a balanced level.

but....I did pass from shooting a
fawn on opening day, being the nice
touchy feely guy I am.

[MikeYager - Suzuki]

One reason I have not seen here that sometimes applys to the groups I hunt with is just not seeing deer. It is not uncommon for us to hardly see anything so when the only opportunity that presents itself is a yearling we may take it simply because we love venison and it is legal. As an example the one camp I hunt with this year got nothing. A yearling would have been nice.

[BLACKJACK]

Gissert hit it right, in zone 4A where I hunt, you only have two days and may not have that many chances. On Sat afternoon, when my party of three still had no deer, I shot a fawn that came walking along. Later on we, shot another mature doe, and that was it, we never did round up the two nice bucks that we saw. We had fun and we'll have some steaks and chops and a few sausages made.

If I have the choice when a doe and fawns come thru, I always take the mature doe, more steaks and chops, and I like venison, I've never found a deer thats is 'too tough'.

It would be interesting to know if shooting the mature doe/mother increases fawn mortality. Earlier this year I shot a doe with my bow, she was all by herself, but she had milk in her udder, then shortly afterward, I saw this scruffy fawn around quite a bit. Almost made me feel guilty...

[walleyeking#8]

correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't a fawn a newborn deer? I'd rather not shoot a fawn when hunting deer, but when it comes to that last day of the season and I haven't put any venison in my freezer, I will take a young buck or doe. I hunt both archery and shotgun so after spending 54$ to hunt I expect to taste some venison each year. I don't have a problem with anyone shooting a young deer as long as they tag it and eat it. Years back I was hunting some land I had posted on the first morning of the first season, I had posted there since before light, around 9:30 a.m. the other three in my party met up with me and asked me if I had shot that young deer, I said "what young deer"? they said the one in the road ditch. No I did not, I said. Was I a p***ed off hunter. Some Ignorant (and some more words I can't say) apparently shot it in the middle of the night and left it lay. That young deer could have been backstaps for my grill, or grew to be a monster buck. If your going to kill it to grill it, than power to you!!!!!!!!!! I am a firm believer in TIP and if I would have found out who that person was the would have the DNR to deal with.

[jwilli7122]

I shot a fawn within 20 min of getting in my stand this year. I'd rather shoot a fawn than a 10 pt buck. I dont want a buck. I have zero appreciation for a nice rack, a fawn is better meat, and the perfect amount of meat. I dont need 100 lbs of meat. I am definitely a meat hunter- and yeah I'm also out to kill something.

[protrapper]

Up here in Grand Marais we have hard winters, timberwolves, brush wolves, cars, trucks, and Monson semis.

There is absolutley nothing wrong with shooting a fawn they are the first to go in a hard winter or from the wolves. Right behind them is the bucks. Forkhorn right up to the trophys that have run them selves ragged during the rut. And I have seen it first hand.

They starve in the hard winters and the wolves nail'em cause they have no energy. The deer that are most likely to make it through the winter are the does. They don't run ragged during the rut and they will abort there fawns if the winter is long and hard and there is no chance of survival.

The does up here have to be bred at a certain time so ther is enough time for the fawn to mature to make it on it's own if it has to.

The does do the best during the winter it's just the way mother nature has it set up. If the does where the first to die from anything the species wouldn't be able to carry on through time.

All in all shooting fawns is good. And taking of all sized bucks is good. A trophy in anothers eyes may not be a trophy in anothers eyes.

[Borch]

I've shot a few fawns in the years I've hunted. But I usually shoot adult does or bucks. I don't hunt for big racks. Although I've passed on several smaller bucks when I've had a doe permit. I figure I'd rather get a big doe than a small buck.

This year we all had doe permits so I decided I wamted a buck with my muzzleloader. If I ate my tag so be it. I have three kids hunting and thought I'd let them shoot the does.

Really I get more enjoyment form watching them get a deer then thumping one myself. Although I did enjoy thumping a decent 4 pt buck with my muzzleloader. But it was more about the gun than the deer.

We ended up with 7 deer between two families. This included two doe fawns, one mature doe and 4 adult bucks. We'll be eating good this year.

Plus no matter what I marinade them in. I just can't get those horns to taste good.

The hunt is about the memories to me. The meat and/or antlers are just a bonus. We're just two guys hunting with 4 daughters and one son. It's all about friends and family.

[CrappieJohn]

Borsch...You really did about sum it up. Good jod with that post. My hats off to you!

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Sure life happens- why wait....The Crapster....good fishing guys!
[email protected]

[SCCO9803]

Borch,
Excellent! You are right, the hunt IS about the memories and the people you spend it with.

[Borch]

Thanks guys. So glad the hear that so many feel the same as we do in our deer camp. It's a great time no matter how many deer we shoot or what the weather's like. There aways seems to be stories to tell years later. The stories always last much longer than the venison does.

Best to you all.

[CornPirateKiller]

Bravo, Borsch! I couldn't have said it better myself. I'm not a trophy hunter. I get out in the woods and field to enjoy the outdoors and the company of my companions. I've shot fawns before because I want some venison in the freezer for the winter. Some may not believe it, but we've occasionally had to work our butts of just to get a fawn.

I applaud anyone that takes their kids out in the woods and passes on the tradition too. You're right, I'd rather watch my daughter take a deer than get one myself. Nothing finer than seeing the excitement on a kids face when they experience the thrill of success in the outdoors, hunting, fishing, or whatever.

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Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati

[Swamp Scooter]

I hunt MN and WI for gun deer. Where we hunt in Northern WI and this year in MN they are trying to thin out the population a little. Most old schoolers let the Does and fawns go and then they get bred later in the season by the lesser bucks. WI is seriously considering going to earn-a-buck next year. That means you have to register a doe before you can tag a buck. Not as a party but per hunter. I cannot sum up the experience any better than the rest of you but I would like to try and preserve the dominant genetics in the field. You think $54 was a lot for licenses try going across the border for deer and bear. As long as I see a deer and get the "drop" on it before it gets me it has been a successful hunt. Making the shot is just the formality of tagging it then. I got some good video this year during WI T-zone of some bucks and coyotes. Can't shoot them might as well work on the grunt and film them!!!