what to do???

[jbtwins24]

heres a stupid question for ya. theres a doe with her fawn and you have a good shot at the doe, would ya take her or not? i think that you do shoot the doe because the fawn will leave the mother shortly anyways right?? im learning a whole new way of hunting this yr, in the past all did is get a group of 20 people and just drive our hill sides till everybody filled the their tags. i guess you can say i want to be more of a sportsman when it comes to hunting and not shoot everything in site.

[Code-Man]

Opening Morning I personally wouldn't. Rifle Season YES Muzzleloading/Late Bow HECK YA. I guess my opinion is it's still early in the season and if you definately need the meat shoot. IF you don't why shoot? Later in the year they does WILL kick off the fawn prior to rut and when they turn into the heat. I think that is fair game from there on because once the doe does get close to heat it sees its fawn as a competitor. And will be a total differnt deer from that point on. I know my answer is kinda vage (Sp?) but if you need the meat go ahead otherwise why shoot? Same as some big bucks. Why shoot a big buck opening moring if your managing for big bucks. That buck has not had time to breed does and will only help your herd for the future. I know a lot of people when they bow hunt there taking stock of what is in the woods and there routine. Sure shooting a big ol buck is awesome but if you know the buck is around and your hunting private land and want to manage it for big bucks why shoot it before its had time to pass on it's genetics? I guess I'm differnt but that aint the first time I've been told that. Hopefully I answered your question.

[Neiko]

I guess for me it would depend on how the deer population is around your area. If there are plenty of deer around I would take the doe. I know drives are a way of live for some hunters but I don't think I will ever agree with them. Safety being the biggest and plus it isn't really hunting according to my personal belief. I hope I don't offend some people with that statement. It wasn't my intention.

[brandon72000]

The question is really hard to answer. will the fawn live yes it will be fine on its own, it is good to take down doe's in heavily populated areas otherwise they could die from starvation a much worse death. If the population is not so well and you have a lot of time to hunt why take it if it is your only tag? that will leave you with out anymore hunting to do.

Hope this gives you what you wanted to know it is a personal call.

As for driving we hardly make them in Mn I would much rather be able to say I out smarted them. But the group I hunt with in Wi that is all they do.

[jbtwins24]

you know thats what i thought, i was talking to a buddy and he said why not just take it. to me it dosnt make any sense and in my area theres tons of deer. good thing that i can shoot up to 4 or 5 deer in this area. how ever with the whole big buck thing, i can see if someone wants to shoot a monster buck with full velvet on but how many bucks have that this time of yr? i know one in my area but not sure if im going to take it when the chance is given. thanks for the replys!

[Stratosman]

I personally have only shot dry does the last few years and have passed on all does with fawns. I have absolutely no problem with anyone that takes a doe with fawns however. Just a personal thing, maybe I'm starting to get too soft...

[bigbucks]

I'd whack her, I have many times, definitely will again. The fawns will be fine.

I think whoever said they might let a big buck go early in the season must be a better hunter than I am. In my experience, you usually only get one crack at a good buck, if you don't shoot it when you can, it's tough.

[Swamp Scooter]

The hardest thing to determine will be the age of the doe. I say this because if she is the old doe around she will run off as many other does as she can when the breeding time comes. Not just her own. If she is a very nice big one you have seen for a couple - four seasons by all means take her out. The rest of the does in the area will have a much better chance of getting bred. If she has twins then you might know she is still prime but if only one fawn and there was good food in the area then maybe it is time to go.

[Ray Mysterio]

I personally would shoot the doe. Think of it this way... If the fawn that is with the doe is a buck fawn, then as the season goes on, the doe will kick the dump out of the buck fawn to make sure he goes far away from her. It's natures way of making sure there will be no inbreeding. If you shoot the doe, that is one buck that will stay on your property instead of getting kicked out. If there isn't a shortage of does in your area, that's what I would do.

Mysterio

[BLACKJACK]

Personally, as long as the fawn or fawns don't have spots, I'd shoot her - I like venison. I do think that having the doe around longer will help the fawns survive better, she’s more aware of roads, predators, different food sources, etc. Basically she’s survived 1+ years and is passing that onto her fawns, the longer she lives, the more the fawns learn.

Last year I shot a doe that had a small fawn and I saw that same fawn hanging out within 200 yards of that spot for weeks, I almost felt guilty.

From what I've read, adult does will run off other does in the spring, claiming the best fawning territory, have their fawns, and then they will actually form doe groups, the old matriarch doe and several generations of female prodigy. Yes, the fawn(s) will get run off during breeding but they will get together again afterwards. If they ran them off for good, you'd never see does with fawns in Dec, Jan, etc. That just doesn't happen.

An excellent magazine to subscribe to, and make you a better deer hunter is 'Deer and Deer Hunting', it goes beyond the run and gun stories and goes into deer biology. Well worth the money, especially if you love deer hunting

[Eric Wettschreck]

I'm with Blackjack only I wouldn't feel that terribly guilty. I like venison and so does my family. Younger does taste best in my book. If you have a decent deer population in your area, and you're hungy, stick an arrow in her.

[xedge2002]

I think I would probably shoot her if there is a large population of does in the area. I kinda have that same question, but I have a mineral site that is getting hit by 2 does, 3 fawns and one small buck. We pheasant hunt the land and have seen some nice bucks and other does out there so I am thinking I will leave those two does alone in hopes that they will draw a dominate buck in during the rut. Don't mean to hyjack your thread but what do you guys think about that idea?

[chucker34]

I would. I took the largest doe in a group of seven does and fawns last year as my first bow deer and realized she was with one or more of the fawns afterward when dressing her. A little remorse at first, but the fawns stayed with the rest of the group and I know recognize them as a yearling buck and doe that travel through our woods.