Do you shoot fawns?

[dakids]

Here is a question for everyone.  Some people might look at you funny or laugh at you for shooting a fawn but they are the best tasting deer in the woods.

[MTCOMMER]

I try not to, sometimes its tough to judge the size of a doe.  I shot a small doe a few years back - not sure if it was a fawn, but it was pretty small.  But I try to pass up the smaller does (what I think may have been fawns)

[lentz]

fawns are more tender i would shoot a nice one if i know its not a nubbin

[lentz]

I try not to, sometimes its tough to judge the size of a doe.  I shot a small doe a few years back - not sure if it was a fawn, but it was pretty small.  But I try to pass up the smaller does (what I think may have been fawns)

the way i tell them apart is the nose on fawns is smaller and looks funny and on adults its more longated

[bonecollecter82]

I try not to, sometimes its tough to judge the size of a doe.  I shot a small doe a few years back - not sure if it was a fawn, but it was pretty small.  But I try to pass up the smaller does (what I think may have been fawns)

the way i tell them apart is the nose on fawns is smaller and looks funny and on adults its more longated

Dont forget the milk on the lips too is a dead give away   

[deadeye]

I guess the answer would be yes because several years ago I did intentionally shoot one with my bow.  I have killed a few with the rifle but only because I thought they were adults.  Where I hunt there are plenty adult deer so we pretty much let the fawns go.  Early in bow season we often let an adult with fawns go if the fawns look small.  I don't know if this helps them but it feels good. 

[JohnWester]

hells yes... best damn meat, ALL STEAKS! The big old ones are for jerky and burger. (cept the backstraps)

hunt intensive zone, there are 10 yearlings running around for everyone i take.


Mmmmm... hungry now. time to fire up the grill.

[lentz]

hells yes... best damn meat, ALL STEAKS! The big old ones are for jerky and burger. (cept the backstraps)

hunt intensive zone, there are 10 yearlings running around for everyone i take.


Mmmmm... hungry now. time to fire up the grill.

right there with you where i hunt in Wi doe tags are 2$ each hmm, 3$ deer after ammunition cant buy a bag of jerky for that

[jkcmj]

I do my best to shoot doe fawns.  I figure if I let the mamas go, I get 2 babies, if I let a doeling go by, lucky to get one... plus the flavor!  Some years I will get 4 or 5 baby does in the freezer, we always label them that way on the packages as well...

[Swany]

I don't have a problem with it as long as they are not buttons.
There are quite a few biologists that contend shooting a doe fawn is the best choice for herd management as they are the most likely to die due to harsh winters or predators in general.
I personally choose to not shoot a fawn during bow season though, unless it is late in the year. The more time they have to learn from mama, the better.

[spear foot 1]

I dont shoot fawns but why I really dont know, because when I pass up a fawn it walks by then jumps the line fence and five minutes later the nieghbor shoots it any way . So really does it matter in the long run probably not.

[proangler16]

   I personally don't try to on purpose.  I think I've shot two maybe three in my days.  One was early on judging deer size mistake, and the other two were a last day of the season deal.  They are tender in eating, that's for sure. I usually will not try to shoot one though.  I think of them as next years crop.  

[Go Big Red!]

Kind of a misguided question if you ask me (Define "fawn" first) but here's my answer.

If it has spots, which to me indicates a "fawn", I'll let it walk.

If it does not have spots and is a small deer, I'll pull the trigger.

[lentz]

Kind of a misguided question if you ask me (Define "fawn" first) but here's my answer.

If it has spots, which to me indicates a "fawn", I'll let it walk.

If it does not have spots and is a small deer, I'll pull the trigger.

i think this is what we were all thinking i would not shoot a deer with spots my cousin did i just lmao because it was his first deer and that was last year hes a year younger than me

[HUNTER2]

Anybody can shoot a fawn, spots or no spots. They sit and lick your boots for crying out loud. No I do not shoot the fawns. No challenge and can get by on hamburger.

[naturalistmn]

Checkin' on it.

[deadeye]

Really? In Minnesota?  If that's correct, I never heard it before.

[kenhuntin]

I would not hesitate to harvest a 1 1/2 yr deer if it is crunch time but not a fawn. Hardly enough meat on them for a dinner. I do not believe for a minute that someone can mistakenly shoot a fawn unless they have never seen a deer before.

[The General]

I would not hesitate to harvest a 1 1/2 yr deer if it is crunch time but not a fawn. Hardly enough meat on them for a dinner. I do not believe for a minute that someone can mistakenly shoot a fawn unless they have never seen a deer before.

+1

[jkcmj]

Generally speaking, I get around 15 lbs of deboned meat off a early bow season fawn, but will get 20 or more by gun season.  Plenty of meat for the money the way I see it.  A lot more meat than a squirrel anyway : )

[dakids]

The fawns (less than a year old, no spots) weigh in between 60-75 lbs dressed out.  If given the choice between a doe and its fawn I would, and have, shot the fawn.  The doe has a better chance of making it through the winter and avoiding the wolves and will produce more fawns the next year.  The best meat in the woods by far.  Also a very easy drag when you are by yourself.

Young does or old bucks are my prefered targets.

[Go Big Red!]

Anybody can shoot a fawn, spots or no spots. They sit and lick your boots for crying out loud. No I do not shoot the fawns. No challenge and can get by on hamburger.

How about shooting a yearling?  And how is shooting any deer not a challenge?  I don't understand that.

[HUNTER2]

Because the fawns are stupid and stand in front of you for ever when you are in the stand. I have had them looking up my tree when bow hunting. A lot of the times you read stories about people shooting the doe and the fawn's will stay with her.

[Go Big Red!]

Because the fawns are stupid and stand in front of you for ever when you are in the stand. I have had them looking up my tree when bow hunting. A lot of the times you read stories about people shooting the doe and the fawn's will stay with her.

And I have had other deer stare up at me in the stand and nowadays, I sit out in the open on a chair and they still stop and stare.  Usually I still have a shot.  In my opinion, a deer is a deer when I hunt for them.

[jkcmj]

Because the fawns are stupid and stand in front of you for ever when you are in the stand. I have had them looking up my tree when bow hunting. A lot of the times you read stories about people shooting the doe and the fawn's will stay with her.

Sometimes it is necessary for me to have extra time...It can take awhile to zip my pants back up, or safely put my coffee cup away, or close the thermos, or load my gun!  Besides, like others have mentioned, it is an easier drag, and better meat so it only makes sense from every angle I can think of to go for baby does!

The only excetion is bow hunting...I like to take out the nasty old broad that keeps screwing up my stand sits when she knows something isn't right...