shooting motherless fawns

chesterflick · #1 (**permalink**) 10-30-2010, 03:10 PM

well today was more exciting before the sun cam up then after but still exciting.
Sun up around 7:30 so i am in the woods and settled into the blind at 6:00
!/2 hour in and you could hear the deer all over but could not see them. Heard some being chased away,eating and I think one exclaimed he had a pair of aces so they must have had time to play some poker too !
As soon as it was light enough to see the poker game was over and everyone went home.
About 8:30 a fawn showed up and was all by itself. Now this little critter sensed that I was there in my blind but could not sniff me out completely. Had estrus all over the area but it still did the old walk around trying to get a wiff downwind. I decided that if I was given a chance I would shoot it because my buddy told me they are the best eating. I was given the chance to shoot and I missed but I did manage to put an old fallen log out of it's misery though.
Here is the question. I could care less about the big trophy buck I want the meat for the freezer(cliche') I also want to be an ethical kind of hunter so is it AOK to shoot this fawn especially when it's motherless?

WisconsinDeer · #2 (**permalink**) 10-30-2010, 03:17 PM

Personally, I see nothing wrong with it. The smaller ones have nice tender meat. Of course if I was given the chance, I would take a larger doe because she would have more meat. I was talking to a guy at the deer restration place where I live and he said there's been A LOT of young deer registered this year.

Hunting Man · #3 (**permalink**) 10-30-2010, 03:48 PM

This time of year a lot of single fawns are button bucks. be sure to check the forehead to make sure you're not shooting you buck pool for the future.

chesterflick · #4 (**permalink**) 10-30-2010, 03:58 PM

actually this fawn got within 5 yards of me head on. I was a statue. I could have wrestled it to the ground and bulldogged it but then again I think I would have come out on the wrong end of that one. No buttons that I could see but the good part is that I am going back tomorrow..yeah!

Whitetail_predator · #5 (**permalink**) 10-30-2010, 04:11 PM

i have taken small doe before (and by small i mean it looks like they rubbed their spots off on a tree before they walked out in front of me). the meat is more tender and tastes great. so, no, i see nothing wrong with it. espically since my hunting area is heavy with doe.

deerless · #6 (**permalink**) 10-30-2010, 04:27 PM

Personally i would let her grow up and shoot mama but that decision is up to you.

spiker · #7 (**permalink**) 10-31-2010, 04:48 AM

its your choice i personally have never been able to do it but theres nothing wrong with it.secondly i dont no if i could take the comments at camp about it.i always enjoy eating 1.5 yr olds but i imagine those little ones are like veal.

Buckshot · #8 (**permalink**) 10-31-2010, 06:18 AM

many times that ole big doe is draging along behind, so if you let the fawn go big mama shows up next. There is nothing unethical in any legal deer harvest its hunter preferance. I don't shoot them because I would rather give them another year and there is a whole lot more meat.

tator · #9 (**permalink**) 11-01-2010, 11:08 AM

I don't see anything unethical about it if your state allows it, period. Now, that said, not all states have "ethical" laws either... hmm now i'm in a pickle!

SHOOT the fawns, they taste good...

Predator · #10 (**permalink**) 11-02-2010, 12:46 AM

I would take it without a second thought. I am meat hunting and thinning the deer heard. cover both jobs with one shot.
As far as any potential ethics? it dont matter, its what I have been instructed to do.

shoot all deer.