Does with fawns still showing spots

[BGRAX]

Would you shoot a doe with fawns who had just a few spots showing still? I know once the bucks start hooking up with the does they run the fawns off and wean them. At what time would you shoot a doe with fawns in tow?

[careybirdwell]

I watched all does on opening weekend because the only ones I saw were ones with small fawns with lots of spots

[Birdman7]

Wouldn't it be better to shoot does without fawns? Leave the ones alive that are breeding? I'm new to this and have been curious about that

[backinthegame]

I hunted last two days and all I saw were does with dawn's that still had lots of spots. They got a pass. Too bad cause I won't be able to hunt again till after for season is over

[walker1983]

If I have a choice in does - I will shoot the doe w/o fawns every time. If the fawns are bigger w/ just faint spots - they probably will be fine though.

[HoustonHunter]

Never seen a thread like this one on TBH before...

[BGRAX]

All the does I saw except two had fawns with faint spots. Was trying to get the wife her first bow kill on one without a fawn but didn't come in to her range. Stayed just outside her range. The other one was a white doe and the land owner has all the white deer off limits. A spike came in the next morning close enough for the wife but he jumped her string and her arrow hit one of his horns. She was excited though. Hell I was more nervous than she was.

[BGRAX]

I passed all the ones with fawns. Just was wondering if someone was to shoot one with fawns with a few faint spots left would they be able to survive. As protective as the does are when they have fawns killing one would be a feat as on edge as they are.

[careybirdwell]

All the does I saw except two had fawns with faint spots. Was trying to get the wife her first bow kill on one without a fawn but didn't come in to her range. Stayed just outside her range. The other one was a white doe and the land owner has all the white deer off limits. A spike came in the next morning close enough for the wife but he jumped her string and her arrow hit one of his horns. She was excited though. Hell I was more nervous than she was.

He must have duck, because if he jumped and she hit him on a antler, she was shooting a little high.


Just teasing you, maybe she will smoke the next one

[careybirdwell]

I passed all the ones with fawns. Just was wondering if someone was to shoot one with fawns with a few faint spots left would they be able to survive. As protective as the does are when they have fawns killing one would be a feat as on edge as they are.

I have been told if they are eating off the ground, then they are old enough to mostly manage for themselves.

[Birddog66]

I've always given them a pass and up to this point, I've been successful hunting the fawn-less does. But, if every dang doe in the woods has a fawn with her, I could see myself taking a doe one way or the other under those circumstances.

[BGRAX]

Our lease in the past has an over abundance of bucks. Last year I began to see a few more does. We hunted for 4 days this past weekend and was pleasantly surprised to see more does. At what point do the does wean the fawns off? I know they usually stay with them for a while as a family unit.

[Birddog66]

Our lease in the past has an over abundance of bucks. Last year I began to see a few more does. We hunted for 4 days this past weekend and was pleasantly surprised to see more does. At what point do the does wean the fawns off? I know they usually stay with them for a while as a family unit.

Well, I'm no wildlife biologist, but if the fawn is eating browse and corn and not hitting the teet, I would consider them "weened". But, I have noticed several yearlings(does) hanging out with mature does, so you would think they were offspring from previous year. I think they will stay together if possible. I personally don't think they run them off.

Your going to get a couple different answers on this. I've been told by a biologist that a weened fawn has a good chance of making it without mom. But, I've also been told by very experienced hunters/game managers that the fawn has little chance of making it.

[Wiley64]

the whole point of deer season is so we don't have to make these judgement calls, if you have a clean shot on a doe and you want to fill the freezer, don't worry about the fawn.

[Aggiehuntress]

Faintly spotted fawn will survive, but we try to only shoot does that are past breeding age