shooting fawns

Winter. Theres not much to it besides that. Ontario was booming three years ago after a couple easy winters, now its swung the other way with a couple hard winters

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Originally Posted by greatwhite

What is the issue with management of deer in Ontario? NB and NS and I hear Quebec are booming.

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NB has had just as massive winters in fact much worse then Ontario the past few years and there herd is doing quite well.

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Originally Posted by blasted_saber

Winter. Theres not much to it besides that. Ontario was booming three years ago after a couple easy winters, now its swung the other way with a couple hard winters

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Fawns have much more meat and taste just as good the next year. One thing is guaranteed in that if you shoot a fawn, buck fawn or young buck you will never get the chance to see that deer's potential, either reproductively or genetically (trophy quality) regardless of the overall effect on the herd.

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Originally Posted by werner.reiche

In areas where there is significant winter losses, a fawn is the least valuable deer in the herd (in fall) in that they are most vulnerable to winter losses. Also, slightly more than half the fawns are bucks - so taking one is no different from taking a spike or mature buck (except there's a lot less meat and antlers).

Shooting does, especially mature ones is very, very bad for the deer herd, especially after harsh winters when you are hoping the herd will bounce back. Mature does have more fawns and are more successful at raising them than young does.

Shooting bucks - fawns, spikes or mature - has an insignificant effect on the deer herd unless you get to the point that there are not enough bucks around to do the breeding - IIRC, that's when the b:d ration hits 10 or 12 to 1. Not likely in Ontario.

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As usual, well thought out and making perfect sense.

A fawn is the perfect amount of venison that I consume in one year. A large buck is way too much meat.

I would shoot a fawn in my area. They do taste better. I prefer a young deer for meat quality.

My take on this is if i have a doe tag and see a doe and a fawn i would take the fawn. My reasons are the doe can reproduce the following year; the fawn cannot, the doe can survive the winter; a fawn has less of a chance. I also prefer quality over quantity.

I am not a trophy hunter nor a meat hunter, i harvest what is presented to me and if i can make an educated decision in the process i will.

Kept hearing about fewer deer this year. Possibly because of new neighbours who either hunt or allow hunting on 600 acres next to ours. That land had always been "preserve". Then we looked at pictures from a camera taken last night and today....3 small doe/fawn, one huge doe, 3 antlered of various sizes, one with ten tips.....

I am still after my first deer and have an antlerless tag in my pocket, so what ever I see, Doe or Fawn and I get a good ethical shot I will take it.

I think the issue is actually quite simple.

If you are concerned about the deer population in your area, shoot only bucks and fawns. Leave the does alone.