shooting fawns

I don't think there is anything wrong with shooting a fawn. I have said this before, I won't take a fawn early in the year. I have a lot of time and I can get less picky as the season goes on. That is my personal preference. I wouldn't force it on anyone as I wouldn't expect anyone forcing the fact they don't shoot fawns onto me. At the end of the hunting season, a little bit of meat in the freezer is better than hanging a tag on the Christmas tree.

Deer are prey animals. While I understand the sentiment of guys passing on fawns this year will mean more meat on them next year, there is no guarantee that fawn will make it through the next three seasons. It could get snapped up by coyotes, another hunter, hit by a car, die of starvation/disease/parasites or some other event which may end it's life. Letting it walk doesn't guarantee it's safety in the world. A coyote wouldn't necessary pass on a fawn, why should we?

If you are at that time in your hunting career where you are targeting only big bucks. Great. However, shaming the guys who drop a fawn (it isn't all big buck hunters mind you) because they killed a legal deer which doesn't meet some kind of individual scale of acceptance is wrong.

I've shot fawns does little bucks medium bucks and large bucks.

its your tag and as long as the landowner wishes shoot whatever your heart desires just remember your gonna hunt there next year too and no one is more responsible for managing the deer herd where you hunt than the guy on the trigger.

personnaly fawns and the big boys are what I shoot. Fawns for tender chops, big bucks for Hamburg and sausage.

my herds stable so I don't shoot does if I gets overpopulated we will adjust accordingly

A slight over simplification but:

You shoot a fawn, and that is one less deer in the population next spring.
You shoot a buck, and that is one less deer in the population next spring.
You shoot a doe, and that is 3 less deer in the population next spring. The doe, plus its 2 offspring that didn't get born.

Out of the fawn, the buck and the doe, the fawn was also the least likely to survive the winter had it not been shot.
There's only a 50% chance the fawn is a female, so only a 50% chance it will have 2 offspring the 2nd spring after the hunting season.

If you wanna get more complicated and go two years out:

You shoot a fawn, and that is statistically 2 less deer that will be in the population 2 years later. The fawn, plus 1 offspring it will never end up having. (The fawn will have 2 offspring the 2nd spring if it's female, but zero if it is male so averages out to 1).

You shoot a buck and that is 1 less deer in the population two springs later.

You shoot a doe and that is 5 less deer in the population 2 springs later. The doe, + 2 fawns it would have had the first spring, + 2 more fawns it would have had the 2nd spring. Additionally the two fawns (one male and one female) the doe would have had the first spring, would bet set to add two more deer to the population come the 3rd year.

Of course this ignores predation, hunting, starvation. But you can see that hunting fawns is not killing the future of the herd. It is much closer to shooting a buck in terms of its overall effect on the population.

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Originally Posted by Larson

A slight over simplification but:

You shoot a fawn, and that is one less deer in the population next spring.
You shoot a buck, and that is one less deer in the population next spring.
You shoot a doe, and that is 3 less deer in the population next spring. The doe, plus its 2 offspring that didn't get born.

Out of the fawn, the buck and the doe, the fawn was also the least likely to survive the winter had it not been shot.
There's only a 50% chance the fawn is a female, so only a 50% chance it will have 2 offspring the 2nd spring after the hunting season.

If you wanna get more complicated and go two years out:

You shoot a fawn, and that is statistically 2 less deer that will be in the population 2 years later. The fawn, plus 1 offspring it will never end up having. (The fawn will have 2 offspring the 2nd spring if it's female, but zero if it is male so averages out to 1).

You shoot a buck and that is 1 less deer in the population two springs later.

You shoot a doe and that is 4 less deer in the population 2 springs later. The doe, + 2 fawns it would have had the first spring, + 2 more fawns it would have had the 2nd spring. Additionally the two fawns (one male and one female) the doe would have had the first spring, would bet set to add two more deer to the population come the 3rd year.

Of course this ignores predation, hunting, starvation. But you can see that hunting fawns is not killing the future of the herd. It is much closer to shooting a buck in terms of its overall effect on the population.

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Couldnt have said it better Larson!!! I've tried to get the same scenario across to many individuals, mostly to no avail. A few people over the years have told me about shooting a doe and then have to chase triplet fawns away,no bigger than a dog. The same individuals are the ones that think it taboo to shoot a fawn.

Late season bow hunting, I am only interested in a buck better than any I already have,or a button buck,IF, I take one at all.

A bunch of guys I know likely took 20 does, a number of years ago, between gun hunt and late season bow hunt in two seasons. The same bunch lament the lack of deer currently in their area. It's not rocket science to figure out, imo.

Simplification…. you may not be able to even hunt next year, this might very well be your last day hunting, ever, shoot whatever you want… K.I.S.S.

passing up on opportunities leads to regrets...

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Originally Posted by MikePal

passing up on opportunities leads to regrets...

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Just make sure that you won't get caught (by your wife) or you will regret it even more . --- Lol .

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Originally Posted by MikePal

Simplification…. you may not be able to even hunt next year, this might very well be your last day hunting, ever, shoot whatever you want… K.I.S.S.

passing up on opportunities leads to regrets...

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I have, will and do , Mike, IF and WHEN i choose to. My choice when, my choice if , and my choice not to, mine and mine alone !! I let a decent 8 pointer walk the second last day of gun season this year!! I have passed on numerous decent bucks with both bow and gun!!!

WHY??? Because it's my choice!!! I don't have to (harvest) a deer every year to be happy , or have a picture to show or whatever. And you know what??? My test tickles are still the same size, lol. Absolutely no regrets whatsoever on any deer I have passed on.

PS. Forgot to me that is still k.i.s.s. Each to their own,live and let live , honour fellow sportsmans choices and passions and quirks, as long as they are all above the law, irregardless of whether you agree or disagree!!!

I'll shoot a fawn every chance I get. They make for an easy drag back to the car and there's enough meat on a fawn for myself.

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Originally Posted by bushman

And you know what??? My test tickles are still the same size, lol. Absolutely no regrets whatsoever on any deer I have passed on.

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Rreally???
One of mine is bigger than the other, maybe I should start passing on more deer :eek: ....