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Question for deer hunters

Posted on 10/20/19 at 9:50 pm
Posted by tigertrueAU
Canyon Lake Texas
Member since Oct 2009
1251 posts
Posted on 10/20/19 at 9:50 pm
What’s your opinion on shooting Does? How bout does with fawns?This weekend I sat in a blind Saturday morning, Saturday evening and Sunday evening. I hunt/live in Texas, canyon lake area to be exact. It’s bow season and I’m a newbie at it but I’m comfortable with my crossbow up to 35 yards. I had a doe come in within range twice this weekend but never pulled the trigger. The first time she had her fawn directly behind her creating an unethical shot. Today she was back and was right around 38 yards and I had her in my crosshairs but decided against it hoping something else would come in. Nothing did. I sat 3 times this weekend and never pulled the trigger.
I’m relatively new to hunting having only shot 2 deer, one 9 point and one spike, both with slug-guns.
I’m not against shooting does, not at all but is it “ok” to shoot does when they have a fawn in tow? I’m looking to learn and welcome all opinions. It’s a long season and I’m really gonna do my best to take a mature buck, a spike and a doe. TIA
Posted by oleyeller
Vols, Bitch
Member since Oct 2012
32025 posts
Posted on 10/20/19 at 9:53 pm to
100% need to take does. Helps with mgt... i wouldny shoot any with spots. And personally i dont take any with young fawns. But as long as no spots, it will be fine on its own. Either way, you made right decision being patient and waiting. Better to be safe than sorry.
Posted by TheCurmudgeon
Not where I want to be
Member since Aug 2014
1481 posts
Posted on 10/20/19 at 10:02 pm to
I'll kill a few does every year. But not any with a fawn, buddy did that once many years ago and hearing that thing bleat and bleat and bleat 50 yards away while we loaded its mother into the back of the truck ended that.
Posted by FournetteForEver7
Member since Nov 2015
2296 posts
Posted on 10/20/19 at 10:03 pm to
I hunt west texas. We have strong buck to doe ratio. Never had to take does because we have had plenty of bucks. Now if you're seeing alot of does out while hunting i would advise on taking a doe. But if your not really seeing a ton of deer don't get trigger happy. Now i've heard before that if a doe has a yearling with it in the fall to take it because she wont get bred during rut. The person that also told me that sees atleast 4 does every hunt in Mississippi. So they have too many does.
Posted by Chuker
St George, Louisiana
Member since Nov 2015
7544 posts
Posted on 10/20/19 at 10:04 pm to
people who shoot does are cowards. They most likely harbor repressed sexual physcological deviance.
Posted by Ol boy
Member since Oct 2018
2949 posts
Posted on 10/20/19 at 10:12 pm to
Not sure when your season opened or rut is in your area. But, most modern day deer seasons are set with the dates being so that fawns will be old enough to live if the mother is shot. Not saying the fawn will live with guidance from the doe but it should be able to live.
General rule of thumb if it don’t have spots it’s old enough to live without nursing, coyotes, coonasses may get to it though.
Posted by geauxbrown
Louisiana
Member since Oct 2006
19598 posts
Posted on 10/20/19 at 10:13 pm to
The fawn/yearling will be fine. If the deer no longer has spots, it’s no longer solely dependent on milk from the doe to survive.
Posted by Theboot32
Member since Jan 2016
2435 posts
Posted on 10/20/19 at 10:13 pm to
I try to shoot a couple a year, they taste delicious. Dont shoot if they have a fawn though, they would likely die shortly thereafter if you did. One of those little ones may be a future monster!

Eta: where I hunt we have a late rut and fawns still have spots, have a doe I see often with twins, not shooting her. Like yall I have heard stories of fawns just basically standing there lost after you shot their mom, seems shitty
This post was edited on 10/20/19 at 10:16 pm
Posted by TutHillTiger
Mississippi Alabama
Member since Sep 2010
43700 posts
Posted on 10/20/19 at 10:41 pm to
I sat on a stand one day and had twenty or more does in range. ( was told to shot a doe as was a guest here) I wanted 30 minutes to pick out one without a fawn and when I shot her out pops a fawn. They are weened by now. You should go ahead and shot
Posted by speckledawg
Somewhere Salty
Member since Nov 2016
3930 posts
Posted on 10/21/19 at 10:40 am to
quote:

as long as no spots, it will be fine on its own

Posted by fillmoregandt
OTM
Member since Nov 2009
14368 posts
Posted on 10/21/19 at 1:43 pm to
I don’t like shooting does with yearlings, but like everyone said, if the dawn/yearling doesn’t have spots, then it should be okay.

I still don’t do it, though. Just me
Posted by The Torch
DFW The Dub
Member since Aug 2014
19429 posts
Posted on 10/21/19 at 1:54 pm to
I usually shoot one or two with my bow early to get the itch gone.

Then it's big bucks or nothing
Posted by saintsfan1977
West Monroe, from Cajun country
Member since Jun 2010
7793 posts
Posted on 10/21/19 at 2:54 pm to
We have 25 members in our club and all but about 7 will shoot a doe. We kill 20 bucks and maybe 7 does a year. We are only allowed each 1 doe and 3 bucks 8pt or better. Your first buck can be a 6pt but if you shoot an 8pt first, you are 8pt or better.

I kill a doe every year because our herd has too many. If i don't kill it I let my wife kill it or a guest. It's meat. I have killed numerous 8pts but nothing worth bragging on.
Posted by Vecchio Cane
Ivory Tower
Member since Jul 2016
17833 posts
Posted on 10/21/19 at 3:51 pm to
We've implemented a rule the last 2 years: Gotta kill at least 2 does before you can take a buck.

There's just too dang many deer. If you don't thin the does out early then you're not gonna see all of your bucks later.
Posted by 257WBY
Member since Feb 2014
5668 posts
Posted on 10/21/19 at 7:32 pm to
QDMA says a fawn can survive alone after 45-60 days.
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