Well with 14 days left in the season my taste buds are acting like a little devil on my shoulder. The night before last I had a small doe come in and hang all night and wouldn't leave,and almost every time out I have had small does in and did not shoot them.But as the season draws to an end I find myself thinking about taken one(got no deer this season).I haven't been hunting as much as I wish,so the temptation is strong.So what is your opinion on taking smaller does this close to the end of the season.Do I do a brown and down hunt? or do I let them live to hunt them another day. What would you do? :dunno:
Meat is meat, and the small ones are the most tender. It i a decision only you can make, but if season is winding down and your freezer is empty I would be trying for the small ones who were offering themselves. Besides, don't you get to take more than one deer in Jersey?
Michael, In my area we have endless doe's I am aware it is my choice but I like to get opinions to make me feel better. :goldtooth:
If the deer herd in your area is overpopulated (which unlimited doe tags certainly suggests) you would actually be doing your part in helping to manage a heathly herd by taking some of them out. We can't claim to be good stewards of the land if we shoot bucks only in areas that are over run with deer.
Shoot away, and enjoy the feast!
I agree with the others, Take a DOE
I always have high hopes for big bodies and antlers, but I am at heart a meat hunter, so I don't pass good shots up. I think Whip made an important point as well.
I don't understand...Your a bowhunter who's out there to kill something, you want meat, haven't killed a deer yet this season...why would you not shoot one??
I can never understand when "we" have to justifiy something for "you" type threads :dunno:
The answer lies within....
My opinion? I would take one or two of the little ones if my freezer was empty. And if the population numbers warrant it. Up here in my area, the herd numbers seems to be lower than, say, 10 years ago, so I would be hesitant. A lot of our smaller deer don't make it through our harsh winters.
A young doe always tastes better than an unused tag....
I would give all of my teeth for an opportunity to gum a doe-fawn backstrap. Now stop diddlin' around and HUNT.
Killdeer
Everyone before me pretty much said it all......
What Killie so eloquently said. :biglaugh:
I agree with Whip on this one, if your deer numbers are out of balance and there's too many does in the area you hunt.....hence the unlimited doe permits.......What are you waiting for?
A sign from God himself? :rolleyes:
He's already given you plenty of signs by sending all those deer to you within shooting range and each time you don't let an arrow fly! :thumbsup:
*note*
I would also like to add that shooting a big bodied deer this time of year would not be a good idea anyway.
#1) It could be a buck that lost his head gear
#2) It's probably a mature doe with twins in her belly.
But if you got small does coming in and offering themselves for your freezer, I'd swap places with you in a heartbeat!!
Wouldn't take me long to make up my mind, first one gets close enough is gonna catch an arrow! :archer2:
IMHO an old doe is one of the smartest creatures in the woods and she will be "on" all year long, whereas bucks lose alot of their edge when the rut kicks in. I'll take a doe every chance I get.
Ever seen that cartoon with 2 buzzards that says "Patience hell I am gonna kill something!"...apply here, kill something and celebrate the flesh!
I'm don't know your preferences but when I order a steak at dinner I'll take a 8oz. bone in Porterhouse before a 16 oz. chuck steak every time! I'd rather let a doe walk and take her fawn or yearling because I know the doe is a breeder who knows how to rear young. That fawn has a tough winter ahead and is the last one to get at a prefered food source, let alone reach above the browse line in a wintering yard. Pick a spot Brother!
Late season early season they all eat for me as long as the population is good. Time to put food on the table.
No problem shooting a late season doe. My only coment here is make sure you look it over good and it is not a button buck, which are offen small lone deer late season. I have made that mistake before and it disapoints me that i wont get a chance to see what he could develope into. But in the end meat is meat. I passed a lot of doe this year and by the end I was hopeing for one and it didnt pan out the last couple of days. I got one early but there is still room in the freezer. Take one!
I have no problem taking a late season doe. I don't want the old ones but the young ones are great.
a little deer in the freezer is more filling than tag soup. no matter how small the deer is.
Do'nt be a shame, shoot it! Then post the picture and be proud of yourself and we will congrats and celebrate with you.
Take the doe, you will probably save someones car. I have let does go in the past then when I see on ehit near my hunting area I always think I should have taken a doe.
I love eating venison, I wouldn't hesitate.
SHOOT
I'll second what Guru said and add the following: This time of year trying to get drawn and a shot off on anything in NJ is hard enough with all the pressure they have seen. Add in the challenges of the weather and any deer taken with traditional tackle this time of year is a "Trophy" to me. The doe in my avatar was taken in January of 2006 and was one of my most hard earned "trophies" that year and still special to me.
As I sit here reading this I am nibbling on a sliver of venison jerky that I made this weekend. MMMmmmmmmm is all I can say! It comes from the last pack of meat of a late season doe from last season. I 1/4 and debone one doe a year just for jerky meat. Each 1/4 will give me about 5# of clean meat to work w.
I guess what I'm getting at is....Shoot One!
Did I mention MMmmmmmmmm...it is good if I do say so myself!
Besides, they are easier to drag out. :thumbsup:
Earl
I understand your delima, but, you can't expect us to justify what you would or wouldn't do.
The answer to your question is in your heart.
If you think taking a "smaller" doe is the right thing to do, after taking all the factors in to concideration, then follow your heart.
The best of luck to you.
quote:
Originally posted by Guru:
I don't understand...Your a bowhunter who's out there to kill something, you want meat, haven't killed a deer yet this season...why would you not shoot one??
I can never understand when "we" have to justifiy something for "you" type threads :campfire:
You are misunderstanding what Curt is saying. The we and you in quotes isn't directed at you. It's a general statement about these type threads. Quite frankly I don't get it either. It's a decision for you to make on your own for your own reasons. Shooting a doe is shooting a doe. What does it matter if its small or large? Actually, in the grand scheme of all things wild, shooting the young one has less an impact on the herd than shooting a mature doe does. The older ones have already been there, done that and know how to survive. Deer herds are managed with gun seasons. What you shoot or don't shoot is not going to change that.
2 or 3 little ones = 1 bigger one plus 2 or 3 times the practice. It's tag soup or deer soup, choose which one you like best.
I shoot what the Good Lord puts in front of me. I wouldn't hesitate at all.
Tim
Didn't you ask for opinions? Curt gave you his and you took offense. :scared: He just gave what you asked for and ended it with that it is only you who can make that decision. :thumbsup:
By the way I am headed to the shower and gonna try to get some meat for the freezer. Good luck with you decision.
In late season I think bucks get a bit less palatable anyway, with the rut and wear and tear. I have had some late season bucks that were real strong tasting that we did not enjoy as much as the early ones. (Of course we still ate them!)
If I was legal to take a doe I would do it.
Thanks for all that gave their opinions,I appreciate it and will when the moment presents itself I will make a decision.Thanks again.
My wife prefers I take does and I will take any clean shot on any deer that presents itself. Young ones taste quite fine in my experience.
take that small doe
it will be tender vittles
Shoot them they'll eat good :thumbsup:
I love shooting does. And i love eating deer of any kind. If they are big enough that i can tell they aren't button bucks, i have no qualms at all about shooting one.
QuoteOriginally posted by lpcjon2:
quote:
Originally posted by Guru:
I don't understand...Your a bowhunter who's out there to kill something, you want meat, haven't killed a deer yet this season...why would you not shoot one??
I can never understand when "we" have to justifiy something for "you" type threads :campfire:
I understand what Curt is getting at...
There are a lot of posts of the "What would you do?" or "What should I do?" variety that leave me scratching my head. :confused: Frankly this is one of them. That shouldn't offend you. I just think it is as simple as shoot or don't shoot as you want. :dunno:
If you have lots of deer, the best thing you can do for your deer herd is shoot a young doe.
Lots of deer is a good thing...deer in range of an arrow is a GREAT thing.
Early season will find me shooting any adult deer that comes within range. I pass the little ones. Late season brings about a change in me.
If I have a tag, NOBODY should get too close! :D
Threads like this remind me just how MUCH bowhunting has changed in my lifetime. 35 years ago before it was called "trad" the national average was 5 years to make your first kill. ANY deer killed with a bow was a trophy! Makes you wonder. With that said changes are a good thing I guess.
For what it's worth I consider myself a farmer, only my live stock roams free and wild. If my stock of doe numbers are down I sure don't shoot my breeding stock, the ones who are proven breeders. If I take her out I've just shot three deer, now if the numbers are good I would. However most times I take the yearlings as that's the best meat and it's that years surplus if I'm meat hunting. Just my ramblings but I miss the good ol days when ANY deer killed with a bow was a trophy!
I would agree with the message you are getting. Seems logical to kill if that is why you are out there....
Nice thing about you and the wildernesss is you get to make the decision. To kill or not to kill - it doesn't matter either way and it should not bother anybody what you choose to do.
I understand why you are getting heat but it is no big deal. Don't worry about what other people think. Just do what is right and legal...
QuoteOriginally posted by John Scifres:
I shoot what the Good Lord puts in front of me. I wouldn't hesitate at all.
me too gave up horn hunting and find I enjoy my days afield much more and eat better
Way to Represent Joe!
It's all a personal choice to me. I see nothing wrong with a person choosing "what is a trophy" for their self. I killed a doe a few weeks ago and have had some different reactions from local shooters(all wheelie's). Some were very happy for me others laughed that I would even shoot a doe, some even seemed offended. I went though a real greedy stage hunting horns for a few years. I have let bigger deer and elk walk by than I have ever even killed. I had two hunters one day give me a 20 min lecture for passing up a 350" class bull elk that I had walk into a close 15 yards. They had watch me work the bull in from another ridge with there spotting scope and had come over to help me with the bull they tought I had shoot. I had passed this bull up because I was seeing alot bigger bulls in the area. When I finally did get close to a big bull (400" class) I missed!. After that year I have had a different prosective on my trophy hunting. The following year for the frist time ever I filled all my tags. I killed a cow elk ,3x3 mulie and a average antelope. It made for a awsome year. I think it is up to the hunter to make the choice on what to kill but for myself I don't mind shooting what's in front of me anymore. Let the arrows fly!
I would take one.
I'd give my left nut to still be hunting. I live In a one tag area and wouldn't hesitate to shoot a doe fawn or doe.
Best of luck In whatever you do.
@lpcjon2 - I know exactly what you mean. I'm in a similar situation. I got a very late start this year and have no meat in the freezer. I've had 2 shot opportunities this year. One on the biggest buck I've ever seen in the woods and one on a very small doe. There were two small branches between me and that buck and a perfect shot, would have taken him. But, a near perfect shot might have wounded him. I let him walk hoping to see him another day and never did. I also passed on the small doe. I just don't feel right shooting little ones. No regrets on this end for passing either of them up. Not saying anyone who would have taken a shot is wrong, but that's just how I feel. Stick to what your conscience tells you and sleep well at night.
Ill shoot a small doe over a big breeding doe especially this late in the season, if you shoot a big breeder doe you could take up to four deer technically, there was a post not to long ago of a guy who shot a big doe field dressed it and it has 3 fawns in the womb... Plus smaller does taste better :D
I'll toss my vote in with the late season/early season/any season take what comes at you folks. If a good shot opportunity arrives I never look a gift backstrap in the mouth. The one exception is on any opening day I wait just in case Mr. Big might amble on by before the woods are disrupted by the camo clan and blaze army and he switches to nocturnal mode.
If there is an over population of deer, than I shoot any doe that gives me a shot. I am fond of the tender meat and easy drag of a small one, but I'm not picky. I try and not take button bucks or small/young racked bucks, but for meat a doe is a doe to me. To each his own though. You have to make the call for yourself
Deer, it's whats for dinner! I guess you know my answer.
I learned a long time ago to take what the woods offers you.You are being offered young doe and with the season coming to an end and a empty freezer why not take one.
you waited way longer than i would have for a doe, good eating
If shooting a small one is going to bother you, then don't shoot it. Nothing worse than killing something then regretting it after.
If you think your area is over-populated with deer,(is there a browse line for instance?), then that should make your decision easier. Where deer are truly over-populated, killing any doe is the right thing to do, even if it means being a bit coldhearted...
Scare it my way, I'd be more than happy to shoot at it.
Thank you Guru.