I passed on 5 does with 4 fawns this morning. I have no problem taking the does but our zones rules are one deer only for the season no matter if you use a gun or a bow. The fawns are fine without the does.
So far I have passed on over 12 does looking for a buck.
Our DNR is really out of touch with the deer populations. I wish they would allow one buck and one doe for a harvest. Our area was an intensive harvest area last year [up to 5]. and now a doe lottery [0ne]. Sorry.... just venting.

as much as i want to shoot one,i would have passed the chance too.there are other deer out there.i think it was the ethical thing to do.good luck this season,steve

I'm getting soft in my middle age. When I was a kid sure, but now, I would rather let them go. If I see a large group of does I will try to take the biggest one but when it is just mommy and the kids I don't have the heart anymore. I will never shoot the little ones intentionally even though they taste better. That's just me. Anyone else wants to by all means have at it.

What Hoser1268 said ...I'm with you brother.I let 10 times more deer walk under me than I ever shoot at,,,,but to each his own...

If they didnt have spots and were good sized I would have shot her.

Wow thanks everyone for all your thoughts, I really appreciate it. It seems more and more I find a reason to pass these days.

I really do think I enjoy the time in the field about as much as anything. Before the doe and her fawns came in, a huge owl flew passed me about a foot in front of my face.  I mean I felt the swoosh!

That kind of stuff just doesn't happen when you don't get out there.

You did the right thing. I had two small does around me for a half hour yesterday. I didn't shoot but got some great photos and memories.

well said hoser1268  i too am getting soft-hearted in my old days!

I was in a similar situation and could not do it either.

QuoteOriginally posted by Rank Bull:
Opening day today and I had a shot on a nice young doe. But she had two smallish twins with her...could you have done it? I sure couldn't, not even close.  

A couple seconds later she caught my scent, and they were all off.

Oh well.

And you're saying what? I'd not have shot a doe with two twins/fawns/even teenagers....

I don't begrudge you leaving her the opportunity to learn what's wrong with life... you know.. hunters, wolves, cat's, bears and stuff.... winter....    

Aloha...   :cool:

I would have let em go.

These two little one's appreciated my passing on the shot by bedding down under my tree for   three hours. I hate to startle any deer from around my stand and I was ready to go eat lunch. It got to be really annoying when they just flopped over and started snoozing.    
Mom was a little more crafty. She never got within 50 yards of my tree.

Neat pictures!

It would be very rare to see a fawn with spots by hunting season up here.  Our deer all change over to their winter coats in September and the spots are gone.  The fawns are still fawns, tho.  Most of them are pretty small still but later in the season have put on some more size and weight.

Yearling does (1+yrs) are high on my hit list.    

I did the same the other night.  A nice doe and a fawn with remnants of spots were under my tree stand for thirty minutes.  Eight yards away!!!  Momma spotted me and was trying to get me to move by lowering her head and then looking at me real quickley to see if I would move.  You got to do what feels right to you.  It's your call.

Rank Bull, I have been hunting for alot of years. This early season in Jersey we have to kill a Doe before we can kill a Buck. The first and second Saturday afternoons I had a Yearling 60/70 lbs with 2 spotted fawns under my tree stand for an hour each sit . Just couldn't bring myself to shoot any of them.    

I had the same thing happen only I did not shoot at all?

I'm with you guys that wouldn't shoot. I don't think it is wrong to shoot but I don't think I would.