Here is a scenario..it's late Dec. two deer come within range. I adult doe with a yearling/fawn. Which one should you shoot?
I have always been taught to shoot the adult doe (probably b/c there is more meat to be had).
But, I have been rethinking this...and now I am thinking it might be better to shoot the yearling b/c the adult doe is probably bred. Plus, the fawn's has a less chance of surviving the winter.
I would love to hear what TG's opinion is on this

chris <><

I would probably shoot the mature doe.  I am out for meat and she would give me more.  One study i read said that the fawns of does that were killed had a higher long term survival rate.  However if it is a hard winter the fawn would be more likely to perish than the mature doe.  I guess it would come down to which one gave me the first best shot.

I would shoot the adult doe....I say this because where I am at, we need to shoot more does (have a lot of them) and she would give me much more meat.  Down here the fawn will survive unless another hunter takes it (man or animal).  The best shot would factor in too.  And the size of the fawn.  I have killed fawns this time of year that were 90 lbs.  Plenty big enough for a fawn.

Depends on your deer herd.  

If the population is too high, shoot the doe.  

If the population is good, shoot the fawn.

If the population is low, shoot neither

honestly, this time of year, it would be whichever deer presented a good shot first...

"In range" doesn't necessarily mean that they've given you a good shot opportunity...

There's different biological arguments for taking one or the other, but by now I'm going to be looking for the first shot...

Can you tell I've not killed a deer yet this year?  :rolleyes:

In a predators eyes, wouldn't the fawn be dinner? I would have no qualms going for the fawn. Tender meat, and would make a pretty throw rug or quiver....Phil

I would let the adult walk. Here in NH deer densities are not high so the actual number of deer is important. Whether or not I took either one would depend on how successful I had been up to that point. If you shoot the mature doe and she is carrying twins, and the fawn succumbs to winter you have actually killed four deer.

I've also read that fawns can be bred during the second rut resulting in inferior genetics in the herd. True or not ? I don't know. I guess for me it would boil down to shot opportunity. Little ones are some good meat. For me it always boils down to last minuet decision of instinct.

Keeping the Faith!
Magnus

I agree with no-sage, and that's what I do.

Depends of where you hunt.Doe/buck ratio etc.

I would shoot both. I havent killed one this year yet.


Just kidding.

Where I am I will shoot the adult doe. We don't have a winter kill and we have way to many does.

Where I hunt in PA we have very high numbers, however in the past few years a few guys in our group have been consistently killing "many" mature does and passing on the yearlings. This year we saw a considerable decrease in the number of deer on the property.  If you continue to take the mature does from the herd you will eventually feel the effects.

The yearlings are the easiest to replace. The mature does know the best hiding spots, the best areas to winter and the location of the food sources when winter gets bad. A happy balance seems to always work well.

I'm thinking like Tim.  We have seen a marked decrease in deer numbers on the few private properties I am able to hunt.  I'm sure its for a variety of reasons, but we have stopped shooting does this year.  The landowners want them killed but my agenda is slightly different than theirs.

Ditto what Bill said.  Here in NY where I hunt the herd numbers are low.  I would let the adult doe walk, and maybe take the fawn if I needed meat and the shot was right.

Most likely neither. Definitely not the fawn.

If they were equally good shots, I would take the biggest one.  Unless I had to drag a long way, then the pocket meat gets it.  After you shoot hte adult, it is sometimes very easy to bleat the fawn back into range especially if the doe dies closeby.  We have lots and lots of deer though.

Here in south ark, winter kill is not even a factor(unless the 1/8" annual snowfall takes some out) and deer density is high so i would probably try for the adult first but i wouldnt hesitate to take the fawn if it looked like that was going to be my only opportunity

QuoteOriginally posted by magnus:
I've also read that fawns can be bred during the second rut resulting in inferior genetics in the herd. True or not ? I don't know. I guess for me it would boil down to shot opportunity. Little ones are some good meat. For me it always boils down to last minuet decision of instinct.

Keeping the Faith!
Magnus

Not true. Genetics do not change with age.

Dusty

Around here its a management issue. I would definitely shoot the doe first and then hope the yearling stood there long enough for me to get an arrow in it as long as it wasn't a button buck.

If it were a buck yearling I have heard (but am not sure) that if its mother is taken out it will tend to stay in the area for years to come.

The correct answer for you is all dependent on your local herd.