Just Passed Up A Sure-Shot

Grizzly Adam · Post by **Grizzly Adam** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 3:12 pm

A little earlier today I was in hunting mode and here came a nice sleek doe's head bobbing above the soybeans, and thinking to put some good eating meat in the freezer, I made ready for the shot when she got past and was slightly quartering away. My Exomax strained at the sear mechanism; my broadhead glittered at the tip of my bolt; my scope was clear and bright, my nerves steady as a rock. On and on she came, stopping once in a while and mowing more of my soybeans ... on and on and on, ever so slowly ... and when she got near enough for a shot, what should pop up above the beans but a set of little deer-ears!

Don't know what you all think about shooting does that still have fawns following them around ... this fawn could survive if the red wolves didn't kill it, and we actually need to kill does and fawns for herd management on this farm ... but I just couldn't do it! Besides, I know these two. Been seeing them all summer. I'm such a softie.

From a management perspective, I should have killed them both, I know.

Guess life isn't all cold management procedure! Oh, well ... another day, another deer. Maybe the deer gods will bless me for my mercy and control!

Grizz the Compassionate

TYE · Post by **TYE** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 3:18 pm

I most likely would have done the same thing. Just think. You totally had that one. Now you have a chance to put another one in the crosshairs

Knock on wood...

korey99 · Post by **korey99** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 3:19 pm

I hear ya Grizz...nothing wrong with compassion like that. If only the PETA buggers understood us hunters do have souls.....

Perhaps later in October she may be ripe for the picking.....or better yet, maybe you'll run into her boyfriend!

korey99

globemountain · Post by **globemountain** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 7:37 pm

I feel your pain.... My first day out with my vert a couple of weeks ago I saw six deer, 2 does with 2 fawns each. The fawns were probably weaned but not by much. I didn't even give it a thought to shoot any of them. Maybe later, but for me it was too early.

wabi · Post by **wabi** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 8:06 pm

I do it every year it seems. Get used to watching the does & fawns at my feeder, then just can't bring myself to kill one of them when season opens.
Still a couple weeks to go 'till the opener here, and I've been taking my 6 year old out about every evening to shoot his bow & watch the deer. Let him try to put the sneak on a couple fawns in the food plot the other evening and he got within 30 or 40 yards of one.

widowman · Post by **widowman** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 8:18 pm

Ahh ya softie.

In a few weeks mama will be running them off anyhow.

Also, I have found that if you take out mama when she is still with fawns, the fawns tend to stick around the same area till next year (provided predators don't get them).

The bottom line is that you made YOUR choice. Nobody should fault you for that.

Nice to hear you are seeing deer. Best of luck.

WM

crazyfarmer · Post by **crazyfarmer** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 8:36 pm

season must be early in NC? We have to wait untill Oct 7th

I would have done the same.. When that happens I go through the whole shooting thing and just fake pulling the trigger. Then im like, you live another day. More than likely you will see one of them or both again later in the season, only then its gametime

M&M · Post by **M&M** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 9:02 pm

Good for you Grizz, its about the expierience and enjoying the great outdoors. Not just the kill M&M

exocet · Post by **exocet** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 9:21 pm

Man, does this hit home for me. Last year in the early(3rd week of October) eantlerless muzzleloader season here in PA, it was the end of the last light and a big does steps out about 30 yards away and she knew something was up and I had to make a choice and the only shot was a neck shot and I shot and that was that, I got a really big doe. Well, after the shot I saw 2 other deer about 2/3 her size run away behind her. At that moment I knew they were her fawns of the year and I felt horrible and it kinda put a damper on things for a while. Had I known about them, I would have tried for 1 of them or let them walk. Guys have told me at that time and size, they would probably survive. I hope so

Jack.

LV2HNT · Post by **LV2HNT** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 8:13 am

Good choice Grizz, I always heard that if a mom was shot that another mature doe would adopt the fawn/s. That made it acceptible for me to shoot one, but I could still never do it. I will never shoot a fawn either. That is just cruel to me. Only mature deer that have had a chance to live and learn about the dangers of man are in my sights. The season is long, and you have many more chances to come. If you don't have to have meat right now then sit back and enjoy the scenery. Besides this is the best time of year for big bucks to show up in the food plots just before dark. You wouldn't want to stick a doe and miss out on that 10 pointer hanging out a hundred yards back in the woods would you? I hope you will be well rewarded for your self control and compasion.

Masterhunter · Post by **Masterhunter** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 6:17 pm

Grizz you are the man!! I'm proud of you for having a sensitive heart. You can always get another doe and even if you can't you did a noble thing in my opinion.