Just Couldn't Do It...What Would You Do?

[Starvin' Hillbilly]

good job! Let'm walk, it'll be good for the soul, and if'n he/she makes it till next year drop the string/ hammer!

[one shot scott]

Climate is obviously different in NC from Ontario, but if that situation happened here to me and I suspected that the mother was taken by myself a few days earlier (unknown that it was the mother at the time), and I continued to see the fawn by itself repeatedly....I would consider taking it.

My reason would be: with a coming winter its chances of survival would be less, and its at higher risk of predators and as much as I hate shooting a youngen with spots, I would hate to see it suffer more from either of those circumstances.

fwiw: I have not pulled a trigger on a fawn with spots and the thought doesn't appeal to me

[vixenmaster]

I never shoot a spotty, if you got its moma its old enuff to make it on its own. There will be other deer, jus hang in there

[frank25]

Nice mount

[georgiaboy]

No spot's for me...just doesn't feel right.
Not judging those who may...JMO.

[flinthead]

I've never done it... but I have no problem with it either. Tenderoni!

[JPjunkie]

I read in Field & Stream once it said to shoot a fawn and save the heard And there reasoning was survivability a 1 1/2 year old is more likely to survive the winter because it already knows how to survive it But I don't shoot them as its like filleting a small fish not much meat left when the cutting stops

[Boo]

I couldn't shoot the doe or the fawn. But the bottom line is that if the deer density is high and the winter range isn't going to provide enough food for the winter, then taking either or both is the right thing to do. It's just that I can't make myself kill either.
Good post Keith!

[UPSMAN]

Let it pass. I don't even shoot the doe if her fawn still has spots. Too many predators for the young fawn to worry about on her own. Keep waiting, a shooter will appear.

[W.Miguire]

you did good . let them go so they can grow . had a friend shoot a pup one year and he got about 12# of meat not worth the price of the tag.
W.M.

[ds762]

I would tag both mama doe and baby doe and not think twice ..

[Easy Money]

Had the same dilemma last season could have shot it a dozen times but just couldn't do it then found it hit on the road and the buzzards ate it my tag went unfilled

[Oppie]

I'd pass on it but have a buddy that like em with momma milk still on there lips

[xcaliber]

I think I seen that guy last year!

[rayman]

I don't shoot does with suckling fawns, but I killed a spotted fawn by accident years ago. A buddy and I were rifle hunting a couple hundred yards apart in a creek bottom and we heard a shot from just down the creek. My buddy sent a message that a deer was coming towards me. I got ready and sure enough here came a deer and I shot it the instant I had a clear shot. Turned out the other hunter had killed the doe and I killed the fawn. I felt a little bad but told myself it would not have made it on its own anyway. I don't know if it would have or not.