Ethical to shoot a fawn with spots?

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Posted: 11/23/2011 1:50:50 PM EDT

For some reason PA has decided to allow deer season to open on Sept 17th this year. It is antlerless only and while I really don't have the extra money to mount a fawn I have been struggling with if it is tasteful of not to do so or even get the hide tanned.

As an aside, I was teasing my oldest, she is 13 that I was going to shoot a fawn with it's spots and get it mounted and put a sadle on it and have the mount put on a stand with wheels so I can pull my youngest around the neighborhood. My youngest is 2 years old. My 13 year old informed me I was sick!

Anyways, I am sure that early I may well see spotted fawns still. I doubt I would really shoot one as I want the meat but it still raises an ethical question if one was to mount it or get the hide tanned.

Posted: 9/6/2011 12:58:37 PM EDT

[#1]

Personally speaking, no I wouldn't. I mainly hunt for the meat, and there isn't much bang for your buck there. I suppose as long as it wasn't wasted, its up to you.

Posted: 9/6/2011 12:59:20 PM EDT

[#2]

I don't think it would be ethical to kill a fawn.

Posted: 9/6/2011 12:59:33 PM EDT

[#3]

Yes. I'd prefer to shoot something with more meat on it, but if it's legal I wouldn't fault you for harvesting it.

Posted: 9/6/2011 1:05:18 PM EDT

[#4]

Normally, I would pass.

However, one year, a nice big doe came out, and I had the perfect shot. Took it. Minute or two later, as I'm climbing out of the tree stand, a fawn comes walking up. Spots were starting to fade, but still visible. I took it. Had spare tags, and it seemed like the right thing to do.

But a fawn alone? nah....I'd pass.

Posted: 9/6/2011 1:56:54 PM EDT

[#5]

I've passed up does that still had fawns with them on many occasions. I would personally feel very uncomfortable shooting a fawn even on a nuisance permit.

Posted: 9/6/2011 2:05:38 PM EDT

[#6]

Dressed out, a spotted fawn gives what, 5 pounds of meat? Sure it's tender venison but... you're taking out a youngster.

I'd pass it up unless it's TEOTWAKI and I'm feeding my family... (it'd be a small meal)

Posted: 9/6/2011 2:14:26 PM EDT

[#7]

Not me!...........

Posted: 9/6/2011 4:20:16 PM EDT

[#8]

I would pass on a fawn....to me I think that they should get atleast 1 year in the wilderness to enjoy life....but thats just my .02

Posted: 9/6/2011 4:43:22 PM EDT

[#9]

id rather shoot a doe with more meat then a fawn. however if the only chance i got was at a fawn id take it. also if i happen to have 2 fawns and doe come by id take the 1 one fawn over the doe. having shot the doe the fawns may not be smart enouf to make it on there own yet which makes them easy dinner for a coyote.

Posted: 9/6/2011 4:51:27 PM EDT

[#10]

If you're going to eat it, why not? We eat veal and lamb, right? I can see no difference.

Posted: 9/6/2011 5:01:54 PM EDT

[#11]

Mmmmm.... Tender.

It would depend. But most likely no.

Posted: 9/6/2011 5:19:57 PM EDT

[#12]

Shoot if you want, it is legal. The meat will not have much of a taste.

Posted: 9/6/2011 7:02:15 PM EDT

[#13]

I passed up a doe and fawn with spots last Oct. It would have been my first deer. Hunting on the ground with a bow, my second year hunting, and had a shot on each. 20 feet away.

Passed it up. I had 2 doe tags too.

I'm not going to check a 35 pound fawn.

Now in a few years when the price of meat has gone way up, I might change my mind.

Posted: 9/6/2011 7:08:11 PM EDT

[#14]

I wouldnt better to take a fat mature doe and get more than one meal out of your tag.

Posted: 9/6/2011 7:31:15 PM EDT

[#15]

I wouldn't, but who am I to tell you not to. Its your finger on the trigger. If it feels
"right" and its legal then go ahead.

Posted: 9/6/2011 9:10:26 PM EDT

[#16]

I was hunting last year and shot a doe that still had its yearling with it, I shot the doe and i swear the yearling wouldn't leave its momma! I walked up to ten feet away from it and it still wouldn't run off, It was still getting milk from its mom so I didn't want it to die from starvation or predators so I shot it

Posted: 9/7/2011 12:30:31 AM EDT

[#17]

I used to pass them up all the time, but a few years ago time was running out and a little one stepped out and I shot it. It was the best tasting deer Ive had in a long time. Now I shoot the smallest one in the group.

Posted: 9/7/2011 12:37:35 AM EDT

[#18]

Here we kill everything without horns as fast as we can and as many at a time as we can

Posted: 9/7/2011 9:42:48 AM EDT

[#19]

I live in a special regulation area here in PA as we do have way too many deer. I curently have a back tag plus five doe tags. I could buy just about as many doe tags as I wanted but realistically all I really want is 2 or 3 deer to fill the freezer. The extra tags are to help fill the freezers of my father and brother in case they don't get a deer but they have extra tags in case I get unlucky too.

Every now and then the deer change patterns but meat is almost never an issue.

I don't think I would shoot a spotted fawn but come January if I am still ut hunting in the late season that same yearling would certanly be fair game with the slug gun if I was still after meat but I have four months of better hunting before then.

Thanks for the oppinions, I have rarely seen a spotted fawn in archery before but this early I do expect I will see some if I go out this early. I personally hate to hunt when it is this warm however for fear of having the meat spoil.

Posted: 9/7/2011 9:49:52 AM EDT

[#20]

Ethical - that's up to you and no one else. I wouldn't just because of the amount of meat on one. Now shooting buttons by accident - yeah I've done it.

Posted: 9/7/2011 11:00:11 AM EDT

[#21]

I wouldn't.
But I wouldn't fault you for doing it.

Posted: 9/7/2011 11:44:27 AM EDT

[#22]

I've been bowhunting since 1993...I've only seen one spotted fawn after the season opened! I did not shoot him, but he did save mommas life!!!

Bottom line, shoot what makes YOU happy!!!!

Posted: 9/7/2011 1:21:03 PM EDT

[#23]

I have never killed a spotted fawn but I have taken a few yearlings over the years. A yearling deer that is a resdient of a good corn/soy based agricultural area makes great table fare. But I prefer to kill a larger doe with more meat.

Posted: 9/7/2011 7:10:28 PM EDT

[#24]

Quoted:
I have never killed a spotted fawn but I have taken a few yearlings over the years. A yearling deer that is a resdient of a good corn/soy based agricultural area makes great table fare. But I prefer to kill a larger doe with more meat.

I'm killed a few little ones over the years.

They taste great, however once you decide on a management plan, it becomes a bad idea. I've killed a few that ended up being bucks. In Texas, they are considered antlerless if the antler isn't protruding, but they are still males and most places need more does killed than bucks to get the ratio correct.

Posted: 9/7/2011 7:39:45 PM EDT

[#25]

I pass on Does with fawns early season. I'm getting soft though. Mid October Mama is gone though.

Posted: 9/7/2011 8:53:26 PM EDT

[#26]

Quoted:

Quoted:
I have never killed a spotted fawn but I have taken a few yearlings over the years. A yearling deer that is a resdient of a good corn/soy based agricultural area makes great table fare. But I prefer to kill a larger doe with more meat.

I'm killed a few little ones over the years.

They taste great, however once you decide on a management plan, it becomes a bad idea. I've killed a few that ended up being bucks. In Texas, they are considered antlerless if the antler isn't protruding, but they are still males and most places need more does killed than bucks to get the ratio correct.

this is correct

Posted: 9/11/2011 8:58:35 PM EDT

[#27]

Pass on the fawn. I mean come on here

Posted: 9/11/2011 9:40:14 PM EDT

[#28]

I checked my game camera tonight and I have pics of a couple doe with their spotted fawns. No, I am not going to shoot one but this early I am sure going to see doe with their spotted fawns. Not sure if they are ready to be alone or not yet...

I also have a mount worthy 10-point, very nice 7-point, and a small 6-point hanging out under my stand too. I can't shoot a buck until Oct 1st so I am not going to screw up my spot until then by hunting doe with spotted fawns...

Posted: 9/12/2011 9:19:45 PM EDT

[#29]

I would not harvest anything that was not mature.

Posted: 9/15/2011 2:26:11 PM EDT

[#30]

Edit....

I would not.

Posted: 9/20/2011 1:43:32 PM EDT

[#31]

I had a spotted fawn in front of me this morning .. (Archery season in MO) .. if it had presented a clear shot I WOULD have shot it!

Smaller, tender, better eating , easier to drag .. what's not to like?

Posted: 9/20/2011 1:51:34 PM EDT

[#32]

This is 20-yards from the base of my tree stand...

Now, this old boy didn't get big by being dumb but I have decided I would not waste the money tanning a fawn's hide when come rut season I may have something bigger walking around the woods.

I am not even sure what this would score, would this guy be a 120s to 130s class Pope and Young?

Posted: 9/21/2011 12:16:19 PM EDT

[#33]

Quoted:
This is 20-yards from the base of my tree stand...

http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s720x720/296437_261800160520446_100000713934454_868217_693940395_n.jpg

Now, this old boy didn't get big by being dumb but I have decided I would not waste the money tanning a fawn's hide when come rut season I may have something bigger walking around the woods.

I am not even sure what this would score, would this guy be a 120s to 130s class Pope and Young?

I dont see any spots on him - so I would take him down

Posted: 9/21/2011 12:40:33 PM EDT

[#34]

I read an article, years ago, that claimed shooting fawns was an excellent management plan and somehow helped increase the health of the herd.

I never understood why I would shoot a 30lb fawn instead of a 120lb doe.

We have one skull on the cabin wall named "Buttons". It provides hours of torment to the owner.

TRG

Posted: 9/23/2011 11:03:17 AM EDT

[#35]

If you decide to, make sure it is not a button buck

Posted: 9/28/2011 1:29:09 PM EDT

[#36]

Quoted:
I had a spotted fawn in front of me this morning .. (Archery season in MO) .. if it had presented a clear shot I WOULD have shot it!

Smaller, tender, better eating , easier to drag .. what's not to like?

Agreed with the above.

A) there are some areas that are so overpopulated, that any deer you can legally kill you should, and

B) they are tender and delicious.

Posted: 9/29/2011 6:24:05 PM EDT

[#37]

Last year I shot what I thought was a small doe, weighed out about 85lbs, pissed me off when I realized it was a Button Buck. It was a learning experience as my future shots will be more scrutinized before I take them. I would not take out a fawn with spots, just a moral thing with me.

Posted: 10/3/2011 2:08:30 PM EDT

[#38]

I was hunting PA this past weekend and passed up a shot on a tiny peanut. Came home empty handed too. If I did the moment over, I'd still pass it up.

The neighbors down the street wouldn't though They'd shoot it at midnight during Archery season.

Posted: 11/23/2011 1:53:35 PM EDT

[#39]

Depends on the current deer population, the herd management goals and if the fawm is a buck or doe.

Posted: 11/23/2011 1:57:30 PM EDT

[#40]

Quoted:
Last year I shot what I thought was a small doe, weighed out about 85lbs, pissed me off when I realized it was a Button Buck.

I've done the same. 90 pound "doe" turned out to be a 6 month old button buck fawn. Now I carry binos and check for antler bases before shooting does.

Posted: 12/13/2011 6:56:42 PM EDT

[#41]

I'd pass especially if it still has milk on it's lips ;)

Posted: 12/18/2011 11:25:32 PM EDT

[#42]

I would absolutely shoot a fawn in spots. I have shot "young of the year" (though not in spots) and they are very tasty! I am talking 50# deer....YUM!

Look at it this way

In the wild, not counting human hunters and autos, what do animal predators kill most? Fawns.

Killing a fawn gives the adult doe a BETTER chance of survival.

Killing a fawn is better for the herd health.......here's why...

deer breed in the fall. When all the does are not bred the first time they go thru estrus, a second breeding cycle takes place (this happens because the ratio of bucks to does is out of balanace). The result of this is that there are 2 cycles of births that happen in the spring (2 sets of fawn drops, so to speak)

Fawns are really only vulnerable to animal predators for a short time, after that they can run too fast to be a good caloric offset for most predators. If there are 2 sets of fawn drops, this means there are 2 periods of time when young deer are vulnerable to predation.

2 sets of fawn drops further exacerbates this problem as sometimes a "late fawn" will enter sexual maturity late in her first year and be bred.

Ted Trueblood wrote extensively about this in one of his books. I highly suggest it

Posted: 9/26/2012 12:01:49 AM EDT

[#43]

I fail to see any ethical issue here. Deer are plentiful and seasons and bag limits generous. I will go out of my way to skewer a fawn sporting spots. The venison, admittedly is less (but a helluva lot more than "five pounds"), but it's too good to not put on the grill.
I'm the same with with Spring squirrels––get 'em young.

Posted: 9/26/2012 6:49:58 AM EDT

[#44]

Illegal here. Not to mention it's nearly impossible to determine the sex of a deer that age.

Posted: 9/26/2012 8:53:24 AM EDT

[#45]

If you want to I won't fault you - your call. I personally don't because you get less meat out of them. Hunters should take whatever makes them happy, as long as it's legal - who cares what others think.

Posted: 9/27/2012 9:29:08 PM EDT

[#46]

Quoted:
If you want to I won't fault you - your call. I personally don't because you get less meat out of them. Hunters should take whatever makes them happy, as long as it's legal - who cares what others think.

THIS

Posted: 9/27/2012 10:20:40 PM EDT

[#47]

Quoted:
Illegal here. Not to mention it's nearly impossible to determine the sex of a deer that age.

Where are you, if I may ask?

Posted: 9/28/2012 1:50:23 PM EDT

[#48]

I wouldn't fault you for doing it.
There won't be much meat, but it will be tender. I would not waste my money on tanning the hide or mounting the head.