Would you shoot a fawn that still had its spots, if it was legal to do so?

[Pathfinder1]

Hi...!!


No way...unless I was literally starving...!!

[charlie elk]

Follow-up question. If you're hunting with a 12-14-year-old when they shoot a fawn that has no spots, but it is small enough it should have spots, a deer you can pick up with one hand. What do you do? Correct or congratulate them?

We weigh the birds after they're dressed for cooking.

[huntfishtrap]

Follow-up question. If you're hunting with a 12-14-year-old when they shoot a fawn that has no spots, but it is small enough it should have spots, a deer you can pick up with one hand. What do you do? Correct or congratulate them?

Wow, 1.5 pounds is insanely tiny. I've never seen a turkey even close to that small during the fall hunting season. I'm sure it was good, but I could go out and shoot one of my chickens and get more meat, for a heck of a lot less work. Lol // Funny you mention fall turkey hunting in CO, charlie, because my sister lives out there, and she just shot her first turkey ever last weekend. She said it was pretty small, but was still excited about it.

[huntfishtrap]

Last year during archery season I bumped a doe and came to full draw in case she stopped(was only like 30 yards away when jumped and she was just walking). Little did I know she had a fawn with her and that fawn made a bee-line for my location. I guarentee it was less than 10 feet from me perfectly broadside and I was at full draw. I never once even tried pointing the bow at it. I just kept at full draw and the mom came into a clear opening...and I never even thought about taking the shot at her either. Was a very cool situation that I will remember far better(and positively) than had I shot one of them.
-
I know a guy who shot a fawn and had it lying on top of the spare tire in his truck bed. It would've made the deer tioughnioga shot look like the king of the woods. The guy said it was 100+ yards away and he did not realize how small it was. He felt terrible about shooting it. His buddies gave him some flack, but no one was mad or anything about it. And everyone had to give him credit for making a perfect shot on such a small deer.

Given the locale, those deer were probably stunted and unhealthy because of inbreeding. ;-D

[jcarlin]

Follow-up question. If you're hunting with a 12-14-year-old when they shoot a fawn that has no spots, but it is small enough it should have spots, a deer you can pick up with one hand. What do you do? Correct or congratulate them?

That's great. It's one of the things that keeps me away from it here. Unless you're willing to travel out of state, it's hard to call yourself a Turkey hunter if you get one chance a season to make it count and then it's over. I'm sure I'd still enjoy it, and if it was a 400lbs animal, my view would be different. But gearing up, scouting, practicing.. and then one bird and your done. Maybe when I have more time in life.. or get smarter and make more time.
I think you're buddy's bar is going to be tough to beat unless you're on overwatch on a full nest of eggs.

[charlie elk]

Follow-up question. If you're hunting with a 12-14-year-old when they shoot a fawn that has no spots, but it is small enough it should have spots, a deer you can pick up with one hand. What do you do? Correct or congratulate them?

Yep, it's the real deal. We must shoot an early turkey to have a chance of a really small one. He is in CO where turkeys are smaller and the season starts a week before WI. Then he comes to WI for the fall hunting seasons. (unless you're after elk, the hunting is better in WI.) We started this friendly competition a few years ago because those early birds of the year are delicacies, the absolute tastiest thing in the woods. Fall turkey tags do not sell out in WI, so, the only limit is the number of tags a hunter cares to buy.

[jcarlin]

Last year during archery season I bumped a doe and came to full draw in case she stopped(was only like 30 yards away when jumped and she was just walking). Little did I know she had a fawn with her and that fawn made a bee-line for my location. I guarentee it was less than 10 feet from me perfectly broadside and I was at full draw. I never once even tried pointing the bow at it. I just kept at full draw and the mom came into a clear opening...and I never even thought about taking the shot at her either. Was a very cool situation that I will remember far better(and positively) than had I shot one of them.
-
I know a guy who shot a fawn and had it lying on top of the spare tire in his truck bed. It would've made the deer tioughnioga shot look like the king of the woods. The guy said it was 100+ yards away and he did not realize how small it was. He felt terrible about shooting it. His buddies gave him some flack, but no one was mad or anything about it. And everyone had to give him credit for making a perfect shot on such a small deer.

A family acquaintance who I've only hunted in camp with twice told me of a fundraising hunt he went on down in either Virginia or West Virginia. Church property opened up a hunt to a group, not sure of the financial arrangements. He said there were a lot of deer but all stunted and starved and no one could bring themselves to pull the trigger. On the last day they were eating lunch when the last of their party wandered in. The group told him he was their last hope and it was official, they were going home empty handed. "I've got a deer." "Well, where is it?" and he pulls one out of his backpack. There was a lot of razzing, but he swore it was in a group and it perspective it looked like one of the bigger ones. The guy who told me the story said that based one what he'd seen over those couple of days, he believed him.

[jcarlin]

In normal circumstance, like it's a healthy spotted fawn? I do believe it is legal here., but no.

I one time got my deer crossed as they moved through some cover and reemerged and arrowed a young of the year doe that was no longer spotted, but probably weighed 60-70 lbs on the hoof. On top of being a mistake, that little doe yielded an even smaller percentage of meat than usual totaling, IIRC, 14lbs all cuts and ground. If anyone is considering it, it is not worth it.
(I knew a guy who used to joke that he liked to take two small deer every year because they were easier to drag, but the yield is also proportionally smaller to the amount of work.)

That's a deer, that is.
And though I gave you the full rundown on the take of doe, due to the break of the back leg on the shot, and the subsequent damage done to it the lower third of one of the hind quarters was beat up, dirty, and bloodshot.

[jcarlin]

Follow-up question. If you're hunting with a 12-14-year-old when they shoot a fawn that has no spots, but it is small enough it should have spots, a deer you can pick up with one hand. What do you do? Correct or congratulate them?

Is that for real Charlie?
What's your limit? I've not pursued or thought of pursuing in years here, but I believe we get one fall bird and one spring gobbler.

[charlie elk]

Follow-up question. If you're hunting with a 12-14-year-old when they shoot a fawn that has no spots, but it is small enough it should have spots, a deer you can pick up with one hand. What do you do? Correct or congratulate them?

Regarding fall turkeys, a friend and I have a competition going to see who can get the smallest turkey. So far he's beating me with a 1.5-pound bird of the year. Last week I thought I'd finally outdone him, but, alas, my turkey was 3.2 pounds.

[charlie elk]

It is illegal to shoot spotted deer in WI, also illegal to have them mounted without a special permit if they happen to die of natural causes or road kills.
A strange question there HFT. Why do you ask, did you shoot one? And now looking for company in your guilt? ;-)

And JM, don't forget the rose colored glasses to top it all off.

[huntfishtrap]

In normal circumstance, like it's a healthy spotted fawn? I do believe it is legal here., but no.

I one time got my deer crossed as they moved through some cover and reemerged and arrowed a young of the year doe that was no longer spotted, but probably weighed 60-70 lbs on the hoof. On top of being a mistake, that little doe yielded an even smaller percentage of meat than usual totaling, IIRC, 14lbs all cuts and ground. If anyone is considering it, it is not worth it.
(I knew a guy who used to joke that he liked to take two small deer every year because they were easier to drag, but the yield is also proportionally smaller to the amount of work.)

A thorough, careful butcher can expect to get about 60-65 lbs of meat off an adult doe here, assuming little to no loss due to shot placement. I think the most we've ever gotten off a doe was 80 lbs. That was before I started hunting, but I do remember that she was a monster. My first archery doe yielded 73 lbs. A mature buck usually yields 100-110 lbs, again assuming no loss. We've gotten as much as 125 lbs off a buck. That was before we started weighing the entire animal, but I'm guessing he would've tipped the scales at 275+.

[Okwaho]

Follow-up question. If you're hunting with a 12-14-year-old when they shoot a fawn that has no spots, but it is small enough it should have spots, a deer you can pick up with one hand. What do you do? Correct or congratulate them?

Agreed. Not sure why I phrased it with emphasis on the young hunter, other than thinking in the context of Charlie's question.

[jcarlin]

In normal circumstance, like it's a healthy spotted fawn? I do believe it is legal here., but no.

I one time got my deer crossed as they moved through some cover and reemerged and arrowed a young of the year doe that was no longer spotted, but probably weighed 60-70 lbs on the hoof. On top of being a mistake, that little doe yielded an even smaller percentage of meat than usual totaling, IIRC, 14lbs all cuts and ground. If anyone is considering it, it is not worth it.
(I knew a guy who used to joke that he liked to take two small deer every year because they were easier to drag, but the yield is also proportionally smaller to the amount of work.)

I'm not sure how I'd feel about that. I think I'd stop hunting alone if deer were that big. Now you know why I don't relax until there's two in the freezer and still hope to get a third. Going through 120lbs of meet as my family of four (that are still in the house) is nothing, and it's nice to give a little to the neighbors and family members who had an unsuccessful season. A big buck helps a lot there. Our average doe not so much. The one I bagged this season though tall, long faced, and seemingly having just weaned off her young uns, was fairly skinny to the point the backstraps were the diameter of a middling zuchinni. 25 plus pounds of cuts and grounds don't go that far and as the family loves it, it's already made it into sauce, soup, and on the grill.

[jcarlin]

Interesting responses. I have to admit, I am a bit surprised that nobody says they would do it. Apparently I have found the one subject you all agree upon! Lol

I don't think I would, but it would be for practical reasons rather than emotional ones. I'd rather hold out for a bigger fawn or a nice, tender doe if I was looking to fill the freezer. I've eaten the meat from non-spotted young-of-the-year deer quite a few times, though I've never shot one myself.
I certainly don't think there's anything unethical about shooting a spotted fawn, if it's legal where you're hunting. And I wonder if the people who find the idea of doing so offensive would hesitate to eat veal? Because it's basically the same thing, as drb pointed out below.

HFT, if one truly needs meat, you need meat. No judgment here.
One of the things that keeps coming up is reproduction vs. survival. I'm in that weird fringe where starting a few miles to the south of me the world goes to suburbs and from there it's a 30 mile transition to major city, but to the north primarily farm,parkland, and large residential plots partly broken up by towns and until you hit the Poconos. It's the perfect storm where we are generally always overrun with deer as there are so many semi-protected populations between the developments and towns largely to the south, and the massive county parks that surround me where hunting is prohibited. The PGC is constantly trying to find ways to increase hunting opportunities to knock them down, such as my local season starting 2 weeks early and ending late.
I can see how a deer spotted during the season (it's been weeks since I've seen one) is likely to be beyond the curve for surviving the winter. Biologically though, if the more mature young of year do, they may have 10-12 offspring ahead of them, where momma doe may have just a couple left. Less if she stands still long enough.