i know that but you can shoot a fawn buck that doesnt have buttons. done it before shot a fawn thinkin it was a female fawn got down checked it out had a smooth had but had a penis between the legs. never woulda been able to tell that from the stand
not all fawn bucks have buttons. shot a fawn before thinkin it was a doe. didn't have buttons but had a penis between the legs. no way to tell that from a tree stand
I was correct.... all buck fawns have bumps or buttons ... if you shut one with a completely slick head and no pedicle, you killed a freak...
As other's have stated, shoot what makes you happy. Every deer I kill is a trophy to me. I am a meat hunter not a horn hunter. Bone don't taste very good anyways! My second deer was a button buck. Me and my dad was hunting in Kentucky with a bunch of other kids my age. One of the parent's gave me a lot of crap about killing a button buck. I told him I pulled the trigger not him, I was thrilled about killing the deer and that was all that was important. The other adult's at the lodge laughed at him for me telling him how it was. The next afternoon his daughter killed a fawn with spots and he was speechless. He wouldn't even look at me or my dad and was in a hurry to skin it and quarter it out. His daughter was thrilled to have killed a deer though. I will still go and shoot young deer any day of the week. I do pass on button's now though, but if I do kill one I promise you I will be just as proud of it as if I had killed a big buck. You got meat on the table and that is all that matter's.
The one I shot this year opening day couldn't of weight much over 100lbs, but the freezer was empty and I made up my mindto shoot first chance I had. Didn't feel bad about it one bit, and I've passed many shots since then on several bigger mature does. Why? Idk just how it worked out and wasn't what I've been trying to release a arrow on. Now that its getting to be late season they won't be getting a pass. People hunt for many reasons and if you decided to pick up your bow and take a shot don't second guess yourself or feel bad about it afterwards. Me personally I hunt to kill deer, its far to expensive of a habit to not shoot one. That doesn't mean I shoot every deer that walks by but if if one comes around and I decide to try and harvest it I don't worry what somebody else will think. Congrats on the harvest
My wife shot a fawn one year and when I felt its head I thought it was a doe fawn. I went to gut it and had to cut off its penis. Then I felt its head again and it barely had bumps. Barely. They weren't pedicles, just small bumps.
PT, I know what pedicles are. These were not raised pedicles. These were barely bumps on the head. Small, round bumps. Hardly there at all. Wait, I'll just admit you're right and that I have no idea what I'm talking about. It'll save us some time.
I'll shoot fawns all day long. Taste great, easy to butcher, easy to kill and the tag is free for me (landowners son). I don't even lose sleep if I accidently shoot a button buck. 8 out of 10 button bucks will relocate after the first winter anyways as a 1 yo "yearling". This is due to multiple factors including the prevention of inbreeding and carrying capacity of bucks in said area. Some people need to read a book every once in awhile and stop listening to crazy uncle Joe telling deer stories...
The only mixed feelings I get when I shoot a fawn is what type of marinade I am using on those backstraps. Hate me if you must, but I have made my feelings on this subject known before. I love 'em! Those tasty little inside loins are tender enough to just fall apart, they make the best jerky, the list just goes on and on. Is it for everyone? No not at all, and if someone doesn't feel comfortable shooting one, then by all means let the little gal walk. I'm not hunting mature bucks because I get trail cam pictures of them and think "that old boy is really going to fill up the freezer". I eat them, but you can tell the difference. Like Caleb, I tend to let the buttons walk, but I have screwed up and shot some. Hunting is supposed to be fun, and each hunter has to set the bar as far as what they wish to obtain from it. For me, I have a blast hunting these little suckers, and definitely enjoy the results of it.
Shot one once... wife fussed... then she cooked a hindquarter and wanted to know why it tasted so much better. I told her... she said... stop shooting the big ones. Butchering... in my freezer... 8 roasts... 15-20 minutes... done.
Sounds about right. I can only get a few beers down before we're done! Alright...back to the topic on hand. Eating..err..I mean shooting fawns...
I am in total agreement with you on the button-buck thing. But, you and I both know Busch Lite is not beer. Read the book man.
Different strokes for different folks IMHO... Been hunting since a teenager and killed many a Deer in my day... So a fawn hasn't and will never do it for me (the tender meat theory doesn't apply to me either, plenty of great tender Doe meat is just as good) My mentality is you let them grow.... The more fawns we kill the less Grown Deer we have... But if you like it... So be it, It's legal, just not my cup of tea. What does upset me though is, this year was/is the 1st season I've taken my 7yr old Son out with me on a lot of sits.... Let lots of fawns and Does with their young as well walk by.... Teaching him quality over quanity.... So fast forward a few weeks and my Wife goes to a Birthday party and her Uncle (who will shoot anything in the woods no matter what) is there and he and my Son are talking Deer hunting etc.... So he says to my Son have you tried Fawn meat yet.... My son proceeds to tell him that fawns, Does with their young and spikes are off limits to me...as my Wife also conjures as well that this is the way I'm teaching him as well. He tells my son and Wife oh your Dad doesn't know what he's talking about... Fawns are the best meat bluh bluh....boy I was upset when I got home from work and my Son told me that... I asked my Wife and she said yeah he did say all that. If my Son someday takes a fawn, spike etc that's on him... But I'm trying to instill in him at this time values and morals and respect of animals and growth..... < Ps 46: 1 >
