Took a Fawn....Mixed feelings

So I took a fawn last night at about 4:20. After the shot and seeing her drop within 20 yards, it all sank in and I began to have mixed feelings. I have been saying for 2 weeks now that I would love to shoot a fawn if I can for a GREAT eating deer. With that said it was already in my head and when you stand below my tree at 17 yards broadside, what can you expect a guy to do!

Day was very slow, but I was optimistic due to the snow that was falling. Later in the afternoon 2 young does came through my set at around 3:30 at about 80 yards out. It was primetime now and was really looking forward to hopefully getting a shot at continuing to fill the freezer knowing there should be more movement to follow. Well no movement except for a small fawn right before sunset. I looked to my left and there she was at 9 yards. Lone fawn all by herself, I didn't even hear her come in. I made sure the momma doe was no where near and started to think about how badly I wanted some deliciously tender meat like this. The thoughts then began to start entering my mind. "I bet someone shot her mom already, why is she alone when she is so small, will she make it now through the winer, etc etc." So I had to.....pulled back the stick and string and let one fly. She was at 17 yards when my arrow entered right behind the shoulder and exited her opposite shoulder. She took off slowly and didn't make it beyond 20 yards when she sat down and rolled over onto her back. I was pumped I made a perfect shot through a 5 inch shooting lane and that I now had some AWESOME meat to add to the freezer. Once I got down I pulled my arrow form the dirt and walked over to her and it sank in and felt a little bad. It quickly went away when the thoughts of fresh backstrap entered my mind. Anyway, my second deer of the season and I am extremely eager to eat it up! I know she wont last long, thats for sure. Have one more doe tag left so hopefully I can fill that next weekend also, and hey a late season buck wouldn't be bad either!

All those out there filling late season tags and stocking up on some meat, good luck, be safe, and shoot straight!!!

Me in my Pine Tree:


12 o'clock View from my Pine:


Late Season "eating" Fawn:

 

Congrats. Its what you wanted so you made it happen.

 

I guess some guys, you can expect them to shoot whetever it is in front of them. For other guys, they enjoy the scenery and wait for the next deer.

I've let numerous fawns/yearlings/buttons/spikes walk this year. Not worth the effort unless I'm shoving a BBQ spit through them and putting them whole over a fire. To me, an hour of butchering isn't worth 15-20# of meat.

The whole "small deer = great eating deer" is just an excuse to shoot small deer.

 

ya, I had mixed feelings taking a fawn doe a few years back. BUT...you are there to hunt, and it sounds like you love venison, and you don't get tags that say "mature doe only"

 

You can say that again! But it only took me about 45 mins to have her all butchered up and yea your right wasn't that much meat and to some probably not worth the effort, but to me, well worth it. The 45 mins it took me to butcher her up will be the last thing on my mind when I'm enjoying how well she tastes. I don't and wont ever use the fact that young/small deer taste GREAT as an "excuse" to shoot one though. It is what I wanted, so I did it. If I did use that "excuse" I would have been tagged out this season a while ago, but I too passed many fawns, yearlings, buttons/spikes, and small bucks this year. This one was for me, and me alone!

 

Uncljohn, how much meat does a critter have to have before it's justifiable to you?

Some people can enjoy the scenery *and* shoot small tasty critters.

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Did it still have spots? A spotted fawn is off limits to me, a yearling that has lost it spots is fair game in my book.

 

Eat a fawn next to a mature buck and you will never say that again, the fawn will taste 100 times better every time !


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A yearling is not a fawn.... a yearling is over a year old, a fawn is under a year old... spots mean nothing

 

I have done it before and I'll do it again. I won't lose any sleep over it.

 

Preach that to somebody else

 

I meant as far as what a deer is called...how did you take it???

 

I took it as they are fair game, which they are but every hunter has their own ethical procedures they follow and one of mine is to leave fawns alone thats all.

 

I didn't mean it that way..... I don't shoot fawns, whether they have spots or not... I was trying to tell you that a lack of spots doesn't make a deer a yearling..... being over a year does....

 

PT is right. The spots don't justify whether a deer is a yearling or a fawn. A fawn is under a year, spots or not. A yearling is simply any deer over a year and under 2. Not arguing just backing up some information. I personally say shoot what makes you happy!!

 

the thing about a fawn is they don't have buttons. so you could end up shooting a baby buck that could grow into a stud one day. it's impossible to distinguish a male fawn from a female fawn 25 feet up in a tree. that's my take on it

 

A button buck IS a buck fawn....

 

U can def distinguish the two...is it difficult sometimes....yes...but they have different physical characteristics even with the little nubbins that are hard to aee....and as said a button buck is a fawn buck

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I'm clear now Sometimes I have a hard time determining how old a small deer is, so I determine that by spots. If it has spots I know its way young and I pass.

 

For NY, all the deer's spots are gone... I can only go by size..... by gun season, most button bucks are as big or bigger than a yearling doe..... if it's questionable, I don't shoot... but that's me