Good point, Pat. I see where you're coming from. Mark, I also agree that it would be nearly impossible to differentiate between the does. As for passing up a world-class buck because a neighbor was targeting it? That would depend on the situation. I'd never ruin a friendship over a buck, no matter how big it is. Likewise, I'd never put any of my friends or landowners in a tough spot over my killing a deer. If it was going to cause a problem, I'd go find a different deer to hunt. Simple.
Fran You better not shot a buck over 135 or our friendship is over !!! I mean it... dammit !! Seriously... if someone has a doe that they are fond of... I would pass. Within reason of course. A couple years ago the wife had forbid me to shoot a certain doe at the farm I work at. I had numerous trail cam pictures of her and her fawns. She is a little more clever then the rest and has busted me a few times. She has a distinguishing feature. I finally told her last year she is on the hit list. Barb said hell no she isn't so I left her alone again last year. She is a big old doe and I am tempted again this year. She still says no !! She said if Troy or any of my friends shoot her... she will banned them from the house. I will be sleeping in the spare bedroom. I can kill any other doe... just not that doe. Tim
Its your choice. In my opinion, if the neighbor is a friend, then he shouldn't have put you in a tough spot by saying that. Its your land, you know the deer herd, if it offers a shot and you were actually wanting a doe, then I'd take it. That whole respect thy neighbor deal goes both ways.
She said something about me cooking my own food for the rest of my life. I really don't like cooking... eeerrrr... what am I saying... I don't cook and don't plan on starting !!! Nice try though !!! Tim
alright guys this is what i would do....to be honest i dont care about the neighbor says if he likes watching these deer then so be it. I hate having someone tell me what i can and cannot shoot its my choice not his. now if my father in law hunted and he actually cared for what i shoot i would give him the respect since its his land but he doesnt. Its almost like having the neighbor saying you cant shoot a six pointer only good quality bucks and thats it. Now the other thing if i let these deer live the surrounding neighbors will also shoot these deer if i don't. In all regards to this forum i started i wouldn't shoot this doe or fawns my plan is to let these live for now. i figure this will give me a better chance for harvesting a big buck coming this rut. And thats my decision not the neighbors.
What does the land owner (FIL) say? Personally, I would not let neighbors dictate what I do on my own land. Like it was mentioned earlier, it's only a deer. Invite the neighbor over for some delicious back straps. Good luck.
If your not absolutely run over with does I wouldn't shoot them, but not because he said so. Aren;t you wanting to try to do some sort of deer management anyway. I know I am and killing a doe with 2 fawns isn't part of my plan. I passed on a doe & button buck opening day because it;s not the smart thing to do if you want to keep a continuing herd. The chances the fawns don't make it are very high. So your actually probably killing them all if you shoot the mama and fawns have very little meet at all. If you don't have a lot of deer your going to put a small dent in your crop for next year. If you do have a lot of deer than why wouldn't you just wait on that buck to come along or tha mature doe that doesn't have any young deer just out of their spots with her. Bottom line I make my decisions based on proper deer management no matter where I'm at. If everyone kills the first thing they see pretty soon there won't be much of anything to hunt. Definately not many mature deer.
I would go with what your father inlaw decides on , after all he has to live by him , me personally would smoke it , and anyways i've seen the kind of respect i had givin to me in the past few years with stollen stands , a blind and 3 cameras on private property , so in certain matters i dont have to much respect for others anymore , and thats on a personal note .
Shoot what you want, tell him you saw a dead deer out by the road...must of got hit by a car. The only persons opinion that matters here is your father in laws, do what he says. I wouldn't be rude to the neigbor and I'd be discreet if I killed any of the deer but as far as that goes he shouldn't even be worried about what is getting shot on land that doesn't belong to him unless it's illegal. Deer watching, mommas and babies....for crying out loud somebody get Bambi going on the tube.
We had a yearling doe on our lease a couple of years ago, and she had been practically raised by the land owner. The landowners wife could feed her by hand, and still just a bit skittish, she would let us pet her from time to time. The LO's wife even tied a bow around her neck and named her Dottie, for when she had her spots. Not shooting her was talked about a time or two, but mostly in jest because there was no way any of us would shoot her...or so we thought. Then late in the season after we had all taken deer, as hunters do, we got to raggin on the one guy who hadnt. The razzin he took was no more than he had dished out himself, but after a few days it degraded to questioning his manhood, slang terms for being a homo were used, and we began calling him Mrs. Smith instead of Bill (Ive changed his name in telling this story). Well by god he showed us! I wasnt there, but after being ragged all evening, ol Bill put a spitfire through Dottie, then cleaned her right there with the bow around her neck. We had all gotten pretty fond of Dottie, and yes she was a legal deer, but I never looked at Bill the same way again. Id never shoot the doe and fawns, and it aint that big a deal to honor his wish.
Opinions are like buttholes...everyone has one!If u need the meat and u'r hungery,do what u gotta do! Ppl need to mind their own business!I'd have a few choice words for that wood natiz! .....as a general rule.....face to face ....most ppl suck!
Tell your neighbor that you LOVE bucks over 120 inches and/or over 4.5+ years old and to not to shoot any of theml. If he agrees to that, then lay off Bambi and her twins. Seriously though, I am strapped for hunting time this fall. Every single hunt I get I am out to kill something I am targetting (doe/buck). About two weeks ago a mature doe and her soon to be just fine able to take care of itself fawn wandered past my treestand. I chose not to shoot the fawn even though it gave me a good shot. However, I shot the doe even though the fawn was only 5 yards from her. Hunting is not always an easy mental game. My decision to shoot that doe was dictated by my personal hunting situation this fall. When it is all said and done, SHOOT what you want as long as it is legal and you are happy. Maybe you should take a ride over to your neighbors house and speak with him about your concerns and give him a firm handshake.
[/QUOTE/] THINK about it.....your either leaving two fawns to die[/QUOTE] I hate that argument. They don't need momma anymore. They will survive just fine. I say don't worry about the neighbor as long as your legal and father-in-law doesn't care let it fly,
Ditto! Nice tread... Remember Respect! Animals of all walks! Ninja Dude is at it again! "SilentSling"
Good thread that I just gotta throw my ignorant 2 cents at! I think we all know there are laws that protect us and others and laws that hurt us and others. I think the law will protect you in this case, but as a rebel I could Care less about laws that are created by other people "mostly liberals" so I tend to live by what is right or wrong according to morals. If I am doing something that the law can pinch me for I tend to look in the mirror and ask what is my part in this. For me, if you want to ignore the neighbor and take those deer then do it, if you wanna let them go then do it, but I really think you should consider getting your very own land if you truly want to call all the shots. Now that would be steppin up to the plate and saying "F-U" to the rest of the world!
