Which deer do you shoot????

[Bowwild]

I would take the first, best shot presented.

[Jason in Bama]

Tim, hit the nail on the head.

[SEMO_HUNTER]

Originally posted by Tim:
Where I hunt in PA we have very high numbers, however in the past few years a few guys in our group have been consistently killing "many" mature does and passing on the yearlings. This year we saw a considerable decrease in the number of deer on the property.  If you continue to take the mature does from the herd you will eventually feel the effects.

The yearlings are the easiest to replace. The mature does know the best hiding spots, the best areas to winter and the location of the food sources when winter gets bad. A happy balance seems to always work well.

That was my exact thoughts Tim. If too many mature does are taken on a regular basis, your herd structure will eventually get out of wack. It happened on a private lease we had and not because of us taking too many mature does, but the guys who hunted all around us. After several years of killing the crap out of big mature does and passing on yearlings......we began seeing stunted deer. Medium sized does with either zero fawn production or 1 ultra tiny fawn that looked sickly. It wasn't a very pleasant experience to have that happen to an otherwise awesome piece of property.

On the other hand, if there are an over abundance of does in the area then take whichever one presents the best shot.......or like Dwill said, shoot both. It doesn't hurt to take out some of the big does, but just don't over do it.
I only got 1 deer this year and it was a 3 1/2 yr. old 8pt. so I'm still hunting for a doe.......preferrably a small tender one for steaks. In my case, I'd shoot the yearling and let the big doe walk. If the yearling didn't give me a shot then I guess I'd have to pass on both?
That's just me and there's not an over abundance of deer where I'm at......so it's a totally different decision for me.
Ethics has nothing to do with the decision, either one would be great freezer fodder........but herd dynamics does have everything to do with it.

[wingnut]

I'd shoot the first one that presented the shot I wanted.  And if the other hangs around, I'd shoot it too if I had tags and it was legal.

Most herds need balancing with antlerless harvest.

My old hunting partners said I had the first arrow in the air every time.

Mike

[macksdad]

I would shoot the yearling doe, thats exactly what I did this week. I passed a mature doe and harvested a yearling doe. I knew if I took the Mature doe I would be taking two or three deer from my hunting area for next year.

[frank bullitt]

Yes macksdad, I think that is somewhat, the answer!

As a cattle farmer, would you shoot your breeding Heffers? Do you want to sustain the herd, or elinminate it? Strengthen what, the size of the bucks, or the ratio?

 Really, what is the intent, hunger? In a day that "Managing" the herd is the Thing to Do!

[Bowwild]

We have more than 40 deer per mile in my county. Even first year dow fawns (50%)will produce fawns next year. Before September 1st the fawns are weaned and don't need the doe for survival. If the doe is left with her button bucks deep into the season she will drive them off, often out of her home range as one of nature's way to disperse the gene pool.

If I were in an area where I wanted the deer herd to grow I would leave the adult doe because she will average twins in a growing herd. If lots of your adult does have twin or triplet fawns this is indication your herd is under carrying capacity and can stand more deer. If most adult does have only singles, biological controls have set in to reduce your deer herd.

In my opinion, any legal deer taken as a result of ethical decisions is an honorable result for a hunter.

[bigugly1]

In years past I would say the mature doe. Numbers are way down in my area so right now it's mature single doe or buck of any size. I'm not a trophy hunter so rack size is of no concern to me. I will not however waste my single tag on a fawn, we only get one tag in my area so not wasting it on the little ones, well unless it's real late in season:)'

[SteveB]

I adult doe with a yearling/fawn. Which one should you shoot?  

Which is it - a fawn or a yearling (last years fawn?

1 tag, I shoot the doe.
2 tags I shoot both if the 2nd one - fawn or yearling - hangs around.

No difference shooting a doe early or late - most all healthy does are going to be bred.

[wildgame]

the mature doe! that yearling doe will be the one caring the dads genes!! not saying that the dad is a huge buck but maybe if she has a male off spring he could be the next generation of your big buck!!

[Cyclic-Rivers]

I want to re answer. My last answer was a smart ass answer!

Since I have never shot a deer with the bow, The first good shot gets it.  

[koops4]

Since I have not taken a deer this year it would be the first to give me a good shot or the largest if both offered shots.  It would also mean my first harvest with trad bow.

[bowkevin]

Her in SW Pa our overall numbers are low so I havent shot a doe in a few years. But typically I would shoot the adult doe.

[longbowman]

The last time I hunted the late season here in PA I had a mature doe and yearling come in on the last day in -15 Deg. temps.  The yearling was 5 yds. away and the mother 25.  I stupidly shot at the mother and shot right under her.  Next time the yearling goes home with me!

[Fletcher]

Originally posted by SteveB:
 

I adult doe with a yearling/fawn. Which one should you shoot?  

Which is it - a fawn or a yearling (last years fawn? [/b]

I have the same question, Steve.  Fawns and yearlings are not the same thing and it is confusing and misleading to call fawns "yearlings".

[lpcjon2]

I try not to shoot anything still on the teet. but if it is on its own then take the doe.

[wheelie]

I would likely shoot the fawn. We have such hard winters in Canada and the snow is so deep and the coyote population is so high that the fawn without the doe wouldn't likely make it through the winter.

[Onions]

Thanks for all the thoughts! I did not mean to miss lead with the yearling/fawn terminology.
I meant was a fawn.
I guess for me, it would determine what my freezer situation looked like, and where I was hunting. High deer population I would probably shoot the doe, low population the fawn.
It would also depend on my mood...sometimes in the woods, I just don't feel like shooting anything (usaully this happens when my freezer is full), I am out b/c I just LOVE to be in the woods!
thanks again for all responses. Good discussion!

chris <><

[Builder]

For a many years in WI. we would never shoot our breeding does and always shoot the yearlings because of the survival rate in winter. Then I read a good article that you should shoot the older does simply to improve the genetics. Kind of like people every generation tends to get a little bigger and stronger. We were actually suppressing the next generation of bucks.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Originally posted by longbowman:
The last time I hunted the late season here in PA I had a mature doe and yearling come in on the last day in -15 Deg. temps.  The yearling was 5 yds. away and the mother 25.  I stupidly shot at the mother and shot right under her.  Next time the yearling goes home with me!

That brings another scenario.

Sometimes I'm just too cold to want to deal with dead deer.  I've let them walk on that excuse many times.