I just couldn't do it.

[Rank Bull]

Opening day today and I had a shot on a nice young doe. But she had two smallish twins with her...could you have done it? I sure couldn't, not even close.  

A couple seconds later she caught my scent, and they were all off.

Oh well.

[Buckeye Trad Hunter]

It would depend on the deer population in the area.  If it was out of control I'd have taken her.  

If the population is pretty balanced, well let's just say the little ones sure are tasty as long as they're legal.

Sparce population I'd let them all walk.

[Doug in MN]

Nope, would just have enjoyed watching them.
There is far more to being out deer hunting than killing.

[stickhead]

I would shoot the little ones they eat real good

[Fletcher]

Good decision IMO.   Those old does are how the young ones learn to survive. I've orphaned enough fawns.   :(    Anymore, I'd rather pass the old doe and take the fawn. A yearling doe (1+ yrs) is in trouble, tho. If she has a fawn, they will likely be with an older doe and that one will keep the family group going.    

[Molson]

I'd have shot which ever of the three gave me the first opportunity.  We've got plenty of deer around here and shooting does is needed for management.  I let the young bucks walk anymore but its pretty rare that I pass up a doe.

[Rank Bull]

Yeah those little twins sure seemed like they'd be lost without her. They had no idea I was there.  

The population around here is a bit sparce these days.

[Festivus]

I would have passed too. Central Texas has a very good deer population, probably the best in Texas, BUT it doesn't compare to some places like Ohio.

[ChuckC]

That is a real issue when you have earn a buck rules.   You HAVE to shoot an antlerless deer before you can buck hunt.  If you have had 3-5 sits in the woods and these are the first and only antlerless deer that have come by. .  would you have shot ?

Youth (gun) hunt is coming up, followed by an early antlerless (gun) hunt.  Does that change your mind ?

The state has put a lot of pressure on us to take shots we may not normally want to take by imposing earn a buck again.
ChuckC

[bawana bowman]

It's entirely up to you. If that's the decision you made at the moment then it was the right one for you. Doesn't matter what anyone else would have done, It's all how you feel at that moment.
Can't even say what I would have done until I'm confronted with the choice. There's been times when I've been content just watching them, and others when I've decided to shoot. All depends on how I feel at that given time.

[greg fields]

No way I'd shoot.

[David Mitchell]

I'd do exactly what you did   .

[lpcjon2]

NOT ME

[Bowwild]

Since it would have bothered you, you did the right thing passing her.  However, from a biological point of view, this time of the year, unless those fawns were born very late (and completely covered with spots now) they would have survived just fine without the doe. They would have likely taken up moving with other does in their area.

[varmint101]

I could have done it, but would I have?  Just depends.

[Friend]

Don't try and second guess yourself. The shot did not pass your own personal ethics paper test.
Standing by your own principles is what makes you the individual you are.

Congrats!!!!!!

[joe ashton]

this season I had a doe come by at 10 yards for 5 or 6 minutes with a spotted fawn.  Could not do it either.  Joe

[Hoyt]

I don't shoot does with fawns...not on purpose anyway. However, many are killed when they hide the fawn and go feed alone.

[Ragnarok Forge]

Nope.  Let the mommas with young live and shoot the barren does or bucks.  Just my way of doing things.

[Plumber]

I would have shot them in a heart beat.However I understand why you didnt.I will take any clean shot at any deer.we all hunt for differnt reasons an differnt things drive us.I hunt for food an its harvest time.I respect you for doing what sets right with you. that is more important then anything.