Does

[Knocker]

I'll bet some of you have enough hunting experience to know the answer to this.  The area that I am deer hunting in Western Washington this year is either sex.  I was looking for a buck in the early season, but in the late will take what I can get!  :-)  Some of the does I have seen have young ones tagging along.  Can someone tell me if a fawn this time of year would be able to make it throught the winter without the doe?  Or is taking a doe pretty much a death sentence for the young one?

Thanks,
Keith

[armymedic.2]

keith, i have seen many a dink survive without mama around.  the key is that tghe winter is not incredibly harsh.  a good example is that we ween our calfs off of mama at 4-5 months.  that is to ensure they aere very big.   you can ween them at three months.  i think cattle and deer are alike in many ways, including that they are ruminents.     anyway, to your point, go ahead and add mama to the freezer, cause you won't hurt them dinks a bit.  the onl;y timw i would suggest leaving the mamas, is during very harsh winters, and that would only be so that the dinks learn to forage through heavy sniow and such.  whenh the does come into estrus they will ussually run off their fawns anyway.  whack em and stack em.

[tomm]

where in washington are you going to be hunting? I have hunted up around Mt Staint Hellans the last two years haven't seen but two deer. Misted a 5x5 elk though. I live in southwest washington haven't taken a deer with a bow but have gotten a few with a muzzle loader. I hunt 504 Stella in the early season if I hunt with a bow hunt the same area in late season if I hunt with a muzzle loader. I have also hunted in the cowemen area with a muzzle loader but I think that its open for bow in the early season. by this time of year the fawns are ab;e to go it on their own so don't pass up a shot the fawns will be fine. have a good hunt   tomm

[Hillbilly]

Like everybody said, unless they're unusually small, they should be fine by now to make it. Most of the fawns here are nearly as big as their mamas by now, and most of this year's doe fawns will get bred in the secondary rut in Dec and become mamas themselves. As a matter of fact, those 50-60 pounds fawns taste awful good, too, nice and tender. 

[DBernier]

As Hillbilly said, down here the fawns are about if not as big as the mothers now. The one I shot at (see hunting update thread) is the fawn in the photo to the doe in the photo. I watched it grow from a spotted fawn to a near mature doe. It was well able to take care of its self and often appeared alone feeding in the evening.

Dick

[Knocker]

Thanks for the responses everyone.  I figured if Fish & Feathers was allowing us to take does, that they must have considered the fawn issue before setting the hunt date.  For instance, they say in the regs not to shoot a sow bear with cubs...

Around here, the fawns I am seeing are half the size of the does, but we don't have huge deer in Western Washington anyway.  We also have mild winters.  Tomm, I live in Tumwater, Washington.  I am hunting the Capitol Forest area.  I am sure there are better places, and might start looking for new areas as I get more immersed in Primitive Archery.  But there is something to be said about hunting in your own backyard...

[Pat B]

Generally by hunting season fawns are eating regular food even if they are still nursing. A nice bid fawn will taste better and is easier to carry than a full sized deer.
   Bears take longer to mature than deer and the cubs depend on their moms to show then what and where to eat plus where and how to hibernate in their first year.      Pat

[Justin Snyder]

Wet does taste like crap!!!!  Shoot the big fawn and you will be happier.  Justin

[makete]

I used to live in westwern Washington and never concerned my self with the fawns as we have very mild winters. Mostly rain, right? 

[Otoe Bow]

Justin:  Does the lactation affect the taste?  I'd never heard that. 

Otoe

[Justin Snyder]

Justin:  Does the lactation affect the taste?  I'd never heard that. 

Otoe

I believe it is the hormones that cause lactation that change the taste, but yes a lactating doe does taste bad.  Justin

[Hillbilly]

Hmm, I don't know about that, I've ate a few and they tasted like any other deer. Might be a regional thing. Plus you get a free glass of milk.   

[Justin Snyder]

Hmm, I don't know about that, I've ate a few and they tasted like any other deer. Might be a regional thing. Plus you get a free glass of milk.   

I like milk cold thanks.  Might be a mule deer thing too. We dont shoot the rutting bucks either, they taste funky too.  Justin

[Minuteman]

I agreee with ya Justin on the ruttin bucks tastin nasty  . But have to disagree with you about the lactating does tasting funky. ALL the does this time of year are lactating, unless they lost a fawn early on. How do you tell if they aren't, hunt from a pit and hope they walk over top of ya so you can check the udder?

[armymedic.2]

i have eaten a lot of lactating does, all tasted good to me.  i have had bucks that taste bad, but not all.  the older ones have always tasted bad for me, but you can't tell when they are made into sausage!   and yeah, bambi is by far the best tasting-hands down, no questions asked or accepted