My daughter shot her first with a bow this weekend!

cjdewese

WKR
Joined
Sep 8, 2020
Messages
587
@Justin Byers No shade or ill feelings so please don't take it that way. Congrats to your daughter with 1 heck of a shot and 1st harvest, I hope to do the same with my boys when they get a little older a memory you guys will have forever.

I am a new hunter with no mentors so trying to learn as much as I can. With a doe with 2 fawns is there any risk of those fawns not having what they need to survive or does it depend on if the doe was still wet? If so, is there a way to tell?
 
OP
Justin Byers
Joined
Aug 17, 2019
Messages
75
@Justin Byers No shade or ill feelings so please don't take it that way. Congrats to your daughter with 1 heck of a shot and 1st harvest, I hope to do the same with my boys when they get a little older a memory you guys will have forever.

I am a new hunter with no mentors so trying to learn as much as I can. With a doe with 2 fawns is there any risk of those fawns not having what they need to survive or does it depend on if the doe was still wet? If so, is there a way to tell?
Thanks for the question! You can go back read through some of my previous posts discussing it, but here is the summary:

Wildlife departments set their season dates based on multiple criteria, including when the fawns are able to survive on their own. (that is why season doesn't start in July or August) All mother does will still have some milk, but the fawns are not even close to dependent on it. For example, there are times you will see this year's fawn try to milk in November. That doesn't mean they are still nursing. Most does will still have some milk being produced through most of the fall. However, by the time bow season starts they are exclusively foragers. I just watched a doe kick a fawn off this past week, and the fawns I am seeing will literally run through the timber to get to the alfalfa and then gorge themselves all evening and night. I am also able to observe these fawns all through season and they are fine.

Some will mention survival skills are learned by mom as a reason not to shoot.... Great point, but most of the survival skills are already acquired by the time season arrives, (I have had many a fawn pick me off in a tree and blow out) and in areas of high deer density, such as this, they are with dozens of other deer constantly and are picking up alert/survival skills from them as well.

So while I do think each geographic location can change the survival ability for a fawn (i.e. the UP of Michigan vs the Iowa corn belt) in any area that is Ag rich, with lots of good habitat and good deer numbers, they will be just fine on their own. They do often get harvested during season, but that is why it is good to really become a student of deer and learn what a fawn looks like vs a doe (snout length, ear size, eyelashes, body length, etc)


I wish you the best and much success! Glad you have joined the hunting ranks!
 

JLP

FNG
Joined
Oct 7, 2023
Messages
10
Great shot and a cool video!
I haven't pulled a deer before, so I'm just curious, is there an easier way to do it?
 

mi650

WKR
Joined
Dec 19, 2021
Messages
1,720
Location
Central Michigan
Great shot and a cool video!
I haven't pulled a deer before, so I'm just curious, is there an easier way to do it?
Congrats to Justice, and great job dad! :cool:



This is how I do it. But, I hunt exclusively on my own land.

Above pic height, I have a 4x4 running between these 2 maples with an eyebolt thru it. I put the rope thru the eyebolt and use my RZR to haul them up for gutting.

HL2S2xn.jpg
 

JLP

FNG
Joined
Oct 7, 2023
Messages
10
I do the same when hunting on private land and it works great. But it's a bit harder in the mountains
 

The Guide

WKR
Joined
Aug 20, 2023
Messages
925
Location
Montana
yup he's shameless

gotta get those views up from orphaning fawns. like and subscribe bro!
What about all the elk calves that get orphaned during the shoulder seasons that start August 15th? Or the cows that get shot opening day of archery season? Or the cows with fully formed fetuses that get shot in February? People have a kitten about killing a whitetail with a fawn but nobody cares about when the same is done with an elk.

Jay
 

Hawks

FNG
Joined
Oct 20, 2023
Messages
11
Took my 13 year old out for her first sit of the year this past Sunday. She is a stone cold kller with a gun, but had yet to connect with her bow. She made a good shot and had officially joined the ranks! Lots of fun and good memories made!

I was able to get the hunt on film. Check it out!

View attachment 600999



Memory of a lifetime!
 
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