WT antlerless season question

[HarryToolips]

So with the whitetail antlerless season 1 week away, I have a question regarding harvesting one from a doe/yearling(s) group: if a hunter did harvest the doe, what's the chances of the yearling(s) surviving? I typically dont shoot any of the deer in the group (not passing judgment towards those that do take them).. the yearlings I know would make some incredible table fare, but I find them usually too small to warrant a harvest.. I've heard that the yearlings by this stage are usually old enough to survive on their own by now.. what's everyone's thoughts/experience/knowledge on this topic?

[KBC]

I think I heard them on the Meat eater podcast years ago talking about how the other Does look after the little ones if the mom is gone.

[high horse Hal]

The young are weaned off by the time fall rolls around, onto hard food, they don't need to nurse

[Livewire322]

I took a yearling from a doe/yearling pair. The meat was fantastic, but I won’t do it again, unless I really needed the meat.

Too much effort to process that small of a deer out and it tugged on my heart strings a bit too much.

[jlirot]

Are you certain you can take a doe with fawns? I haven't looked at the regs yet this year but I thought does with fawns were verboten? I passed on a couple last year. Had the scope lined right up at 40 yards and passed because of the yearling that was trailing her. I wasn't worried about the young one surviving as it was plenty big enough. I just thought it was against the rules. :-)

[HarryToolips]

Are you certain you can take a doe with fawns? I haven't looked at the regs yet this year but I thought does with fawns were verboten? I passed on a couple last year. Had the scope lined right up at 40 yards and passed because of the yearling that was trailing her. I wasn't worried about the young one surviving as it was plenty big enough. I just thought it was against the rules. :-)

I honestly don't think it is against the regs, I couldn't find it anywhere..

[Cub Driver]

ANTLERED ANIMAL - means a member of the deer family over one year of age bearing visible bony antlers.
ANTLERLESS ANIMAL - means a member of the deer family bearing no visible antlers. The small skin or hair covered protuberances of male fawns and calves do not constitute antlers.

[jlirot]

Well I'll be damned. I passed on a couple of nice does over the past couple of years. :-)

[lovemywinchester]

it tugged on my heart strings a bit too much.

You have to go with your gut. I passed on a few doe with fawns and many small mulie bucks over the years because of this. Not judging anyone else, just didn't feel right for me.

[ratherbefishin]

We saw a couple of emaciated fawns with rough coats last weekend, no doe was around..I doubt they will make it though the winter..if I wanted meat, I think I would take a big fawn and leave the doe

[MichelD]

Are you certain you can take a doe with fawns? I haven't looked at the regs yet this year but I thought does with fawns were verboten? I passed on a couple last year. Had the scope lined right up at 40 yards and passed because of the yearling that was trailing her. I wasn't worried about the young one surviving as it was plenty big enough. I just thought it was against the rules. :-)

It's not illegal.

[blacklab]

Maybe the wrong place to bring this up, but can some one explain why you are a hero if you kill a 6 month old whitetail deer, but a terrible person if you kill a one and a half year old black bear.

[HappyJack]

Maybe the wrong place to bring this up, but can some one explain why you are a hero if you kill a 6 month old whitetail deer, but a terrible person if you kill a one and a half year old black bear.

A black bear has to be 2 years old to be legal. There is nothing wrong with a person cutting their tag on a smaller animal if that's their choice.

I passed on a WT doe, she had a fawn with her. That was my choice and I was ok with it.

[todbartell]

I'd take the doe, fawns will be OK. This isn't disney

[IronNoggin]

You have to go with your gut. I passed on a few doe with fawns and many small mulie bucks over the years because of this. Not judging anyone else, just didn't feel right for me.

Same. Run with what works for you.

Cheers

[HarryToolips]

Right on, good to see the different perspectives on this thread..