Shot a fawn

[Les Staley]

First cast boolet 30-30 kill! Lee 170-309 COWW+ a dash of solder(tin). Powder coated and gas checked - moved by 29 gr IMR3031. Haven't chronoed but grouping 2" at 100 yds. My buddy and I both drew extra doe tags for a nearby area. Went this morning to find boundary of a property to hunt, a fat buck crossed the gravel in front of us. After verifying the boundry, decided to still hunt the ridge toward each other. Pretty crunchy and noises, so used a grunter as I eased along. Spotted this "fawn" and almost let it walk, too little, but standing at 45 yds too tempting. Walked up to this fat buck. Heart almost unsalvageable. Trying to post pic of a nice eight point.

[45&30-30]

Congratulations on your first cast bullet deer!
This reminds me of my first still hunting deer. I had been reading Francis Sell's book on deer hunting and teaching myself to Still Hunt. I was walking along this lightly wooded trail one day, when a deer just appeared within five yards of me. I took it with my Marlin 30-30. I walked to that deer and man did it shrink. I gutted it and tied the legs together and carried it out like a suitcase. I was proud of my suitcase deer. Thanks for the memories.

[1bluehorse]

First cast boolet 30-30 kill! Lee 170-309 COWW+ a dash of solder(tin). Powder coated and gas checked - moved by 29 gr IMR3031. Haven't chronoed but grouping 2" at 100 yds. My buddy and I both drew extra doe tags for a nearby area. Went this morning to find boundary of a property to hunt, a fat buck crossed the gravel in front of us. After verifying the boundry, decided to still hunt the ridge toward each other. Pretty crunchy and noises, so used a grunter as I eased along. Spotted this "fawn" and almost let it walk, too little, but standing at 45 yds too tempting. Walked up to this fat buck. Heart almost unsalvageable. Trying to post pic of a nice eight point.

You shot a fawn? Ahh, never mind, what's the point.

[richhodg66]

Don't know about Idaho, but here the fawns grow fast and even now, if they aren't standing in a group can be mistaken for adult does pretty easily. By January, they are as big as deer generally ever get down south.

[Omega]

Same here, unless they have spots or standing next to momma, it's difficult to know how big they are. My personal delineator is spots, but I've taken two in my early years, both of which had their spots hidden to me. Now, button bucks...seems I can't figure them out, I keep ending up with one, and here they count as buck.

[Brad Cayton]

Congratulations! If I'm doe hunting I take the smaller deer. Better tasting and easier to handle. I surely wouldn't pass on a nice racked buck but I like eating the smaller ones.

[richhodg66]

Same here, unless they have spots or standing next to momma, it's difficult to know how big they are. My personal delineator is spots, but I've taken two in my early years, both of which had their spots hidden to me. Now, button bucks...seems I can't figure them out, I keep ending up with one, and here they count as buck.

I have seen some still sporting some spots during our muzzle loader season in September, but that early, they are small enough to tell even at a distance. I was out this morning with the cross bow, the rut is definitely in, had deer running around all over the place and even had a small doe but was probably a fawn come within ten feet of me (I was camoed up but on the ground). I wasn't going to shoot her either way, but I'd have been hard pressed even that close to have been real sure it was a fawn from this year or one of last year's young does.

[Thumbcocker]

A guy at work went to Texas and killed a 2.5 year old doe that weighed 60 pound not gutted. He killed an 8 point that weighed 150 pounds not gutted.

[richhodg66]

They do grow them big here in the Midwest. I grew up in the deep south and about 20 years ago while hunting with some guys here, saw the first mature Kansas buck I had ever really seen on the ground. Darn thing looked like a horse to me, but nobody else even seemed to bat an eye.

Last year was the first time in a while I butchered out a fully grown 3-4 year old buck here, his rack wasn't that much, but he was big. I didn't think I was ever gonna get done cutting meat.

[Texas by God]

I'll shoot a fawn if it's outgrown its spots. I like veal, too.
Judge if you must.

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[redhawk0]

I've taken some small ones. They are pretty good eating....just not too much. All the same...its meat for the freezer. Congrats on getting one...there are many that can't say they've gotten anything for the freezer.

redhawk

[richhodg66]

[Camper64]

It's harder to hit the smaller ones than the bigger ones is what I tell them.

[robinsroost]

I once killed two fawns with one shot, (they were still in their mother's womb)

[Texas by God]

I once killed two fawns with one shot, (they were still in their mother's womb)

Of course you didn't know until after the shot.
I've killed pregnant sows that were still nursing piglets- bonus points in the War against Feral Hogs! 8 pigs, one shot.

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[Les Staley]

My "fawn" was a 2 and a half year old 8 point buck! It didn't look like a full grown deer, and even thought about passing it up, but freezer is pretty empty, so "bang" ...it took off. Still didn't realize what I had shot till I walked up to this eight point. I was able to post a picture over on Paco Kelly's Leverguns forums. Take a look!

[Shingle]

The only time I see lil deer is when im close to a vehicle, if I walked 8 miles from truck I'l get a doeasouras you know the one with the ears so big they sag like a mules and I never ever see a buck that big.

[4719dave]

I HEAR YA ..im sorry but ...

You shot a fawn? Ahh, never mind, what's the point.

[Texas by God]

I proudly culled this "Northern fawn size" spike this morning while haying the cows.
I thought it quite nice of him to expire by the road Made do with the 22-250(again) as I was on the lookout for a particular coyote. 55gr Vmax worked like a big game bullet on this particular deer.

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[nun2kute]

With a Longbow no less, THAT'S HUNTING. This other stuff is just Killing.