what to do with roe doe soon

berg

Well-Known Member
With the doe season approaching I was out the other day after the last of the bucks when I came across 1 mature doe ,what appeared to be a yearling and a button buck witch didn't give me a safe shot .if I can't get on the button before the season is out what would you say is the best way to deal with them as the does need to be shot because of the massive replanting that has been going on and the land owner wants all deer off the land .I am not happy to leave a very young buck as it will probably pine away with the loss of its family is that enough off a welfare issue to take him out as I think technical they are not sexed until a year old (correct me if I and wrong) ,thoughts on this would be appreciated
 
With the doe season approaching I was out the other day after the last of the bucks when I came across 1 mature doe ,what appeared to be a yearling and a button buck witch didn't give me a safe shot .if I can't get on the button before the season is out what would you say is the best way to deal with them as the does need to be shot because of the massive replanting that has been going on and the land owner wants all deer off the land .I am not happy to leave a very young buck as it will probably pine away with the loss of its family is that enough off a welfare issue to take him out as I think technical they are not sexed until a year old (correct me if I and wrong) ,thoughts on this would be appreciated

Berg,

Just look in any DSC1 Manual and you will find the answer ;)

Stan
 
IMHO the answer is perfectly simple. Shoot the doe and then the two kids. Yes there is a chance when you shoot the doe that the kids will run off but in my experience there is more chance of them staying or very quickly returning. Shoot one of the kids first and the doe and the other kid will be off. There is a good chance that the doe will be pregnant with next years young so in terms of crop protection its 3 for 1.
 
You can legally shoot dependent fawns regardless of sex if you are about to (or have just) shot the mother.
 
if the buck is a kid from this spring you can shoot him and then the doe, in the 'doe' season - as he is then about to be deprived of his mother, and also of course, may be good culling material. if the buck is a yearling, ie. born spring/summer 2013, then you cannot. You should not take the mature doe away and leave this years kids, until at least January, if at all.
 
"I think technical they are not sexed until a year old (correct me if I and wrong) ,thoughts on this would be appreciated"

Not sure where that one came from but I would disagree on that one berg.

Just to confuse matters more it used to be said up until Christmas take all depends with the doe and after Christmas they were old enough to support themselves so should be left unless of course they were does.
 
IMHO the answer is perfectly simple. Shoot the doe and then the two kids. Yes there is a chance when you shoot the doe that the kids will run off but in my experience there is more chance of them staying or very quickly returning. Shoot one of the kids first and the doe and the other kid will be off. There is a good chance that the doe will be pregnant with next years young so in terms of crop protection its 3 for 1.

That's my thinking as they have to be shot by me or someone else's ,as this is why he has asked me to shoot on his land ,he is not after management he wants rid and he's rides his horses once or twice a week so he knows what's on his land and update me as to what is where and numbers this is a case of the job needs doing so do it or someone else will
 
The ethical way and best practice is to shoot the kids first as not to leave dependant young that will probably die a lingering death as winter approaches. However as said shoot 1 or 2 kids and the doe at least will run off possibly already pregnant with next years kids.
As you have to control the numbers from my experience get in a good position with a wide arc for safe back stop, take the doe first & possibly 1 of the kids, if the other runs then wait it will more than likely come back looking for the others
Wingy
 
If it's this years kid then you are entirely justified in taking the kids as well as the doe, for welfare reasons. If he's last years then that's not the case, no matter how much the landowner wants them removed.

If the latter is the case, you "might" have a defence under the "farmers defence" for shooting him out of season, if you can show that there is damage being caused to the crop (trees can be a crop) and that it is likely that it is being caused by the same species.

I know it's difficult not to bend when the land owner puts you under pressure, but remember that it is you that stands to lose your guns if you get caught doing something illegal, not them.
 
Kids first then big doe there is no reason to risk leaving an animal a slow death of starvation. Roe are territorial and you will get the doe if not at the time then some time later near the same spot. Read best practice
 
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