Muntjac with dependent follower

[Ade8mm]

What is the general consensus when presented with a a Muntjac Doe with a dependent follower at foot?

Do you shoot the Doe first and then take the fawn, hoping It will stick around long enough for a shot (which probably depends on the age of the fawn?)

Or do you take the fawn knowing the chance of a shot at the Doe is slim?

The reason I ask is I have just taken on some new ground with zero tolerance towards Munties (nice problem for me to have of course)

( Other areas I shoot don't as yet have a significant burden of Muntjac so I only take clearly pregnant females)

Thanks in advance.

Ade

 

[long_range_rob]

I stick with heavily pregnant or juvenile does myself. Doe with a follower is left. That’s just how I do it.

 

[Shootgun]

I got about 2000 acres with a high population of muntjac, which i was asked to eradicate, but i always leave the does with dependent fawns...

I just can't bring myself to shoot the doe knowing that the follower will perish, or to shoot a creature half the size of a cat.

 

[James0586]

As above. Leave it and then pick it off later.

 

[baguio]

I would shoot the fawn first if near on in cover. If out in the open I would have the assess the likely hood of the kid running off and not coming back. My ultimate aim being to shoot them both if at all possible. I certainly would never leave them both as I'm paid to reduce their numbers.
If a land owner asks you to reduce numbers you're skating on thin ice if you choose not to shoot either one of a pair and I can't understand why you wouldn't do as the land owner has asked.
You will never eradicate them but the least you can do is try!

 

[hunta]

I simply wouldn't shoot a dependant fawn even if I had been asked to shoot on sight. I know that I would catch up with it eventually when it was big enough. I had a farmer ask me to shoot a family of boar. A sow and 5 stripies. It simply wasn't going to happen.

 

[Tim.243]

Too small to shoot or leave alone.

 

[Ade8mm]

Some great responses above. Thanks, Very much appreciated and echo my mind-set.

The challenge I have is the landowner , a youngish fellow ( it's relative, most people are younger than me these-days!) has recently taken the ground to which I refer back in hand and is now a near neighbour to me.

He has a 12,500 acre Deer forest in the Highlands (accessible by boat only) and as he said to me yesterday, he is only used to stalking Reds , with his stalker, which is quote - "a planned operation covering sometimes many miles and I can't get my head round sneaking around in the woods after Muntjac - can you show me how you do it?"

"Oh I suppose so" says I

I haven't yet had the conversation with him about the issue under discussion. When I am stalking alone it is of course my choice and who will know anyway? When accompanying him it will be different so wanted the heads-up from the SD knowledge-bank in advance.

Like I said the responses are most helpful. I will let you know how it goes.

Ade

 

[Siggy]

It's a massive dilemma, but the advice I received was the humane option is to shoot pregnant does because doe muntjac pretty much always have a dependent follower, but you will never get muntjac under control unless you shoot every doe on sight. As these are non-native invasive species which do massive environmental damage control is the priority.

 

[Ade8mm]

Too small to shoot or leave alone.

Great clip . Here is a similar example (though much closer) where I chose not to shoot either (forgive me - I have posted this picture before in another thread)

 

[sir-lamp-alot]

If youve got to then shot the fawn, your not going to feel great about it at all but you will feel a lot worse if you shot the doe and the fawn runs off

 

[Shootgun]

I choose not to shoot this one... How could i?

 

[Ade8mm]

I choose not to shoot this one... How could i?

Betcha wouldn't feel the same about a young magpie/squirrel/crow though eh?
What a dilemma

 

[jubnut]

If she's near cover probably best to shoot the fawn first. If you can't then get the doe you might pull her out with a buttolo.

In the open. Doe, then fawn.

 

[baguio]

I choose not to shoot this one... How could i?

Easily! You take aim, take the safety catch off and pull the trigger! Done it many times. Perhaps I'm just a heartless bar steward who will go straight to hell?
@Stalker1962 My land owner would be angry if he knew that I had left it to damage the woods

 

[baguio]

Too small to shoot or leave alone.

If it's too small to shoot you need to practice more Tim! Looks big enough to shoot at that range to me?

 

[Stalker62]

Easily! You take aim, take the safety catch off and pull the trigger! Done it many times. Perhaps I'm just a heartless bar steward who will go straight to hell?

If what you post is a true reflection of how you would behave; then I am glad I hold different values.

I have hunted/shot/stalked all my adult life and for me, it is not just about pulling the trigger on any living beast.

I really don't want to sound "Preachy" but there it is...

 

[Stalker62]

@Stalker1962 My land owner would be angry if he knew that I had left it to damage the woods

I get that land owners can seek to put pressure on their Stalkers (and I know the gag about "we can always get someone else in") but the choice whether to pull the trigger or not: should always be down to the man/woman/non-binary behind that trigger.

Eradication should never be on the agenda - we should try and share the world in balance with all that inhabit it.

Just the ramblings of a Stalker/Hunter who has perhaps, eaten too much Tofu...

 

[baguio]

If what you post is a true reflection of how you would behave; then I am glad I hold different values.

I have hunted/shot/stalked all my adult life and for me, it is not just about pulling the trigger on any living beast.

I really don't want to sound "Preachy" but there it is...

Sorry but that is exactly how it is in the real world. I don't get any pleasure from it but it's an invasive species that shouldn't be here. It's an instant death so not cruel in any way and I'm doing what I'm paid to do! Eradication of an invasive species should always be the aim! Shame we didn't do it with grey squirrels and signal crayfish amongst others!

 

[Tim.243]

If it's too small to shoot you need to practice more Tim! Looks big enough to shoot at that range to me?

Simple answer is it was too small to shoot from how I decide what is shot in the scheme on that farm for the last 6 years. Owner is v happy as he has plenty of muntjac in his freezer so do I. The last brace I shot was a young buck and a quite obvious yearling doe, the third one was a much older doe who was very pregnant so she got a pass as 2 were enough for that session.