Thread: Ethics of shooting pregnant / lactating Hind deer

Hey Guys, at what time of year is it considered un-etethical to shoot pregnant hinds or lactating hinds ? We (my young fella) haven't done a great deal of deer hunting, but we've been out a couple of times recently and saw a couple of nice hinds but I dint let the young fella shoot them because I know they are pregnant and about to give birth at this time of year. I appreciate each to his own and all that, but just wondered what's considered good ethics ?

For me.... yeah, nah.

There are usually enough "silly spikers" around in Spring to leave the ladies in peace for now.

for me...once we see the first Bambis on farms...its stag only untill the fawns old enough to wean...always a hard call....if you find hind with fawn at foot...fawn tastes GOOD.... stag in velvet tastes fine BUT if antlers look like have good potential.....hmm could be someones trophy if left alone.
so for me...if fawn still in belly,shoot.....if fawns old enough to wean...shoot
the helicopters dont stop during this time,which is sad really..

Best time to shoot them pete last years fawns are big enough to be weaned and a good time before they drop there fawns, once they drop there fawns pick on the yearlings.

No problem so long as it hasn't dropped. Probably mid December onwards until February / March.
Always try to shoot the youngster when I can. Much better eating.

last year I went for last hunt before it got too much into the dodgy period.....dog did great job winding and led me way down hill,looked ahead saw deer...its alive...ears moving...fawn...fawn is good...up came .308 boom..down went fawn to neck shot...then it struck me...fawns had only just hit ground
this fella couldnt go on a bobby calf truck as feet were still soft...no more than 2 days old...
bugger all meat on it...but we took the legs and crumbed them and cooked it just like chicken...delishimo.

Yea ok, I think the two hinds we saw then was likely mum with last years fawn who was a tad smaller. Oh well, next time.

Shoot hinds up until say 1 Nov. If you shot the same in April it would still be pregnant. An rising 2yr hind would be perfect right now as would last years fawn which is not quite a yearling or spiker

Screw Disney's emotional manipulations and all vegan propaganda.

Shoot'em all, if your hunting trip is only about exercise then leave the rifle at home...don't shoot a spiker as it has trophy potential don't shoot a hind as it might be carrying a future trophy stag...1080 and DoC cullers don't give a rats arse about being selective.

A hind is either pregnant or lactating virtually all year round.
Reds generally drop their Fawns late nov-early dec. By end of Feb a fawn should have a high chance of survival without mum.

My personal stance (inherited to some extent from some of the more experienced hunters I've had the privilege of learning from), is that ethics are a personal thing for you to own. If you can live with it and it's legal, then fill ya boots.

I wouldn't shoot a hind with a fawn at foot but I'm not going to judge anyone who does. I am happy to shoot a stag in velvet on public land (private is different because others can be controlled) and I couldn't care less if you judge me for it. I have to live with my choices and some people would choose not to hunt with me because of it, but my ethics are my own and I wouldn't want to tell you what you should or shouldn't do.

I won’t shoot hinds from mid Nov until mid feb, I wouldn’t like starving to death.

Ethics around all things hunting is a personal thing. I agree, hinds are pregnant 8 - 9 months a year so we shouldnt shoot them??
For me, If Im freezer filling and Ive got a choice, I'll shoot a yearling, a spiker, a hind, and a stag in that order. Although in saying that, a mud-fat stag in February takes a bit of beating. If theres no choice then its whatever has the crosshairs on it.

If you're happy to take the animal, then that is all that matters.