Deer identification is key to improving future hunting.

Use thesr tips to harvest
an older doe and not a fawn:

• Fawn behavior is different from that of the adult doe. Fawns are more playful, naive, inquisitive, and in the buck fawns case, more aggressive. A buck fawn may be the first antlerless deer you see because he is less wary and more inquisitive. Do not harvest an antlerless deer that appears alone. Adult does rarely travel alone. Does and fawns normally travel together in social groups. Wait until several deer are together and then look for obvious size differences. Always harvest one of the larger antlerless deer.

• Examine the head of deer, check for pedicles (immature antlers) on buck fawns. Do not harvest antlerless deer with short noses or foreheads. The relative shortness of a fawn's face is the most critical Identifying feature.

• Look for "wear and tear" signs that typify mature does (i.e., ears that appear too short for the head, a swayed back, or a sagging belly). An adult doe's body is rectangular shaped, while a fawn's body is square shaped.

• If you are not sure of the deer's age, wait to harvest an animal when you can make a more positive identification.