All this doe talk has me wanting more so here goes.

I'm going to detail what I think are large family groups and even some individual or smaller groups that I observed last season on two particular farms. If any one would like to discuss these groups and give me their insight into what I am seeing and maybe any clue as to the condition of the herd in that area, then that would be welcome, as would simple comments......thanks.

First off....on one small farm, I like to hunt in a corner of a bean field where several trails come out. I'm back in the woods about thirty yards, but I can see some of the corner and have watched plenty of deer traveling through that spot. One trail in particular follows the edge of the field, but never actually comes out in to it. Deer like that trail. The family group appears to be three adult does and three fawns (from last year). For a few weeks there, you could set your clock by them. They would come off a hill on the adjoining property, pass my set-up and either walk out in to the field and feed or catch the trail along the trail and move out of sight, never going out in the field at all. As the winter trudged on, their presence became spotty. In that same spot , one individual doe (appeared to be 1.5 to 2.5 year old) came by me most every day as well, but her appearance was spotty and unpredictable, at best. She had a scar on her left hip.....not sure from what. This one doe may show up any time during the day. The scar made her easy to spot. That same area, as well, there was a group of four adult does, none with fawns, that I saw. Two were HUGE. they came out four or five times all year, and were very wary and spooky. the slightest noise or movement sent them running off blowing.....the area I am hunting gets little pressure. I can not remember hearing a gunshot. this is where my farmer friend makes his home and he keeps seeing what he called a GIANT near his house. I have yet to see said...GIANT.....go figure..lol.

The next place is another area my farmer friend has. It gets some pressure from adjoining areas that are hunted pretty heavy...I have run people off this farm before. the doe groups there are somewhat similar to those at the other place, maybe 3 miles away as the crow flies. One group comes out like clockwork in the afternoons, again, in the corner of a big bean field...a natural place, no doubt. the group consists of four adults and five younger antlerless deer. Another group is the one that intrigues me. It is four adult does that are very smart and take a great deal of time to come all the way out in the field and usually only does so right about dark-thirty. This group is far less predictable. I only saw them a handful of times all year and every time was right at dark. I can't see how they can even eat, because all they do is stand motionless and stare .....lol. This area also has it's share of doe/fawn (1 or 2) groups as well.


here's some theories in the form of questions......

Is it possible for there to be "base goups" in an area..? By that, I mean that there will be a base group of adult does using an area. As they are bred, they split off and raise their young and may or may not come back to that base group when their fawns become adults. if an adult doe has it's fawn killed or whatever, will that doe seek out this base group and rejoin it or just stay alone (like the lone doe I saw so much last season)...?

It is my belief that base groups do exist in areas. Sort of like "base camp', if you will. Does come and go as they are bred and those that don't get bred , for whatever reason, stay together in this base group. Maybe some does get too old to breed, I'm not so sure all cases are the same, but I sure can tell when I spot one of these base groups because they are increasingly cautious and hard to get an arrow or even a bullet in one of them.....

Deer are social. We all are aware of that fact. But, to what degree are they social or anti-social?

Do does welcome in "strangers" that just walk in or are they curious and wary of them for a while or maybe even run them off at times.

Are some does just not as social in that they branch off early in life and start their own BASE group, maybe made up entirely of their offspring? Most deer are related in some way , in an area, but are actual siblings and daughters welcomed back more easily than maybe "distant cousins", so to speak?

i find that doe social behavior just as intriguing as buck social behavior and maybe even abit more complex.

By knowing or figuring out all aspects of what's going on in my area, I can only get better at what I love to do and that's hunt deer.

Please comment on anything you have read so far or anything else that you would like to add, please do so.

When my knowledge of deer gets a "shot in the arm", I'm like a kid at Christmas.......

thanks

BH
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