Chasing

[Bone Collector]

I like hunting in September

I do too, but how much of Sept. do we really get to hunt? in some years it is literally 2 days. Imagine backing that up 2 weeks to gain almost a full month. Heck you don't have to really back it up. I have seen some huge deer show up on camera in daylight in January after season ends. Always with a doe fawn. I always hold out hope that my fawns will come in, in December, but they usually wait until the week of the private land doe hunt or just after the Juvi hunt.

Of course many will decry extra time to rifle shoot deer through January... Of course in the CWD zone this is already happening. My guess is as the zone grows the season will be implemented in those new counties. I guess my take is why wait for CWD... Its most likely coming anyway, may as well get started.

 

[gatodoc]

I got a decent 8 point yesterday dogging a doe and saw 2 different hoses chasing does this evening....Course I'm in Clarke Co (Thomasville) AL....

 

[backyardtndeer]

Saw 5 bucks grouped together on my treeline out the kitchen window yesterday morning. All 1.5 and 2.5 year olds. One was missing one side, the rest were hanging on to both. No does around. Bucks grouped back together leads me to believe rut is long over here.

 

[Ski]

Bachelor groups here in Coffee, with some already dropping one side. Seems earlier than normal for dropping.

 

[Monk74]

Just remember that some female fawns don't reach "puberty" until January or February and can come into estrus at that time. In addition, a small percentage of adult females cannot conceive, but will keep coming back into estrus over and over until spring, causing a flurry of chasing each time they do. Latest I've seen estrus chasing was the first week of April in southern KY.

True but,I'd guess that small percentage is under 1%. Studies have repeatedly shown that doe's will have fawns as old as 23 years old in captivity. Not so late(12-14)in the wild. Their conclusion if she's not conceiving, she most likely sick. Has anyone heard of the TWRA doing this type of study in state? I'd like to read it. If it exists.

 

[Hillbilly Hunter]

I have seen chasing the past two weeks. This buck was chasing this little doe Tuesday.

 

[BSK]

True but,I'd guess that small percentage is under 1%. Studies have repeatedly shown that doe's will have fawns as old as 23 years old in captivity. Not so late(12-14)in the wild. Their conclusion if she's not conceiving, she most likely sick. Has anyone heard of the TWRA doing this type of study in state? I'd like to read it. If it exists.

Actually, some studies find as high as 10% may be barren, although that's a high estimate. Most studies find it around 5%.

Just like some women can never conceive, some female deer can never conceive for one biological reason or another.

 

[Monk74]

That's interesting. For 15 years,I keep seeing the less than 1% number pop up.