Does with fawns?
- Thread starter flytpm
- Start date
shopson
Well-Known Member
I always heard the buck runs them off. Every doe don't come in at the same time and she is only seperated from her fawns for s couple of days.
BSK
Well-Known Member
Does only run their fawns off during their actual estrus--basically for a day or two. However, during peak breeding, it is common to see fawns by themselves and looking "lost." Yet each individual fawn is only "orphaned" for a short time.
BSK
Well-Known Member
shopson said:
It is the doe that runs off her fawns. If you want to see something funny, watch a doe trying to run off triplet fawns as she enters estrus! She will actually charge them to get them to scatter, and then run off quickly in an attempt to "ditch them" before they can regroup. I've this occur a couple of times.
But if you see a doe exhibiting strangely aggressive behavior towards her fawn(s), keep on eye on that location for the next 24-48 hours.
TRIGGER
Well-Known Member
BSK said:
Last Thursday just about every doe I saw was with a fawn. On Friday I saw at least five fawns alone from the same stand and yes running around looking lost. Montgomery county
BSK
Well-Known Member
TRIGGER said:
That is a sign breeding is ongoing, and probably near peak.
TRIGGER
Well-Known Member
BSK said:
I have mentioned that to a few people around here. One hunts the same property about three hundred yards away and they think I'm crazy to think peak breeding was last weekend (on this property). What are your thoughts?Your not too far from Montgomery county
BSK
Well-Known Member
TRIGGER said:
I've seen peak breeding vary by as much as week across distances of a mile or so. I suspect this is the effect of doe social groups. Estrus timing in does is somewhat genetic (genetics "cocks the hammer" while other factors can "pull the trigger" a little earlier or later from year to year). This genetic estrus timing is also hereditary, and since all of the does of a doe social group are all related on the female side, you will find that most of the does of a given social group will all enter estrus within a week of each other. However, a neighboring doe social group may not enter estrus until a week later. I believe that is why one property will traditionally be hot a little earlier than a neighboring property--different doe social groups with different estrus timings.
My property is one mile north-south by three-quarters of a mile east-west, and we see little mixing of the doe groups from north to south. Traditionally, breeding peaks a little earlier on the south side of the property than the north side. I have the best results hunting the south end during MZ season and the north end during gun season, yet the distance difference is under a mile.
htnseymour
Well-Known Member
I have found that when one shoots the doe they are seperated from the fawns much faster. Did that last Saturday. The fawns seemed fine actually, they ran off and came back an hour later, but weren't looking for mom, just feeding and chasing each other.
Boll Weevil
Well-Known Member
BSK said:
This is simply amazing to me that there could be that much variation on opposing sides of a single property; very cool. Do you find that it's very consistent from year to year? I'd love to get rut dates nailed down that tight in our area but typically do no better than, "be in the woods as much as you can these 2 weeks."
BSK
Well-Known Member
Boll Weevil said:
Yes, this unusual pattern across my property has held firm for many years, again, probably due to very different doe social groups (with different hereditary estrus timings) using the northern and southern halves of the property. Being able to determine local peak breeding times is the strength of keeping very, very detailed records of everything we observe in the woods. Over the years, certain observations can be very helpful in nailing down breeding timing. Having had the opportunity to actually collect fetal conception dates from a property I have aso hunted has provided some good information on what "observations" are important for determining actual peak breeding. I've found that the most accurate observations for determining peak breeding are:
1) Scrapes going dead for a week to 10 days (although trail-cameras will show that young bucks are still visiting the scrapes, but no working them).
2) "Orphaned" fawns wandering around looking "lost."
