Interesting sit today.

[Popcorn]

Went out at 1:00 to in KY (last weekend archery) Busted going in! 16 deer bedded all around my stand, I had never had or seen deer bed there and was not expecting it. I stood frozen till they dispersed and then climbed. The next two hours were free of everything, not even a squirrel! but then movement started just after 3:00. 5 big Gobblers came thru and declared the area secure and the deer soon followed. Saw 18 all moving toward a nearby clover plot and on to farmers cover crops. But the las 2 deer were what was interesting! A really wide 2 year old first but followed soon by a big 3 year old 8. They seemed to be independant of the rest and each other, were not eating they also winded, looked over the plot and then turned and went back into the cover. These two had slowed down the race but were clearly showing signs of continued rut behavior. May be some early born does in the area or some that just didnt breed?

 

[catman529]

When they're in hard horn they're in rut... and yeah it's entirely possible a few doe fawns are getting big enough for their first estrous cycle

 

[Popcorn]

When they're in hard horn they're in rut... and yeah it's entirely possible a few doe fawns are getting big enough for their first estrous cycle

We always witness bucks beginning about this date that are ran down, spent and just trying to recover. These two did not fit that description.

 

[45-70power]

I think it just depends on the area. Where I hunt I have fawns on camera with spots till mid october, just a couple every year, so late breeding definitely happens.

 

[BSK]

Also remember that a small percentage of does can't conceive, for whatever reason. Yet they will continue to cycle into heat over and over. In TN and KY I've seen bucks hot on a rare estrus adult doe in February and March.

 

[Dbllunger]

Also remember that a small percentage of does can't conceive, for whatever reason. Yet they will continue to cycle into heat over and over. In TN and KY I've seen bucks hot on a rare estrus adult doe in February and March.

Do you know how long this will continue? Is it possible for a doe unable to conceive to continue a recurring estrous cycle into the summer?

 

[BSK]

Do you know how long this will continue? Is it possible for a doe unable to conceive to continue a recurring estrous cycle into the summer?

Last estrus cycle I've ever seen was early April.

 

[BSK]

Also realize that not only will healthy fawns achieve estrus for the first time very late in the season (usually December or January), but some adult does - for whatever reason - have an estrus timing way off from other does. I had an old doe on my property with distinctive facial coloration that, year after year, was still pregnant when I would start my summer census August 1. She would give birth each year in mid to late August. This means that every year she was conceiving in mid to late January. When it comes to genetics, natural variations always occur. This is how Natural Selection works: lots of variation in any genetic feature, and the variations that increase survivability and reproductive success the most become predominant over time.

 

[Biggun4214]

Over the years I have saw small spotted fawns (less than 20 lbs) in November and December.
I wrote a ticket to a man that had killed a doe illegally. She still was pregnant and it was mid-October.
in Region 4 I collected embryos from deer that had been bred in March.