# Deer Facts?



## jim t (Sep 30, 2007)

Just wondering the life cycle of deer. I assume the "rut" is from November through January or so and the fawns will be dropped in the early summer. When do the fawns separate from momma?

Is it bad form to shoot a doe with a fawn or would the fawn probably be able to survive?

Is the fawn always with the doe? Can you be reasonably sure that a doe with no fawn around does not have one?

Thanks,

Jim


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## lobsterman (Sep 30, 2007)

As you know Spring is the normal cycle for fawns to be born but that is not guaranteed. When a doe goes into cycle if she is not bred she will cycle until she is taken care of, so you can and sometimes do see fawns all times of the year and shooting a doe when you can not see a fawn does not guarantee she doesn't have one. Depending on the age and dependability of the fawn will decide if he or she survives if mom is dusted.


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## Splittine (Nov 24, 2007)

Just wondering the life cycle of deer. I assume the "rut" is from November through January or so and the fawns will be dropped in the early summer. When do the fawns separate from momma?

The rut in South Central Alabama is usually the last 2 weeks of January to the first week in Feb. Im sure FL is close to the same

Is it bad form to shoot a doe with a fawn or would the fawn probably be able to survive?

For the most part a fawn can take care of herself once hunting season has started, I dont normally take a doe with a fawn but will with a yearling. Now during gun season the fawn has become bigger and I might take a doe with a fawn but for the most part I dont during bow season.

Is the fawn always with the doe? Can you be reasonably sure that a doe with no fawn around does not have one?

Most of the time a fawn is pretty close to their momma, you cant really be 100% that you shot a doe without fawns but if you watch the doe long enough usually the fawn will show its face pretty soon after the doe comes out.
Thanks,

Jim

This is just my opinion and not facts.

Why dont you come up with Fisheye and myself and kill your first deer this year. We have plenty of land. Oh and check out the new hunting forum, I always see you lurking in the hunting section on the PFF.
http://backwoods2bluewater.com/forum.php


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## ScullsMcNasty (Oct 4, 2007)

a fawn goes through 3 phases in their first year. the first phase is the hiding phase. this is where the fawn is too young to be able to elude danger effectively so the doe puts the fawn in a certain place and the fawn stays there. as you know a fawn doesnt have an odor when they are first born so a predator cant find them by smell. the mother comes back sporatically throughout the day to feed and care for her fawn. this is the phase when you can sometimes see a fawn in the woods and it will just lay there and "play dead" and you can walk right up to it. 

after the fawn has matured a little bit, enough to feed on its own and run when there is danger, it reaches the "following" phase. this is where the fawn still feeds on the mother but also feeds on its own and learns how to survive on its own. at this time the mother still keeps an eye on the fawn and nurses it but the fawn relies alot on its mothers teaching and its instincts. 

after the fawn loses its spots it is in what is known as the yearling phase. the yearling is still a fawn but it looks just like a mature deer just small. at this phase the fawns will remain with the mother until she starts beginning estorous cylce. at that time the mother will run her fawns off until she is bred. i think she runs both sexes of fawns off but im not 100%. i know she runs the male fawn to prevent imbreeding but im not sure about the female. i think she does but the female fawn is allowed to come back after she is bred. the male fawn is on its own from now on.

i told you all that to tell you this.. as stated above a doe enters estorous multiple times until she is bred. if she is bred late, the fawn will drop late. the later bred, the later dropped. the later dropped, the later the fawn will go through each stage. so theoretically the does that you see by themselves in early bow season possibly have very young fawns that are less likely to survive on its own. so shooting a doe that is by herself, while makes you feel better, actually might not be a great move. FROM WHAT I HEARD, there was a study done of doe deer in our 3 counties that were shot with depredation permits during the summer months and 92% of does were carrying fawns. so you can do the math as far as the percentage of does you see with fawns and without. this morning i saw 2 does without fawns and 1 doe with a fawn. yesterday, all 3 does i saw were without fawns...
on a better note, the buck fawn will be more likely to stay on your property if you kill the mother before she runs him off.


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## HisName (Nov 29, 2009)

Very good question Jim. Doe Season during General Gun season is late in the year starts Dec 26th. by then they can take care of themselves. I enjoy watching the Does teach them to circle me to get down wind , the fawns pay close attention and hang back while watching every move.

they loose their spots quickly. I do not shoot Does at all , that is why I have so many Does. I am a Meat Hunter . I take 4 young Bucks each year and call it a season.

I stopped hunting last year in early Dec. 5 hunts , 4 kills. early Jan I have the big boys come in from the surrounding Forest to Visit my girls , yet do not hunt them because I do not like the tough Gamey tasting Meat of a Buck in Rut


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## ScullsMcNasty (Oct 4, 2007)

HisName said:


> early Jan I have the big boys come in from the surrounding Forest to Visit my girls , yet do not hunt them because I do not like the tough Gamey tasting Meat of a Buck in Rut


can i come and shoot one of your big boys?? i think the meat from a big old buck with a huge rack tastes the best.. the bigger the rack, the better the taste


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## BOGIA (Oct 7, 2007)

Cant speek for deer any where else but deer in north eccambia county fl will breed till may around here. ive seen fawns with spots all over them in late february around here and have pics of a doe about to bust with some fawns around here just 2 days ago.its not normal for does to have fawns in the spring around here.most are born in august and september.the earliest i have ever seen a new born around here is july 1st.


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## FrankwT (Jul 25, 2010)

Personally I don't take does with spotted fawns but after they loose their spots they are able to care for themselves. I need some jerky making meat if you bow hunters get extra, I have to wait until gun season. My first year hunting FL and have a lease N of Panama City off 231. GL everyone and stay safe!


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