The discussion about late season hunting, and the "second rut" got me thinking this question. Now, I don't know if all does even come into heat every year. I would SUSPECT that some doe fawns do not. But, do you guys think that all does that come into heat are bred? I think they do, for several reasons. 1. They HAVE to. I believe a doe NEEDS to be bred as much as a buck NEEDS to breed them. 2. I think there are more bucks in the woods than we think, and the ratio isn't as out of whack as we think. I'm not saying it's 1:1, but I think it's closer to that than we sometimes like to think. If 1 buck is with one doe for nearly 36 hours while she is in heat.....Wouldn't the ratio HAVE to be closer to 1:1 ? Because, even though all does may not come into heat the same day.....they aren't far apart either. Otherwise, there simply wouldn't be enough bucks to breed all the does, right? Which is why there is a bit of a "second rut." I understand that and do believe it happens. But it's not NEARLY as pronounced as the primary rut. And, out of survival, I believe each and every doe that comes into heat every fall is bred. It may be by a 1 y/o spike, but no matter. Survival is survival. What do ya'll think?
No way does every doe get bred when she come's Into heat. All to often I see doe's In my woods without fawns well before the rut even gets going. My woods has Issues though, way to many doe's and not nearly enough bucks to get everything bred.
Do you think that could be due to the fawn mortality rate? Or maybe she had a button buck she pushed off? I just don't believe that because a doe doesn't have a fawn with her means she didn't have one that year.
I knew you were going to ask that!! Through out the summer when I go and glass a few different hay fields I'll see the same doe or doe's without fawns time and time again. I've been watching one doe In particular since July. She's a dark colored doe and she's never had a fawn around since the 1st time I've seen her. She's by no means old but I'm guessing she's a 3.5 year old deer. She's been big all summer and fall, no fawns to nurse her and rob her of her weight. On the average I'll see 2 to 3 doe's through out the summer and early fall without any fawns. There fawns could of been car killed, taken by predators, died at birth so I guess no one really knows but every year I'll see 2 to 3 without fawns.
If predators (yotes, bobcats, bears, oh my!) get the fawns it's usually within the first couple of weeks. By time a fawn is a month old it's chances of being turned into a coyote turd is much less. At two months they're pretty much home free. Anyhow, does can go into estrous several times if they don't get bred the first time. This is one of the deals with the attempt at deer population control through doe tubal ligation. (don't laugh they spents tens of thousands on this) The bucks wear themselves out breeding but never inseminating does. (Fun for awhile I suppose) Gotta be tough on the does too. Probably adds to the car/deer collisions instead of curbing it. Tho' enough of them breed themselves to death or get hit by cars.. then I suppose the population control works... but it's a darn expensive and round about way to get it done.
I too believe that the ratio isnt as bad as we may think. With a buck, we can tell each one apart....but not with does. We may see the same doe 30X a season or even 5 times in a hunt, and yet when we go home we say we saw 5 does. Does don't have nearly as big a range as well, and i see does in July and January in the same locations....and thats not true with bucks. As for every doe being bred...i would say 7 out of every 10.
It depends on the Buck to Doe ratio. Its not uncommon in my area to see a Doe in heat in January (third heat or late born fawns comming into their first or second heat)or to see several in the summer with no little ones. And yes a doe in heat will seek a buck if none has made themselves available when they are ready to stand, will even leave their young ones to do so.
