When do does give birth

Those fawns born too early likely die from exposure. Those fawns born too late seldom achieve favorable physical size and fatness necessary to survive the hardships of winter. In the Midwest, late-born fawns are more often the result of ideal conditions and breeding among doe fawns. In rich farmland, where deer live at fairly low density and enjoy excellent nutrition year round, a high percentage of 1-year-old does will produce their first offspring.

Because these precocious females tend to breed about a month or so later than adult does, their fawns usually are born in July or August. Even after she begins taking out the fawns with her looking for food, they are usually not totally weaned until they are about weeks old, meaning that she is quite tied down to them for some time.

Another interesting fact about whitetail deer doe in the spring is that this is the time when she often kicks out young males who were born the year before. Usually young bucks stay with their mother until they are almost a year old, but during the spring they usually leave on their own or the females will drive them away. On the other hand, young females often will stay with their mother for up to two years, and even then they usually stay in the same general area as their mother.

However, once it is time for the doe to have a new litter of fawns, she often will return to her preferred fawning area in the spring, excluding the rest of her previous fawns from the area. So, for the female whitetail deer, the spring is a very busy season, filled with late pregnancy, giving birth, and then starting to raise her new fawns.

During this time you may see does and their fawns out together, and is more rare to see groups of doe together, since they are busy caring for their young. If you're looking for whitetail deer information, you've come to the right place. I'm working all the time on the site and adding information all the time about the Whitetail. My idea for the site came from the fact that most hunters of whitetail deer believe you have to harvest a monster buck deer to be a good Whitetail Deer Hunter.

I have watched a ton of shows on T. We all have to know or understand it takes a lot of work and knowledge to be successful in this sport. Over the years I have learned a lot of information about the Whitetail Deer and hope to put it here to help others to learn to hunt what I believe it the greatest most magnificent creature God has given us to enjoy in many ways. Thank you for coming by and please feel free to contact us with your comments both good and bad.

Kidnapped fawns should be immediately returned to the exact location where they were found and the left alone. The mother will return and always take her baby back. If however you do not leave the fawn alone, the doe will not return to her baby as she will sense danger. Once she senses the potential danger is gone, she will then rejoin her young. Remember, if you encounter a fawn lying quietly in the woods, do not disturb.

Mom is nearby and will go back to her baby when you are gone. The only time a fawn should be picked up and brought to NAR is if it is obviously ill or injured.

If a fawn is wandering aimlessly and crying, that may be an indication the mother may have been hurt and will not return. Call Native Animal Rescue for advice. It is of vital importance that we keep our dogs contained to prevent needless dog attacks on fawn as well as other wild animals. Too often Native Animal Rescue receives injured deer due to attacks by dogs. Most of those injured deer do not survive. There is a leash law in Santa Cruz County so it is of the upmost importance to abide by the law and keep dogs confined to their own territory.

Doing so will help prevent attacks on our defenseless native wildlife. Fawns are born scent-free and have white camouflage spots which protect them from predators.

The doe continues to keep her babies scent free by consuming her fawns urine and droppings. This is yet another reason why humans should never touch a fawn. Sex ratio —The number of males to females depends on multiple factors. In deer, the sex ratio can vary from Females tend to give birth in grassy areas near woods, usually isolated from other deer. They often use the same fawning areas they used in previous years.

Females attain sexual maturity the same year they are born. Males attain maturity the second breeding season after birth, or at about 18 months. The female raises the fawn. A female deer will typically flee when a human or predator approaches their fawn. They may or may not make alarm sounds.