Food for Thought

[Reflex011]

Most of winter at my office here on the Wisconsin River we witness a handful of Does that hunker down usually throughout the coldest part of the winter within the neighborhood. I would say 3 days a week at least these Does can be seen bedded in the woods from the office, on top of the ridge that runs along the river, or feeding in backyards near the office. It makes for a fun viewing. They are around in summer and spring with fawns they just are not seen as often due to foliage and maybe urban food sources in other areas. But the only time we have witnessed an antlered deer is once during the rut 2 years ago a little 4pt was making a rub just out my office window. Later that day he was chasing a smaller doe.
Well this morning, cold as all heck, the Does where bedded in the pines behind the office. Mid morning i notice something run by my window, and looked to find the 3 does running across the lawn with a small 6pt chasing right behind them. My first thought was a neighbor kicked them up bedded somewhere. Well about 20 minutes ago a coworker was standing talking to me and said "Hey there goes a deer!" Sure $h*t if the same 3 does ran past with the 6pt right behind em again and not even 30 seconds later they looped back with him right behind them. That made me think, #1 they are either really cold, running laps to stay warm, #2 maybe they were kicked around from people, but no one seems to be outside in this weather. #3 Is there a chance that one of the does may have had a really late estrus? If the amount of daylight is a key factor in the breeding cycle, and since the days are getting longer could that happen?
If I figured it out right, this is the 16th day after the winter solstice so this day would be as long as the 16th day before the solstice, Dec 4th. Which if some Does have a late cycle that could fall in early December. Any thoughts on possible breeding after the 1 of January in the Midwest(Wisconsin).

Stay warm!!

[bigwoodsmn]

My wife saw 3 bucks (two small, and one large) chasing 1 doe in late December...

[dan]

Some does don't get bred and come back into heat later, and yearling does breed a month later. I have seen breeding activity as early as September and as late as about now... Rut is when the "majority" breed.

[SamPotter]

I saw several fresh scrapes in Ohio on Friday, 1/3/14.

[Bucky]

I see open scrapes into March..... deer will breed all winter if a doe fawn or unbred doe comes into heat

[oldrank]

A doe will continue to come into estrus every 28 days until she is bred.... bucks can breed as long as they have hard antlers...every year there are reports of spotted fawns in late fall.

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[Bucky]

A doe will continue to come into estrus every 28 days until she is bred.... bucks can breed as long as they have hard antlers...every year there are reports of spotted fawns in late fall.

[ Post made via Android ]

I have seen video of a buck with cast antlers breed a doe

[E72]

I posted this in another thread Saturday . BTW, This is Central Ohio ."Yesterday at work my buddy called me out to a busy two lane road . Said he just watched three buck chasing a young doe around a large bean field and the biggest ended up breeding her . By the time I arrived the big one herded her back to a treeline . Another young buck walked out and all three stood around , fed on a some beans sticking up in the snow and sparred a little . First time I've actually witnessed any true late or second rut activity ."

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[oldrank]

Hmmmm....wonder if he was fertile....

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[SamPotter]

A doe will continue to come into estrus every 28 days until she is bred.... bucks can breed as long as they have hard antlers...every year there are reports of spotted fawns in late fall.

[ Post made via Android ]

On 8/31/1998 my brother's dog carried a newborn fawn into yard in CT, unharmed. The navel was dry but hadn't fallen off. The fawn was very thin and weak but a wildlife rehabilitator was able to nurse it back to health.

[SamPotter]

I see open scrapes into March..... deer will breed all winter if a doe fawn or unbred doe comes into heat

Bucks aren't any different than the average man. I can be asleep, sick, or hurt, but I am never too tired, too sick, or too hurt ...

[Reflex011]

@SamPotter you got that right! Thanks for the feedback everyone.

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[bigwoodsmn]

I see open scrapes into March..... deer will breed all winter if a doe fawn or unbred doe comes into heat

Bucks aren't any different than the average man. I can be asleep, sick, or hurt, but I am never too tired, too sick, or too hurt ...

[Stanley]

I saw a spotted fawn mid November a few years ago. Couldn't have weighed but about 25 lbs. That doe could have been bred in April. That was only one I've ever seen with spots in November.

[Edcyclopedia]

I see open scrapes into March..... deer will breed all winter if a doe fawn or unbred doe comes into heat

Bucks aren't any different than the average man. I can be asleep, sick, or hurt, but I am never too tired, too sick, or too hurt ...

So shedding antlers isn't the equivalent to a vasectomy?


I tell my soon to be 50-year old wife that regularly!
Trading her in for Two-25 year olds!!!