Gestation for whitetail?
10-25-2003, 09:55 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location:
Posts: 13
Gestation for whitetail?
What is the normal time frame for a deer' s gestation? A friend killed a mature doe today, that was pregnant.The unborn fawn had fur, and weighed a little over 9 lbs. I have never heard of a deer bearing a young this late in the year. Do we have an overpopulation problem? Why would this happen? It was killed on a green field in south Jefferson County near Brookwood, Alabama. She had one other doe with her, and they fed into the field about 10 mins before dark. We have seen several does(25) up to this point, but only 1 buck. Thanks for any help.
10-26-2003, 10:56 AM
#2
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Fort Wayne Indiana USA
Posts: 71
RE: Gestation for whitetail?
Acording to the Deer Hunters' Almanac, from the publishers of Deer & Deer Hunting Magazine >
Thats about 6 mo.
To sum up other parts... they say, stay in heat for 24hrs...if not bred will cycle every 28 days... usually from Sept. - Feb. Thus it is not uncommon for hunters to see fawns in late fall.
Just an FYI they state that the average fawns born to adult does approximates 1.5 fawns per doe.
It' s a good book to have around.
After breeding, typically in late or early winter in many localities, the doe drops her fawn (or fawns) about 187 to 222 days later.
To sum up other parts... they say, stay in heat for 24hrs...if not bred will cycle every 28 days... usually from Sept. - Feb. Thus it is not uncommon for hunters to see fawns in late fall.
Just an FYI they state that the average fawns born to adult does approximates 1.5 fawns per doe.
It' s a good book to have around.
10-27-2003, 12:56 PM
#3
Spike
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 24
RE: Gestation for whitetail?
I was hunting antelope once, and killed a doe antelope the first week of Oct. that had a nearly term fetus. It is a strange occurrence. One thing I feel certain of, a fawn born that late in the year has little chance of surviving the winter, at least in the north. I was wondering, how many of the rest of your you have killed does/cows with fetuses? How late in the season?
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