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Timberghozt
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| Joined: | 11 February 2005 |
| Location: | Plaza De Los Armas, Mexico |
| Posts: | 5339 |
| Photo: | [Download] | | Are you a handloader?: | Yes | | Favorite type of cartridge to load?: | I load everything! |
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Posted: 6 December 2007 09:52 PM |
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Alright,first question for MarkV or Mountaineer in this here revamped forum.
How long is a whitetailed doe pregnant for?and generally how many years is she an actively breeding animal?Will she breed all the way up till she dies of old age if she makes it that far?and averaging,how many fawns will she drop in her lifetime?I have seen many does dragging twins on the tit and have even seen triplets a time or two at MarkV`s place so how many she might drop could be a unanswerable question.
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"He who fights with monsters might take care, lest he thereby become a monster; For if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - F.Nietzche
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Mark V
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| Joined: | 12 February 2007 |
| Location: | USA |
| Posts: | 243 |
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Posted: 7 December 2007 05:46 AM |
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Gene - normal whitetail gestation is about 200 days or roughly 6.5 months. Depending on different areas the does generally get impregated from mid Nov to early Dec. It is not uncommon though to have a second and even third rut. That is why it is normal to see fawns born from mid to late May through early July with most being born in late May to mid June. At least in the Hill COuntry. South Texas game folks often report their first rut not getting going until December.
Does generally breed in the second rut cycle of their life when they are approx 1.5 years old. The scientific breeder I work with has stated that it is possible for a 6-7 month old doe to be bred and it happens sometimes (think of that 13 year girl from middle school with the bad reputation). 
As far as how long can a doe continue to breed, I know that does breed well into year six and even seven. Any longer and I would have to confirm that. Just like people, the older they are the more infertile they become. As for number of fawns a doe can drop....a sampling of does we worked gave the following results under controlled conditions.
14 does total
7 carried twins
1 carried triplets
6 carried a single fawn
Based on my years observing this I would believe that about slighty less than half of impregnated does carry twins. I would need to do a little research to confirm that but that is what our data showed on the does we followed and seems consistent with field observations.
hope that helps 
Last edited on 7 December 2007 05:53 AM by Mark V
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sdb777
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| Joined: | 16 October 2005 |
| Location: | Cabot, Arkansas USA |
| Posts: | 1269 |
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Posted: 7 December 2007 12:09 PM |
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Called to order some Estrous from Mrs. Doe Pee's in Iowa yesterday afternoon, and while we talked for quite some time...she never gave me a firm answer on how long her does will continue to breed. Kind of said until they are 8.5, and then they start going into estrous in Feb/March(or sometimes later)! If these old does do breed, the outcome for an fawn(s) is being born when the weather is poor and they do not survive.
Now her herd is very controlled, and not wild by any means, but whitetails are generally still just deer....and hopefully should continue to do the same things deer normally do, right?
BTW, her estrous stuff is some of the best stuff I've ever hung from a tree limb! I feel a new question coming for this area....
Scott (mind is wandering already) B
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The_Mountaineer
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| Joined: | 4 February 2005 |
| Location: | USA |
| Posts: | 715 |
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Posted: 7 December 2007 02:02 PM |
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Timberghozt - good question.
Mark V has it right as far as gestation goes. Most hunters know that does get bred in fall-winter and have their fawns about 6 months later. It can vary dependent upon range, social status, age, and many other factors that affect the doe.
The research I've read regarding the "barren doe" theory is pretty convincing. There is no such thing really. Does can and will breed and rear fawns successfully given the right conditions. The lifetime fecundity (birthing number) of a single doe can be downright astonishing.
However, the social dominance factor seems to be playing a role in a doe's ability to rear fawns. John Ozoga, a Doctorate researcher in Michigan and well known whitetail expert gave some interesting data. He discovered that even on the perfect range conditions in captive herds older, prime-age does > 3 years of age were more successful in rearing fawns than the 3 and 2 year old does. Older does dominate the others and get the best fawning habitats which are better insurance to fawn survival than the marginal areas lesser dominant does end up occupying.
I'll do some more digging to get some hard numbers and references and post up when I can. Right now, I'm prepping to go after some of these does on our farm.
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Timberghozt
Board Founder
| Joined: | 11 February 2005 |
| Location: | Plaza De Los Armas, Mexico |
| Posts: | 5339 |
| Photo: | [Download] | | Are you a handloader?: | Yes | | Favorite type of cartridge to load?: | I load everything! |
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Posted: 7 December 2007 11:45 PM |
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thanks gents.Whitetail behavior fascinates the shit out of me.I can sit and watch em all day long with a camera,just as happy as with a rifle.Folks think that they are peaceful critters.They fight like hell,even the does.I`ve seen does go at it like two old horny ruttin bucks after the same hot doe..
Anyways,always appreciate a new learning lesson about deer..Especially when the sources are credited and the advice is coming from credible fellas.Thanks for the conversation on this..
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"He who fights with monsters might take care, lest he thereby become a monster; For if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - F.Nietzche
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