Fawn drop coming soon to a woodlot near you?

[fishnfur]

I'm curious to see what kind of fawning activity we'll begin to see over the next couple of weeks. 

If you remember last fall, sometime around the 10th of October, we had numerous reports of active blacktail rutting behavior by large/mature bucks in the suburban areas, which seemed to end within a week of the first report.  Certainly last year, there was an increased number of does entering an early estrous around that time.  On many occasions, the first estrous cycle and breeding does not result in a successful pregnancy, but some percentage of the does will be impregnated.

The average gestation period of 203 days, counted out from (say 10 October for lack of a better date) the date of early noted early rut activity gives a fawning date of 01 May to perhaps the 8th of May for these does that bred successfully in early October.  As occurs in all animals though, there is some variability in the length of time the fetus is carried, so the actual fawning dates may be several days earlier or later than this predicted birthing time-frame. 

Signs that birthing is eminent or has occurred, other than finding a fawn in the grass, is the sudden appearance of yearlings out wandering aimlessly, and at odd hours, after being shunned by their mothers as she prepares to give birth.  Also, the does themselves may be moving more in daylight as they travel between hiding fawns that were intentionally separated in order to minimize loosing both to a single predator.   

I'd be interested to hear reports if anybody sees or suspects that fawning has begun.

[Firedogg]

Bring on the babies!  I make special "hunting" trips with the Canon just for them.

[lokidog]

We have started noticing some very fat does here.

[Eric M]

tag

[UncleBuck]

Good time to do a little predator control and help save some fawns.

[jasnt]

Good time to do a little predator control and help save some fawns.

 

[180-GRAIN]

There are already 2 sets of blacktail twins around my place in Arlington. Must have been bred really early. Seen the first set a week ago.

[DOUBLELUNG]

Have not seen any post-parturition mule deer does yet in Wenatchee area.  Kind of hoping a few have dropped in 105, as I'll be looking for a fawn eater there this weekend, blowing fawn distress calls. 

[Gringo31]

I don't see them till May 20th or so....

[Curly]

We usually have twin fawns born on our 5 ac property, sometimes triplets. Usually see them in June.

[Jonathan_S]

It can rain all month but I always pray for a dry June

[AKBowman]

Year before last the pre rut roaming of the mature blacktail Bucks started right on the 23rd in my area. This past year the hit and heavy pre rut roaming started on the 7th and was very strong for 10 days or so. Didn't really have much but trickling activity after that so something was definitely different last year which got the does going a few weeks early for sure.

[Curly]

The doe hanging out in my yard is sure getting big. I think she will likely have twins again.

[REHJWA]

Saw two yearlings in the pasture around three in the afternoon, first time they've been out that early this year...

[PolarBear]

Good time to do a little predator control and help save some fawns.

Have shot 14 of the fawn/calf killers in just the past couple of weeks on our place alone.  Seems pretty early for fawns,  We usually see them starting later in May and through June.