NURSING

Limbs and Sticks · Post by **Limbs and Sticks** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 10:09 pm

When does a doe dry up,a buddy took a doe today and she was full of milk,damn if I ain't gonna look for the little BBQ'S

WES

beretta96D · Post by **beretta96D** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 11:18 pm

that's a good question. my buddy took a doe all by herself and she had milk as well, but her teets were very small. We suspect she sent the fawn packing, but I thought it wouldn't make the winter.

We've also seen 3 fawns, two of which we took, that came out alone. The last one I watched for 20 minutes, and no doe. It left by itself.

I myself am a majority moose hunter, and this goes against all that I know.

Cossack · Post by **Cossack** » Sun Oct 19, 2008 8:55 am

That d4epends on when she had her fawn. I've seen wet does in late Nov.

sunset · Post by **sunset** » Sun Oct 19, 2008 9:22 am

From rifle hunting in the north years back we found most of the does taken were quite dry in early Nov. It is a good knowing the fawns are on solid food at that point. However it also is dependant on when the fawns were delivered that spring. If they were born later then they may still need milk.

saxman · Post by **saxman** » Sun Oct 19, 2008 2:38 pm

My doe still had milk also

MPSNIPER · Post by **MPSNIPER** » Sun Oct 19, 2008 3:54 pm

Fyi : We've shot does in the past here in eastern Ontarion in mid November that still were nursing... We've really stopped with the does that past few years to concentrate mainly on good sized bucks and the deer population has really multiplied...
I'm of the firm belief on a couple of things ~ If you want to shoot large bucks, don't shot small ones. Also, the does will be where the feed is, and the bucks will be where the does are??

deerman · Post by **deerman** » Sun Oct 19, 2008 4:05 pm

Fawns are weened 12 weeks after birth. This is why the does need to be bred on time in November for the North. If you have a area where there are to many does and few bucks, then the Does will be breeding late, thus hitting the ground in mid summer when good protein food isnt as good as it would be in June. Thats just one of many reasons the buck to Doe ratio needs to be as close 1:2 or in that area.

mikej · Post by **mikej** » Sun Oct 19, 2008 10:26 pm

my brother took a doe on oct 1st and she was dry

B-Logger · Post by **B-Logger** » Mon Oct 20, 2008 6:38 pm

Yes, it is common to find does still giving milk even into December! However, do not worry too much about those fawns as they will get along just fine.

For an example, one year we had a doe with twin fawns. In early June the doe was killed on the road. Those fawns were still pretty tiny, but they got along just fine. They weren't the brightest bulbs in the lights but they made it through hunting season and I saw them off and on all that winter.

As for the does, if the fawn or fawns are killed, the does will dry up quite quickly with no problem. So keep on hunting guys!

buckandbronco · Post by **buckandbronco** » Thu Oct 30, 2008 7:30 am

Our doe from yesterday was lactating. It is not uncommon at all to have lactating does in November, and I have seen them in December. As someone else said, it is more common to have a diffuse breeding period the farther south you go, and the more skewed your buck to doe ratio is.

Don't worry about killing a doe that still has milk. Many scientific studies have shown that the fawns will have as good a survival rate as if the doe was not taken. [/url]