WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS

[Lungpopper]

The deer are beginning to show signs of what i call pre-rut. I think some of the doe's are bred during this time.
Next month THE MAIN RUT is when most of the doe's are bred (this is usually when the big boys play).
Then a month later post rut the left overs are bred.

Come JUN,JUL,AUG all three of those months you will see spotted fawns.

The question is, are the doe's cycling up to three times or are different doe's cycling at different times?

 

[teachanother]

That's a pretty technical question there Lungpopper.

I asked Randy Botta, the local wildlife biologist, about that several years ago. He indicated to me that the does in our zone come into estrus two times per year. The first is the period you call the "main rut" (Late October/early November) and then again during the second rut or what you called the "post rut." As you said, whatever does are left over from the main rut are usually bred during the second rut.

From what I've seen out in the field there is a lot of doe chasing by immature bucks during the pre-rut but the does typically do not allow full access to these inferior bucks. There are exceptions as I have seen young does being tended by small bucks during this pre-rut period. These encounters are rare and usually very short in duration.

All that said, I believe the does cycle twice (possibly 3 times???). I can't say with scientific certainty if the does are knocked up during the pre-rut stage or not.