Anyone Know About Deer?

[Jim Koepke]

We have lived in Southwest Washington for a dozen years. Most years we see a lot of does & fawns. In all of this time we have seen maybe one or two bucks. This year there have been multiple bucks walking through our yard. Most of them have only one or two points on their antlers so they are likely from last years fawns.

One morning there were three youngling bucks in close proximity visiting our yard at once. There seems to be at least four or five distinct bucks who wander through at different times.

Other than good hunting ahead is there any significance to having a lot of male deer in the area?

jtk

[Bruce King]

We have two bucks and 6 doe that visit often and sleep in the yard or woods often. Several neighbors within a half mile radius feed them. They feel safe around here so no reason to leave much. There are rivers and creeks that keep them together in different areas too.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Many states, NC included, used to only allow hunting of bucks, thus they were seldom seen. By having too few bucks to service does in heat, this meant does would come back into heat 28 days later, with the cycle continuing till she was serviced. Fawn would be born too late to survive the following winter. We would see a doe with two off spring, this years, plus last years late bloomer. Now it's open season on all sexes, which is good news for the freezer hunter. Back in the eighties, was working in Virginia. Their season opens statewide on the same day. Wildlife officials were estimating how many would be killed the first day, and they weren't talking about the deer.

[Brian Tymchak]

I wonder if the 3 young bucks are triplets? Somewhat common for deer when the population is healthy.

[Mel Fulks]

I wonder if the 3 young bucks are triplets? Somewhat common for deer when the population is healthy.

If they are identical they are definately triplets. If not identical they could be triplets ....or the mom is baby sitting to
try to pick up a few bucks.

[Jim Koepke]

I wonder if the 3 young bucks are triplets? Somewhat common for deer when the population is healthy.

These were of different sizes with different amount of antler growth. One has good antlers with one forming a fork at the end. One has smaller antlers each with a single point and one has short skinny antlers not much more than an inch long. Also saw one recently with antlers about as long as a pencil and about the same thickness.

One of the bucks has almost identical markings as a doe that was staying close to him. They may be brother and sister.

We have had a lot of deer with two fawns in the past. There didn't seem to be as many fawns last summer.

jtk

[Lee Schierer]

This time of year the rut has just finished, but Doe that weren't bred the first time around come back into season. Bucks will be wandering to find them. Any deer with antlers of any size will be looking for Does. They get pretty competitive. Seeing multiple Bucks running together is not unusual, because the Does don't want them around at the moment.

[Bill McNiel]

Kinda like these three?

[Tom M King]

We have two different herds of Whitetails on our place. I've never noticed more of one sex over the other. I always just assumed the odds were the same as other mammals. We were about to get overrun with them, several years ago, and I even allowed one person to hunt here, to try to lower their numbers, but the Black Tongue disease really thinned them out a couple of years ago.

[Rob Luter]

They're pretty common in Northern Indiana. We have plenty of cover and plenty to eat. Our house backs up to 60 acres of woods bordered by corn and soybean fields. When we moved in 12 years ago we'd see them all the time. Does would bring their fawns to hide under our hemlock trees. Progress has taken its toll. More houses have been built and the deer are more cautious. We still see the herd on the move occasionally behind the house but not as often. We have a huge flock of Wild Turkey too.

[Mike Null]

We have a herd of 15 to 20 deer who are forever in the streets or eating decorative stuff and making a general nuisance of themselves. Almost always they are does and fawns. Rarely do you spot a buck but last week the biggest buck I've ever seen was grazing outside my basement door. I'm guessing he weighed about 250 lbs and was a 10 pointer.