I posted about this in the daily hunt thread. But today I watched as a whitetail buck bred a doe. This is the latest I have ever witnessed. I have seen what appeared to be tending or guarding in early January, but never this late. Most of our breeding takes place in mid November. I know some does may be missed or not take in the first go round. Also, early born fawns can be bred the same year. But Jan 20th??
Anyone else experience this? Thoughts?
Always thought Jan was about hunting food, not rut hunting :biglaugh:
Good topic as most folks here will say in a week or so that our rut is winding down. However just last week a buddy of mine saw a small spotted fawn. This youngster was a product of late season breeding after hunters have left the woods for the year. It currently our prime time as I witnessed a buck running 3 does yesterday. Imagine bucks breedind after they've shed their antlers!
Only twice in late season, and no breeding but chasing by big enough bucks that they weren't just foolin with does like a forky...
My brother just sent me a video from his tree hunting the last night of Illinois season. Sitting over a standing bean field with a bunch of deer in it the biggest buck in the field was running off the others then got into a very good several minute long fight with one of them. As intense as a good November battle. Surprised there antlers didn't fall off haha. Latest I've seen Bucks chasin doe's is late December during the second rut myself. That seems very late for breeding. I'm no biologist but do does keep coming into heat until they are bred? So she maybe didn't get bred in November or again late December so now finally in later January?
Never saw breeding this late, but a few years back I had a 9 pt and a 10 pt chasing a doe behind my house on Feb 14th.
Saw a nice 9 point running doe around just this morning....
,,Sam,,
You'll think I'm lying but I've seen fawn in Dec one year real tiny w spots. Only time I saw that.
I watched a buck breed a doe along the road on Jan, 8th....
The latest iv seen for sure!!!
That will be an August fawn :readit:
bout 5 years ago i saw a new spotted fawn (twice) in december in my back yard.
that doe had to have been bread in MAY!!!
Funny you bring this up, there has been lots of buck chasing doe sightings the last 2 weeks. Extremely late and makes for very vulnerable fawns next fall.
Interesting topic....several years ago I saw a doe w a fawn in mid November. Fawn appeared to have just lost it's spots....
Tim B
I've seen chasing in January before but it's not common here in NY/CT. I did however have 2 bucks come out pushing a hot doe in a group of does on Jan 19th and I managed to get a shot on the bigger of the two!