Too Early For Fawns?!?

[DirtTime]

On my way out from a turkey hunt, I came across some deer tracks in the mud. It was a pair of pretty small tracks and larger tracks, like a doe and a fawn. Way too early for does to be dropping babies, isn't it?

[Waterfowler]

I have found just dropped fawns a couple of times while turkey hunting. Albeit closer to the end of month though

[DirtTime]

That was a pretty cool picture Bill.

 

I've heard of early birthing a few times here and there over the years, but never seen any physical sign of it until today.

[ApexerER]

I saw some very small tracks while turkey hunting Sunday as well and was wondering the same thing...

[Lawdwaz]

I’ve seen newborn on May 1st.  

[Robhuntandfish]

funny you mention this i saw one on my way home for lunch by the state park today and thought it was early,  tiny little guy along my road with 3 other deer.  

[DirtTime]

It was cool seeing those tracks. I'd guesstimate the tracks being from last night. It never really dries up completely in this spot, but over the past 3 years hunting the area I know that any tracks usually get a bit crusty around the edges after a day, and these weren't.

[Lawdwaz]

Take a picture with something to compare them to.   Like a quarter, dollar bill folded in half or your favorite a flint & steel.   
 

 

[DirtTime]

1 minute ago, Lawdwaz said:

Take a picture with something to compare them to.   Like a quarter, dollar bill folded in half or your favorite a flint & steel.   
 

 

I probably won't be back over to that area until Saturday. I'll check around for any new tracks and see about getting a pic with size comparison.

 

Here's the pic I took today.

 

The smaller track was just a bit bigger than a half dollar.

[Jeremy K]

Tacks and I saw a fawn big enough to run away with the mom during turkey season. 

[Pygmy]

It's near mid-May.....Nothing unusual for deer to be dropping fawns anytime in May...

[ATbuckhunter]

Ive seen them the first week of turkey season and it was strong enough to run away when I got too close

[G-Man]

Some doe are bred in october around Halloween,  so they should be born  while the majority will be next 3 weeks..  

[knehrke]

The wife and I watched a live birth this past weekend, and we've seen two other fawns on their feet in the past week. 

[Larry]

I have a trail camera video of a buck chasing doe on October 11th. So there could be fawns now

[DirtTime]

I know some doe will get bred early, so the cycle will be earlier. I just haven't come across tracks or seen fawns much before mid June.

[dbHunterNY]

On 5/12/2022 at 4:33 PM, DirtTime said:

I know some doe will get bred early, so the cycle will be earlier. I just haven't come across tracks or seen fawns much before mid June.

208 days or so prior would put her bred in 2nd or 3rd week in October. not uncommon, just earlier estrous doe is all. by mid november your at or past peak every season give or take a week. that's why you typically notice them mid june.

[Waterfowler]

Found this Saturday morning while turkey hunting 

[dbHunterNY]

6 minutes ago, Waterfowler said:

Found this Saturday morning while turkey hunting 

fawn drop is a trickle right now. best bi-product of a fast and heavy rut/breeding season is tons of fawns dropping close to the same time to where predators can only get to so many fast enough.

[BizCT]

She’s gotta drop soon no?


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[CapDistPatriot]

13 hours ago, Waterfowler said:

Found this Saturday morning while turkey hunting 

That is awful, so sad. If anything, good motivation to start predator hunting.

[suburbanfarmer]

On 5/18/2022 at 11:54 AM, CapDistPatriot said:

That is awful, so sad. If anything, good motivation to start predator hunting.

If this was a predator kill, nothing would have been left

[Kmartinson]

16 minutes ago, suburbanfarmer said:

If this was a predator kill, nothing would have been left

It depends on some things.  Predators have a drive to survive and if they didn't like the set up they would escape and come back the next night. With entrails out I would suspect it's predation 

[LET EM GROW]

Watched a doe give birth to a fawn yesterday.. about 50 yards off the road.