No nursing here

[Curmudgeon]

I had an interested observation this morning. Walking up the hill to start work, I came upon a deer with a fawn next to it. The sun was directly behind me so I walked up to about 30 yards without being seen. A second fawn came out on the other side of the deer. Now there is a fawn on each side of the adult and I notice it has antlers. One fawn tries to nurse and is pushed away. The 3 of them walked together behind some stuff. Since I still have no concluded it was a buck, I wanted to watch. My moving around the obstacle spooked them. They ran off together.

 

The antlered deer was slight. It had about 8" of growth on each side that was beginning to split. I know lambs will try to nurse from any sheep. It is possible that is what was going on - the fawns were looking for milk from any possible source.

[Rattler]

Or perhaps it was an antlered doe.  Rare, but they do exist.

[ants]

My brother in law shot an antlered doe a while back. It was late November and still in velvet………Then again,,I have seen a buck trying to mount another deer than Im sure was another buck……….

[Lawdwaz]

My friend killed a hard horned 8pt around 1987-1988. We called the DEC and they sent a field biologist to take some notes. IIRC there was a story and picture in the Conservationist.

[The_Real_TCIII]

Someone killed a monster racked doe in Niagara county just a few years ago during the late season