Richland County Gun Opener
Wisconsin
The snow storm must have kicked up another wave of does in heat. On Saturday, the bucks were rutting hard and chasing all day. 20 deer, 10 different bucks. 1 monster that we couldn't get a shot at. we missed a big 10 and connected on a nice 8. Not a bad opening weekend, hoping this week will help fill the last tag!
Pretty sure snow storms don't cause does to go into heat...
Pretty sure you are right... moon, sunlight, blah blah blah... thanks for the awesome response though.
Hope the hunting was good by you as well.
:D
Coming from a person that the only thread I see him on is about rifle hunting on Bowsite.
I always thought does went into heat to coincide with fawns being born in the spring IE warmer timeframe/food etc. If not bred they will continue the 28 day cycle.
Some area's they were rutting some area's no movement at all.
Normal
I also posted re:bow hunting a few weeks back. I am new to the site (3 or 4 weeks ago).
Interesting on the fawns being born and cycle. I'l have to look into that.
FLA's rut cycle is 7 months long as they do not have the light changes or temp swings like northern states.
With few exceptions, opening weekend usually hits the tail end of the rut. All it takes is one doe in heat to create chaos. Early-born doe fawns can also come into heat, likely a bit later than 1.5, 2.5 etc. year-old does, I'd imagine. Not sure on the science on that one but captive operations must know about when that happens. There's a lot of cruising/seeking from the third week of October to early November, but most breeding in my area (based on peak time of reported newborns and based on 180-200 day gestation) seems to be somewhere between Nov. 5-25.
TheLama,
Not only that but natural selection allows fawns born early and late in FLA to survive and pass on the genes of does that go into heat early and late.
In the north does have to be bred within a much narrower window or fawns will be born too early when it's still winter or too late and won't be big enough to survive the next winter. Therefore only the genes of does who go into heat during that narrow window of time get passed on; Natural selection...
Mike,
I never knew the genes to the estrus cycle. Makes sense.
Learn something new everyday.
