Ask The Biologist

Doe fawns sometimes breed in their first fall in areas with great nutrition.

QUESTION: How soon can a fawn be bred?

ANSWER: Most does breed as yearlings in their second fall. However, it has been observed in areas of high nutrition that some does are bred in their first fall as fawns. When this occurs, it more often happens later in the fall, possibly a month or more after the peak breeding period. These late-estrus fawns often are the reason for the so-called second rut.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, overpopulation also can trigger a second rut if all the adult does weren’t bred in the regular rut. Unbred does go back into estrus 28 days after their previous cycle if they aren’t bred by a buck.

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