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Old 11-27-2005, 12:01 PM
  #7  
RedAllison
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
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Posts: 2,052
Default RE: Can you tell a doe is pregnant

If you are harvesting does for herd mgmt you CAN'T be concerned about pregnant does. In most overpopulated states the majority of does ARE pregnant after their first cycle. But that shouldn't stop you from harvesting them. I hate to be cruel, but in all reality if you really have an overpopulated herd and are thinning the antlerless you can't even let the presence of fawns stop you from taking does. I know that's a hard to pill to swallow and some will for sure call me names for it. But the truth is the truth and bioligical studies show this. After the fawns loose their spots (typically after late Sept or the first week or so of Oct at the latest) they are capable of surviving without nursing on momma.

As for detecting a fetus, most of us are not capable of telling so. Not until late winter or early spring is the embryo large enough to make out what is what. By then the season is over so what difference would it make anyway?

Assume they are ALL pregnant if any breeding has already taken place. You are shooting does for herd reduction anyway correct? Then why let them walk even if you somehow could know?
RA
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