D&DH is a wonderful rag.....and if you're not reading it....I think you're missing out.

I posted several times about not seeing as many does with fawns, lately.....or...that I see a lot of lone does (seemingly without fawns). The abandonment rate for a healthy deer herd is about 2%. That is....2% of does will abandon their fawns........or not bond with them. These fawns live about 3 days and are either predated or die of hunger.

In areas of overpopulation........this percentage rises to 50%!

Is this nature's way of controlling the deer herd? Is it simply the does controlling the future competition for food?

You have to admit.....the difference in numbers is staggering!

Jeff I would say that you're preety close. Not being a biologist I don't know the real answer but I would venture to guess with the predation level being lower in overpopulated areas that it's like survival of the fittest.

I haven't heard of the actual numbers before; that's interesting. The rise in overpopulated areas seems like a good example of density-dependent mortality. Deer are considered by ecologists as k-selected species, meaning they remain atnumbers at or slightly below the range carrying capacity (K). Populations constantly fluctuate and there are several reasons for overpopulation. Regardless,as the numbers get close to carrying capacity, somethings got to give. Food begins to run out and it becomes hard for does to survive ontheir own, much less contribute to offspring.

I've never heard much of the abandonment, I'm going to check into that. What usually happens in these cases isjust reducedproduction. Iffood resources are low duringearlygestation, thedoes will actually reabsorb one or both of theembryos. Twins arethe norm during a normal year.This is why in bad years you may often seedoes with only one fawn.

To take this a step further, there is actually an ecological theory that animals CHOOSE not to reproduce in stressful years.I personally believe that the instinctualdrive to pass on genes is too much for an animal, besideshumans,to choose.

Just my thoughts. I apologize for getting philosophical about this, but I enjoy my job.

Jeff that seems like a great magazine....


The abandonment theory seems to be spot on. I can honestly say, around here, I hardly EVER see does without fawns.

[:@][:@][:@][:@][:@] I didnt get my copy yet, is it online yet? I could check but time for puppy to the vet.

i am guessing the deer dont know whats going on with the competition for food, so its natures way of controlling the herd i guess

boy that overpopulation number is huge!

Interesting! I didn't realize the # of doe's that would abandon there fawns.

I wonder how many of those does never get bred because of the buck to doe ratio............

I never see 2.5+ year old does without fawns in PA or at Dan's place in NY. When I hunted Vermont I would see it all the time. Looking at the buck/doe population, I think it's evident why.

Me too, a handfull of bucks cant bred a seemingly infinite amount of does, Im sure i'd be surprised at just how many they can, but within the given amount of time for them to do it, theres no way in the doe crazy places.