BillyMack

Can anyone tell me how old does generally are before they will breed? Will a yearling get bred? I'm still trying to thin out some does around here. So far, I've taken 1 young one, and one mature doe last night. I'd rather not take out a bunch of mature does if the younger one's aren't gonna breed this year. I want my bucks to have something to look for that is "breedable"([8D]) if you know what I mean. In other words, I don't wanna leave just "young, un-breedable" does around. I still have 2 more tags for does too. Feel free to check out my picasa link so you can see roughly what I've got to work with.

THANKS!

RugerM77.270

From what I've heard a doe can bread at aroung six months but doesn't always take, but your mature does will usually give you twins the next year. A buck though will goes after a 40# estrus doe in a heartbeat.

BillyMack

That's kinda what I was thinking. May have to ease up a little on 'em. I've got 'em from young to old. I shoot does for meat, so should I concentrate on the older ones (more meat yield), or the younger ones (so as to not ruin my breedable doe ratio)?

Bob S

A fawn will be able to breed if she reaches about 80 pounds.

Bob S

A yearling is a deer between one year and two years of age. All yearlings should get bred in a healthy herd.

BillyMack

So, one could conclude that as long as a doe isn't just out of "spots", she should be fair game?

nchawkeye

Here in NC the fawns drop in May and June...They will be bred in December and January...The good news in that this age deer has a 60% chance of dropping a buck fawn.....

Bob S

If your goal is removing does, the answer is yes. Where I might suggest otherwise is if you are limited in the amount of antlerless tags you can get to only 1 or 2. Then I might suggest holding out for older does.

nchawkeye

Bob...He is in NC...We have unlimited doe tags this year, I have filled 3 with my bow and picked up 6 extra...