1. Spring And Summer Deer Management Original Power Point Created by Andy Harrison Modified by GA Agriculture Education Curriculum Office July 2002

2. Arrival of Spring ► Fall fat reserves are depleted ► 200 days after breeding ► Fawn drop coincides with spring green-up  Varies with area of the country: ► Earlier in the south ► Later in the north and Canada ► Actually in the summer in Mexico

3. Fawning Territories ► Does travel in social groups and are not typically territorial ► Does usually travel in groups when not fawning ► In fawning season does stake out range of fawning area ► Most try to avoid areas occupied by other does

4. Dominant Doe ► Usually an alpha doe is present in the group ► Stakes out the best habitat  best food source  best screening cover ► Lesser deer have higher mortality rates of fawns

5. Fawning ► In the last trimester of gestation, the fetus grows very fast ► Prior to fawning, does are usually not very active ► Fawns are usually born in pairs in does 2 years or older.  Triplets are not uncommon ► Immediately after birth the doe cleans up the fawn by licking  This establishes identity

6. Fawning ► Doe separates the fawns by leaving them in different areas  Helps with protection from predators ► Fawn mortality may be as high as 2/3 in first 10 days- especially in overpopulated herds ► Higher mortality rates in lower social status does

7. The Orphan Fawn ► When fawn is found by itself  Doe is usually nearby  Does leave their fawns by themselves, so do not attempt to move

8. Fawns ► Fawn usually places itself ► Doe doesn’t know fawns exact location but knows its general locale ► When returning to feed, the doe makes a gentle grunting sound and the fawn comes to the doe ► Fawns nurse very quickly ► Doe affirms identify by call and smell

9. Fawns ► As fawn nurses, doe licks and bathes the posterior end of fawn to stimulate excrement ► Helps keep the area clean of waste and odors  Assists in predator protection ► Does and fawns remain secluded for about 2 weeks  Afterwards they return to the group

10. Life in the Social Group ► Does are very protective of their fawns  They do not tolerate fawns of the subordinates inside their personal area ► However, they will watch the fawns of other does ► Does in the social group are of varying ages ► A few yearling bucks may also be present in the social group  They are not tolerated for long and are run-off from herd prior to fawning

11. Doe Fighting ► Fight as frequently as the bucks ► Stand and box ► Kick ► Direct stare with ears laid back in aggressive posture

12. Buck Social Groups ► During fawning, bucks live in social groups ► As spring approaches, bucks are in worse condition than does due to:  Fall rut  Antler development ► Normally drift back to old feeding areas and reestablish old hierarchies

13. Buck Social Groups ► Normally leave the best habitats and feeding to does  Ensures survival of the species ► May be a group of several bucks of different ages  One dominant buck  Younger bucks move in and out of the herd until rut

14. Bucks ► Antler growth coincides with spring green- up of food  Same growth curve as fetus ► Spring and summer ranges are smaller than fall and winter

15. Late Summer Stress ► Foliage growth is slowed to completion ► Forage is poorer in quality ► Usually prolonged dry periods ► Malnutrition ► Parasite loads and disease increase

16. Late Summer for Bucks ► Shedding of summer coat and growing of a grayish-colored winter coat  Requires protein ► Mineralization of antlers ► Storing of fat

17. Late Summer for Does ► Shedding or molting ► Growth of winter coat ► Storing of fat for winter

18. Summary ► Spring brings  Forage growth  Fawn growth ► Dominant alpha doe takes best habitat ► Does return to social groups when fawn reaches an adequate size ► Does become antagonistic toward young offspring prior to fawning

19. Summary ► Casting out of young causes more roaming among yearling bucks  Equals a higher mortality rate ► Bucks travel in social groups  Order established by kick boxing and intimidation ► In late summer bucks and does prepare for rut  Significant stress period

20. Summary ► High nutrient demand  Lowest availability in late summer ► In late summer bucks and does shed summer hair and grow winter hair ► Antler mineralization ► Fat storage