Does without fawns

[Nova]

Was at the hunting shack last week and saw 28 deer, which is good, but only saw one doe with a single fawn and one with a pair of fawns. 9-10 different does did not have fawns. Any idea why this is?

[roosterslayer]

could be coyotes, but you would think there should still be a few more of those does with fawns, unless the does are leaving them until dark when it is cooler before coming out.

[BLACKJACK]

Sounds like predators are getting a few but also remember that not all doe fawns are bred their first year of life, some of them will be running around with no fawns.

[TrophyEyes]

I actually saw a fawn that couldn't have been more than a couple days old a week ago. I wonder if any of them were still pregnant? A guy in our group, 4 years ago, shot a fawn with spots in December Muzzleloading. Don't ask me why he did it other than he said he would never have that opportunity again and most likely it would never had made it through the winter. My point being that there are still some deer out there that haven't given birth, its rare, but it happens. Preditors could have been to blame, but Coyotes wouldn't have gotten all 10 of them. Where do you hunt?

I have a cabin in Brainerd and we have a little Cougar and Timber Wolf issue right now. They both have been spotted eating deer with in 1/2 mile of my treestand in the last 12 months. What are you going to do? The DNR says they will move on, yes they will after they are done feeding on the young deer. You can get rid of Coyotes, but not Timber Wolves. I don't even know the law about shooting a cougar.

[chucker34]

Does and fawns also don't always run together in the early months for the reason of protecting the fawns from predators. The does often leave the fawns in a sanctuary and head out on their own for much of the day. I have seen numerous instance of this, sometimes walking right by fawns in our woods that have bedded down and think they are camoed from me in the weeds. Cool to get that close to them but I always keep my distance enough not to freak them out or spook them.

[Nova]

we hunt in Fergus/ Ottertail area. I have never seen a bear or wolf there in 40 plus years or heard of any being seen. I have seen yotes and last year one bobcat. I can see the yotes getting a couple but not that many.

I was up there this spring turkey hunting and saw a lot of does then while I was hunting. I couldn't help but notice how many I had seen that did not look pregnant...not even remotely.