Fawns still have spots????

[shadow]

Well this answers my question more or less. I posted in error the same, in the photo forum 2 or 3 days ago, got no replies.
 
But the spots on the fawns in my hunting area would not be a case of overpopulation here I do not think. Probably like you said late drops.
I also saw a spotted fawn today alongside the highway 15 miles from my land.

[b phat]

I am from IL and when I checked my cam I had a pic of a fawn with spots .

[DeerCamp]

While watching a feild last week I noticed on that still had some. I also watched a 10pt and a 4pt fight/play for about 10 mins. It was really a site to see!

[JPH]

I just did a little internet research on the topic. The most specific answer I was able to find was that fawns will loose their spots at 90-120 days old. That does not narrow it down much.
 
Given that time table, a fawn born in mid-May might (if they were of the 120 day variety) be just loosing theirs. That does not back up my previous post.
 
My personal observations have indicated that fawns around here are spot free by early Sept. But my personal observations are far from specific.
 
If only Lenord Lee Rue would join us! 

[Woods Walker]

ORIGINAL: JPH

ORIGINAL: msbadger

Well just like a dog they are just now blowing coat and getting there winter attire....notice a differance in the color of the adult deer? because some not all have gone from rust to brownish grey....it's the weather

I do not agree that it is driven by weather. For one thing, the midwest has had an unusually cool Aug. and Sept. Secondly, if this were ture than deer in warm climates (Fla.) would never change coats.

IMO, deer react to one factor more than any other, photocycle.The length of the day is the only factor that is consistant in the deer's world over the long haul. Deer that are born late do not have the physical ability to react to the photocycle in a healthy way.

But honsetly, I'm just spouting off semi-informend opinions. Take all of us with a grain of salt. [:)]

 
Ditto on the photocycle. That is responsible for just about everything that governs a deer's lifecycle, from coat changes, to yearling dispersal, to rut timing. It's God's alarm clock.
 
Oddly enough, photoperiodism is also what's responsible for the tree leaves to begin changing color...NOT cold weather.

[JPH]

I decided to do a little more research on this, rather than simply spout off baised on my personal observations.

Let's use Charley Alsheimer's 2007 rut predictions as our starting point. He thought the peak breeding period, in the North, should take place between Nov. 4-10, 2007. Let's assume a doe was breed on Nov. 10.

The gestation period for a whiteail deer is 200 days. So the fawn would have dropped on May 28, 2008.

If a healthy fawn looses it's spots at 90-120 days old, then the spots could remain as late as Sept. 25, 2008.

Given this info., my inital post about the herd being overpoulated and out of balance, was incorrect.

So not only do I have egg on my face, but my head hurts from all that math.

[PrairieShadow]

I too have been seeing most fawns still have spots. Sure look to be big buggers though!

[djohns13]

I just examined a roadkill button buck about an hour ago.  Still had very strong spot pattern but I have photos of other fawns whose spots are almost completely.  Also, I have photos of does with what I presume to be are twins, with one very spotted and the other having next to no spots.
 
I would say in central Indiana, it is about 50/50 with the fawns losing spots.
 
Good shooting.

[howhill1]

i can remember our lil black and tan jumpin a deer with spots about 20 years ago while we were rabbit hunting. so i know that was at least november.

[msbadger]

Guys I know it's photocycle....my point was they'er changing coat and I just mis spoke with the weather thing..... because up in theses hills as days get shorter the temps start to drop....we've had low forty and high thirties several times already and day temps in low sixties....thanks for keeping me on point(not sarcasim)[:)].....all our animals are in various stages of coat change