do bucks mate more than once, not enough?

Craggy

Well-Known Member
we have a syndicate ground in south scotland, the block is approx 4 miles in circumferance with rydes and a open hill, so a fair size. Surrounding areas include open hills and more forest blocks.
i have two questions i would like some help answering.

1. When we went up in may, we saw 22 roe does in total. this consisted of does alone, with last years kids and last years kids alone.
We only saw one buck and over the last 2years only saw half a dozen, is this because the roe buck will stay in cover more? or can our sighting of 150 does to 6 bucks be a true reflection of the population.

2. will a roe buck mate with several does in a season? if so will he stay with one doe and sneak off to another doe and then return or stay with the last one til the next opertunity arises?

i did return to the area on the last stalk where i saw the buck first but was unable to take a shot. This time i was more sucessful and brought the buck home with me. I felt i deserved something for my 23 hours of 5 stalks. On the way home and since, ive convinced myself ( nearly ) i was right to take the buck due to amount of last years kids that were about, there must be a good population of bucks even though i couldnt see them.
 
Roe are born pretty much in equal numbers bucks and does, but as in most species the female survival rate is better
so while the ideal rate of 1to1 is spoken of it will seldom if ever be achieved, a more realistic rate is 2 or more likely 2.5 to 1.

I doubt very much if your figure of 150 does to 6 bucks is accurate.


Regarding your second question yes bucks will mate with more than one doe, but its not as you suggest the buck sneaking off to another doe, its the doe that goes looking for the buck if there is not one in her area she will go and find one when she is ready.

Roe does are promiscuous she will tend to mate with the best buck in the area after that initial mating she will mate with any buck she can find regardless of his quality for as long as she remains in season.

Why this behaviour on the part of the doe is a bit of a mystery but may be natures way of helping ensure the best genes are carried on.
 
Although not necessarily true for roe deer, biologists here in western Canada claim that buck:doe ratios can go as low as 4:100 without compromising breeding. 20:100 is considered more normal though. The main reason for such low buck numbers is that there is no open season for does other than by hunt lottery.

Thats one busy buck in the rut if he has to cover 25 does!
 
thanks for your replies.
i have looked through my records for the last 18 months and we have noted 78 sightings of does including kids and only 7 antlered bucks.

i am reasonably new to stalking and need to be giving the sex id a bit more thought,rather than just looking for antlers which are cast nov/dec. When is the new growth visable?

what age can you start to id a kids sex? i.e. the anal tush on a female at what age does it become noticable ?

is the penis on the buck noticable from a side view?

do i notice more does because they have to travel out more in search of food with the kids?

lots of question marks i know

thanks
craggy
 
Back
Top