Fallow does - when are people taking them?

montyarrow

Active Member
Now work is steadying up I am trying to catch up with a muntjac buck that has been eluding me. I am seeing quite a few fallow and shot a pricket this evening. I could have shot a couple of does, but could not see their young followers so left them. At what age do you consider a young fallow to be dependent from its mother, I know they will be eating a high proportion of vegetation but they will also still be taking milk? If a doe is taken now will the young survive without stunting the growth and be integrated into the herd?
Reds in Scotland, calf then hind, is this the same for lowland fallow?
Sorry if its blatantly obvious but cannot find any direction in the books on my shelf
 
been told or read, but cant think where or by who ,
that after the rut the doe's milk go sour then it will dry up. as the breeding cycle is starting again, the fawn will now be able to stand alone and take its place within the herd
 
If there is a follower I tend to leave them until Jan. If I'm pretty sure she's alone, then 1st Nov. But I have no quota or management plan or anything like that to worry about, so can afford to be a bit pickier.

Interesting theory regarding the milk...I had always assumed the fawns are weaned like any other animal and the milk dries up when the demand goes
 
Does will still be in milk at this time of year although the fawns will be pretty much self sufficient so I wouldn't worry too much, season dates are there for a reason and fawns will tag along with the remaining group of animals so don't lose sleep over it.

ATB

T
 
As I'm after reducing numbers I shoot the doe first then the fawn as most times they hang around or can be picked off a day or two after. I like to leave fawns until after Xmas except in the above circumstance.
 
No problems now as the fawns are merely following Mum and learning about life after November. I shoot fawns for our freezers and does if I can get them after the fawn, but I now don't have to shoot so many. The does generally get to go to the land owner or my large voracious family members.
 
I tend to leave the mature doe's with fawns until late Nov early Dec before I really get serious , I take the doe first and then the fawn , I find the fawns tend to stop and look which often gives a chance to get it as well .I also like to finish at the end of Feb rather than go through till March .
 
Thanks for the responses, I try and shoot this years fawn after the doe, must just be thinking more as I get older!
 
I have been watching a heard of around 25 fallow this evening,

saw 2 followers / fawns still suckling and the mother was quite happy to let them,

January i will have to start culling Doe's..
 
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