roe kids still suckling this late?

[Mungo]

How late would people expect roe kids to be dependent on their mothers?

I shot a doe on Friday which didn't seem to have a kid in attendance (and which I'd seen several times previously on its own), and she still had milky teats.

And if there had been a dependent kid, is it likely to survive?

 

[jimo]

I new being a bit anal and recording all my stalks would come in handy one day! I've just checked my log and I saw a kid suckling on 4th December a couple of years ago. It was a fair size though. I don't know about roe but ewes teats are milky for weeks if not months after the lambs come off.

 

[Mauser243]

Would have my doubts on survival if a hard winter was to come this year.

 

[Hunting Solutions]

I think the does teach the young how to dig for food under the snow. Anyway, I don't like shooting does until after the first bit of snow, even if my theory is b0ll0x.

 

[Mungo]

Dammit - been out looking, and turned up a very small looking kid very close to where I shot the doe. I was convinced she didn't have one (hence taking the shot), but instead it just looks like she gave birth very, very late and the kid was still very much in hiding. Will make sure I shoot it as soon as possible.

 

[Heym SR20]

Remember that Roe deer work on a delayed implant basis - ie the egg is fertilised during the rut (July), but doesn't actually start developing into much of a phoetus until January / February. Cold / hard weather and poor doe condition can delay things further. Given we had a long winter / very cold spring, does could easily have delayed things further.

 

[6pointer]

The start of the doe season should see many stalkers in scotland out early this gives them a good start on there does and also allows them to be selective. At this time of year i will take yearling does that i have had my eye on over the summer months while out after the bucks. Big milky does will be left and if i need to get a few deer down i will start on the kids. I don't touch a large doe on my own ground until January.
This stops me leaving dependant kids to starve or become emaciated.
Will the kid survive probably but will they do any good i doubt it.

 

[arron]

The start of the doe season should see many stalkers in scotland out early this gives them a good start on there does and also allows them to be selective. At this time of year i will take yearling does that i have had my eye on over the summer months while out after the bucks. Big milky does will be left and if i need to get a few deer down i will start on the kids. I don't touch a large doe on my own ground until January.
This stops me leaving dependant kids to starve or become emaciated.
Will the kid survive probably but will they do any good i doubt it.[/Qs

Good advise for recreational stalkers that ! Take a kid or two earlyer on as the mothers can look after there selves until caught up with later on , personaly leave does until after xmass , as i am in no pressure to be hard on them , remember we have the best interest of the deer if we manage them correctly.