A Question About DEER.

[MarkV]

We live on 32 acres of mostly wooded land in NW Georgia. Seeing deer, not the tractor type, is common around our place and something we enjoy. Normally they will take off when the wife is walking the trails with the dogs but not today. There was a small doe, from what the wife says, that our "big dumb hound dog" came up on and it stood its ground. This is not an aggressive dog, I am sure it saw what she thought was a potential new friend. The wife was within 10 feet of the deer as it head butt the dog a couple of times. The dog yelped and the deer casually wander off into the woods.

Thought some of you that knew deer behavior might have a reason this deer acted so much differently than what we normally see. There were no indications that a fawn was near and the wife didn't think the deer look of the age to have one. Anyone have any thoughts?

MarkV

 

[mustangsallysdad]

We live on 32 acres of mostly wooded land in NW Georgia. Seeing deer, not the tractor type, is common around our place and something we enjoy. Normally they will take off when the wife is walking the trails with the dogs but not today. There was a small doe, from what the wife says, that our "big dumb hound dog" came up on and it stood its ground. This is not an aggressive dog, I am sure it saw what she thought was a potential new friend. The wife was within 10 feet of the deer as it head butt the dog a couple of times. The dog yelped and the deer casually wander off into the woods.

Thought some of you that knew deer behavior might have a reason this deer acted so much differently than what we normally see. There were no indications that a fawn was near and the wife didn't think the deer look of the age to have one. Anyone have any thoughts?

MarkV

Yearling buck (typical behavior...territorial)...most likely a young doe with a fawn nearby. Tis' the birthing season...we have 4 new youngin's (set of twins) on our 25 acres. Last week of May 'til mid June around a full moon seems to be the spark that starts the process.

 

[dmccarty]

We have a young buck that has velvet on six points already. Pretty sure this is his first year. I saw one of the Does stamp her feet and chase him out of the Doe herd a few weeks ago.

So if you did not see antlers my guess would be a doe with a nearby fawn. It is that time. We have seen one fawn already. The Does have started to disappear from the herd to go have fawns.

Later,
Dan

 

[beenthere]

Yes, to fawn nearby. And you likely wouldn't see the fawn, as they lay very still per instructions or "born with" and natural behavior.

Saw my first fawn of the season 3-4 weeks ago. Antler growth about a month earlier this year too.

 

[Baldyonthehill]

Many years ago I read a book titled "Man Killers of America" or something similar. In it numerous stories of attacks by whitetails were listed. Some were by bucks, some does, some during the rut and fawning season, others not. The author concluded that whitetail of either *** can attack and kill at any time of the year.

Our whitetail have just attacked the oat crop we palnted for them so far but I do not dispute what I read in that book. Maybe the southern whitetail are more aggressive than our northern ones.

 

[MarkV]

Thanks guys, I'll bet this doe has a fawn laid up in the woods somewhere close to our trail and it is older than my wife figured. It sounds like she has seen the deer in the same area for a week or so which would be unusual in itself. We will just by pass that part of the trail for awhile. I don't need "big dumb hound dog" tangling with a mama.

MarkV

 

[JDGreenGrass]

That's quite a story.

How about this....Several years ago my dog went nose to butt-hole of a skunk. THE SKUNK NEVER SPRAYED.!!!!!

Could not believe my eyes. I stood about 5 feet back trying to call my dog off the skunk which was on a woods trail bridge. IIRC it was in the spring of the year.

Any knowledgeable comments on this.??

(sorry to hijack)

 

[gauthier]

Yeah,little buck probably,they will do some unexpected things sometimes

 

[MarkV]

The wife said she looked close and could not see any signs of antlers. She has seen what are called "button bucks" around here. Do young enough bucks get aggressive before they show the first signs of antlers?

MarkV

 

[MarkV]

Thanks Robert, I know you know your deer. Interesting possibility that it was raised in a domestic setting. There was one last year that seemed to be playing with our dogs. Kind of like playing chase but didn't seem scared. It could be the same one. That idea never crossed my mind.

I'll let the wife know about pushing the head down. This one was within 10 ft of the wife when tussling with the dog. I think for the next few weeks we will just leave that area be.

MarkV

 

[gauthier]

get a new string put on your crossbow,buy new arrows,and broadheads...and get even in oct.,,thats what I do..

 

[archerm3]

We live on 32 acres of mostly wooded land in NW Georgia. Seeing deer, not the tractor type, is common around our place and something we enjoy. Normally they will take off when the wife is walking the trails with the dogs but not today. There was a small doe, from what the wife says, that our "big dumb hound dog" came up on and it stood its ground. This is not an aggressive dog, I am sure it saw what she thought was a potential new friend. The wife was within 10 feet of the deer as it head butt the dog a couple of times. The dog yelped and the deer casually wander off into the woods.

Thought some of you that knew deer behavior might have a reason this deer acted so much differently than what we normally see. There were no indications that a fawn was near and the wife didn't think the deer look of the age to have one. Anyone have any thoughts?

MarkV

I'll bet there was a fawn nearby you just couldn't see it.

 

[JDGreenGrass]

Any chance this deer could be affected by CWD.?? (chronic waisting disease)

 

[MarkV]

Any chance this deer could be affected by CWD.?? (chronic waisting disease)

I was kind of wondering about disease when I posted. As far as I know CWD has not made it down this far South.

MarkV

 

[mustangsallysdad]

I was kind of wondering about disease when I posted. As far as I know CWD has not made it down this far South.

MarkV

No published (official) reports of CWD in Georgia...only one in Virginia in 9 years of monitoring. Does with fawn will head butt...they do it to force the fawn down out of sight and will also do it when they need to nurse lying down. Funniest thing is watching them when they start to wean...they will kick the crap out of the little ones. I would imagine that is when the fawns are starting to get teeth! Had to rescue this one out of the high tensile fence...he got a little tangled up. If you look closely you can see the "pedicels" where his antlers will be.