How Hany Does

[pisces]

Can anyone tell me how many does one buck might impregnate in one rut season? I ask because I see many deer (antlerless) around my suburban neighborhood all year, but only see a buck once or twice a year. Yes, I know that bucks don't sport antlers all twelve months. Please, no "wild guesses", I am looking for someone who really knows this answer. Thanks

[pureinsanity]

It is hard to give specifics as a buck will mate with as many females as it can. So depending other bucks in the area that number can very.

Guess you can say its a first come first serve basis if there are no other bucks around.

My answer is as many females as it can.

[flipper]

8.5

[so haaad]

I agree with pureinsanity, there are a lot of variables to factor in like buck/doe ratios, hunting pressure, second ruts, etc. Maybe during a standard year a dominant buck might breed with several does although I've heard 10 or more is not out of the question.

[Musky Buck]

When you're sound asleep Pisces the area bucks are doing what they need to do. The buck to doe ratio can vary so much year to year there is no magic number, strap a camera on one about mid-october and you'll find out come mid-december, 1 may have several, the next buck may not have as many. A mature buck may do more or less than an immature buck. I'm not sure you can get the answer you're looking for, the buck isn't good at counting or stomping his hoof in January like Ernest T. Bass 1,2,3,50.

[MattL]

I can't say for sure how many does one buck will breed, but keep in mind that bucks tend to stay well hidden and travel at dark so there may be more than you think. Also, if there are does to be bred, bucks will travel quite a ways to do their business. So you may have some others moving through at times.

[Bear55]

I think somwhere between 4-10 is the magic number, I read a study a while back and they did dna testing to see how many does a buck would breed, the most they found was 7 or 8 by a single buck with the rest coming in a little less than that. Now depending on your deer numbers and herd structure I would guess those number can vary by area. Obviously some of the mature bucks will have high number than a 1.5 year old but they get their share of action too.

[Powerstroke]

The correct answer is as many as he can find willing. There is no magic number since there are an infinite number of variables, including how many does are in rut at the same time.

Bucks have proven more than once that they will stay with the "sure thing" until its done. So a buck won't leave one doe during the breeding process, just to get another one. They typically wait until the doe leaves or he is kicked out.

So, no one can know this answer because there isn't one. If you're a guy, think of yourself, you have enough sperm to take care of things nearly as often as you'd like. The only thing stopping you is time and opportunity. Same as a deer.

[eyeguy 54]

As many as possible before the naggin starts.

[leechlake]

since there have been enough really good answers:

I'm envisioning an Old Buck in a pedastal bath tub with his doe in her tub next to him.

I wonder if older bucks have "issues" too?

[eyeguy 54]

A spike and a 30 pointer are standing on a hill checking out a dozen does. The spike say, lets run down there and get us a doe! The 30 pointer says, lets just walk down there and get em all.

[Bear55]

The correct answer is as many as he can find willing. There is no magic number since there are an infinite number of variables, including how many does are in rut at the same time.

Bucks have proven more than once that they will stay with the "sure thing" until its done. So a buck won't leave one doe during the breeding process, just to get another one. They typically wait until the doe leaves or he is kicked out.

So, no one can know this answer because there isn't one. If you're a guy, think of yourself, you have enough sperm to take care of things nearly as often as you'd like. The only thing stopping you is time and opportunity. Same as a deer.

Just to clear things up my magic number post is the average number of does bread by a buck in a given season, obviously some will breed more or less than said magic number.

With the right amount of research and work you could find this magic number, its just that none of us has the resources to monitor and dna test all the deer in a given area so we will probably never knwo for sure it isn't hard to take an educated guess based on other research.

[pisces]

Thanks for the responces. I like the ' between 4 and 10' answers, seem to be educated estimates. I didn't know if it was 1 or 40.