When are fawns generally born in MN?

[BLACKJACK]

I want to get some pictures of fawns on my trail cameras, when do I need to get them out by? I'm thinking end of May...

[Mark Christianson]

When do you put them out????

You dont have them out yet? Cripes

Whatya waitin' fer?

[BLACKJACK]

After the good luck? that I had last year with my cameras breaking down, I figure the longer they stay in my shed, the less chance I'll have a breakdown!!!!

Have you got yours out yet? Hows that new Cuddleback working for you?

[Mark Christianson]

Mine are out.

No idea how they are working, but I will know this weekend.

Headed up May 6-15 to turkey hunt, fish crapps, and do a LOT of food plottin!

[FL SNIPER]

I got my Wildview Digital 2.0 out for over a month or so now. I want to thank you guys for the input on what kind/type of camera to buy. I decided on the digetel and its worked out great. I just bring my family digetel camera out to the field, pull the memory card, check out the pictures and set up the camera again. Oh...and I've had really good luck so far with Energizer Rechargeable Batteries. I have two sets of batteries for the camera...so I swap them out once every two weeks when I go to check the camera. Seems to work well. That camera takes good pictures too....good enough for me anyways. If I ever get a unique picture I will attempt to post it. So far its been does and yearlings.

Thanks again guys!

[jlm]

The gestation cycle is about 200 days and I remember hard core rutting in early November last year so that put the first round of birthing in about mid to late May. I suspect there is some variation so I would be keeping my eyes out from now to about 3 months from now as some conception date will be later (every 30 days or so). Good luck!

[Powerstroke]

In 2000 I helped on a grad project for a friend at the DNR and the task was to tag and release fawns. The trick is to find them in the first 24 hrs after birth or else they can run away from you already.

This was June 5-10 and we encountered fawns that were still wet from being born to one that looked like he was a week old.. A very conservative is anytime after Memorial Day.

[Gissert]

I can remember a DNR biologist telling me over 20 years ago that the majority of the fawns will drop around the first week of June, and this seems to hold true.

There will be another, smaller amount from the second cycle around the first part of July, and an even smaller number in August.

I had a large doe on my trail camera last summer that had fawns in late August or Early September. I could not believe it. From the photos, I just assumed she was dry or open and was really getting fat. One week later, there were two tiny fawns with her.

[PerchJerker]

At my place in northern Minnesota I have seen fawns walking and running as early as Memorial Day weekend.

I have read a theory that northern deer give birth earlier in the spring so the fawns have more time to get ready for winter, which comes earlier in the north country???

[lcornice]

After Memorial day to the first week (or so) in June. It'll take a couple of weeks for them to start really moving around though. You should be able reliably see fawns with mom by late June.

As for late born fawns, it's not that uncommon. You don't often see too many adult does breeding late but you do tend to see females that get bred as 8 month olds. They'll generally get bred Jan/Feb and have very late fawns. It's more common in the lower midwest but does happen in the agricultural areas of Minnesota.

[jbell1981]

A few time in the last 15 or so years I have seen fawns during the firearms deer season that couldn't have been much more than a month old.

[lcornice]

Quote:

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A few time in the last 15 or so years I have seen fawns during the firearms deer season that couldn't have been much more than a month old.

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Those are generally the fawns born to deer bred at 8 months old. Babies having babies if you will!

[jlm]

It also has a lot to do with the skewed buck to doe ratio as well. If you are in areas with very few bucks but lots of does, you will see late born fawns more often. Many do not make the Winter. We should start seeing fawns at any time now. I will be in the woods this weekend, will report any sightings! Good luck all!

[tripper]

A few weeks ago I went to get new string and cables put on my bow. On the way home I happen to see a deer standing back in some open oaks, made a u-ball and went bak to get a better look. As I sat there and watched she finished giving birth to her fawn.

[hugonian1]

Had a doe abnormally hanging around close to the house. A couple of mornings ago she came out into the tall grass, looked around, looked back into the woods, and out came a prancing little fawn. What a treat to watch. Gotta love spring.

[Mikinaak]

in the woods

[Gissert]

Here are two does from my trail camera, taken May 25. They look like they are ready to pop on this photo. Not much activety by them in the last week, but I expect to have some fawn photos by this weekend.

[BLACKJACK]

Saw my first one last night, a doe and spotted fawn were running on the far side of our pond.

[Johnny_Namakan]

I was always told by the "old-timers" that deer will try to drop their off-spring as soon as the snow is off the ground. This gives them the best chance at growth and therefore survival by the time winter comes. Deer, and most wild animals for that matter, are very tuned into the weather conditions. They sense things in the air way before we do. What I'm getting at is you can tell a lot about the kind of winter you will have by the deers breeding times. If they rut late, chances are that winter will stay late and the revesre is true too. Not sure if it's completely true, but there might be some merit to it. Last year the rut was pretty much normal up here so they should be right on track.

[doubleUcubed]

Around Central MN the little ones should be born late May into the middle of June. The "rut" in Central MN is around the 12th-15th of Nov. The rut is triggered by the length of daylight, sometimes referred to as Photoperiodism. Gestation on the Whitetail is approximately 200 day's or about 6.6 months which would put the births of the local fawns around the first part of June. Unbred does will come into heat 28 day's later and can be bred at that time too which will result in later born fawns, of course there are some that are bred/born outside of the these parameters.

[BLACKJACK]

Good summary Doubleucubed. That jives pretty much with what I've heard, except I didn't know the gestation period for deer.

Saw two fawns up close and personal last night. I was out mowing an overgrown 2 acre clover spot, I knew I was at risk of bumping into a fawn but the grass and weeds were overtaking it and it needed mowing bad, so I just went slow, about 1/2 the normal speed I'd normally go. Sure enough, on the second round, a spotted fawn jumped up beside the tractor and ran into the woods. I think my labs were bigger that it was. Then I made a couple more rounds and another one jumps up. Now this one was intent on staying in the tall grass that Ma had left him in, he went about 10 feet and laid down again. So I off the tractor and when I got within about 5 feet of him, he jumped up and ran to the edge of the meadow. But he wasn't done yet, after standing there for awhile, he circled back into the tall grass. So then I ran him off again, this time he did go ino the woods. Kind of neat to see, I wish that I would have had a camera. Mental note to self, mow that meadow earlier next year!!!

On a side note, you could see where the deer had really been hitting the clover, tops eaten off, and lots of stomped down spots. The spot where I had my salt block last year had been excavated a foot down. Gotta get my trail cam out this weekend!

[bigbucks]

I saw a tiny spotted fawn on the road shoulder on Saturday that had gotten smoked by a car. It was just a little bigger than a jack rabbit. That was just along the West side of Osakis Lake.