Fallow deer are magnificent creatures on numerous levels. Their senses of smell, hearing, and eyesight are acute. Fallow deer have the ability to exchange messages among themselves via bodily movements, voices, and scents. One of the most defining features of this deer species is the antlers that grow up to 70 centimeters tall and make the Fallow deer very sought after for trophy hunts. Knowing about the mating habits of the Fallow deer will help you on the hunt for these magnificent creatures.
The Normans brought the fallow deer to the Britons during the 11th century. Today they have spread to Scotland and Northern Ireland as well as Britain. There is a good number of deer existing within the Texas region of the United States due to this. That is the reason hunters commonly head over there whenever they aim for the fallow deer.
Mating Behavior of Fallow Deer
Fallow deer breed seasonally with a September-to-January breeding season. Throughout this time period, called the rut, the males will mark their territory as well as paw the ground. It will urinate on these sites as well as grunt and make a low-pitched sound. The grunts, or as they are also called the mating calls of the deer, will number over 3,000 hourly during mating season at its prime.
One interesting bit of information about these calls is that they have a great deal of information that humans cannot understand. However, to the fellow fallow deer, a single call will tell them the individual’s status within the group as well as the size.
Aside from grunting vocally and constantly, the male fallow deer will also engage violently with their antlers during the mating season of the fallow deer. Rarely do serious injuries occur from such combat. It is merely one among the mating habits of the fallow deer as well as one of the demonstrations of the fallow deer’s virility and strength.
Even the grunts of theirs will reveal if they have had a good mating season. When the groans are tired then you will have a definite sign that the buck is fatigued. Male deer will discontinue eating during the mating season and even lose more than a quarter of their body weight stressing about finding a mate.
Those grunts will eventually attract females into the territory the males have marked throughout the mating season. The females will remain there until they come into heat and mating. Females commonly give birth for the first time when they are approximately 16 months old. The peak time of the conception of these deer occurs during the month of October. When the deer have finished mating, the buck deer will go away from the area and return to the cohort of buck deer they were previously a part of before the breeding season. He will merely return to the area or find a new area of breeding when the time of mating comes again the following year.
Gestation Period of the Fallow Deer
Once a female deer becomes pregnant the pregnancies typically take 33-35 weeks before they give birth. Most females give birth during June. Prior to a female giving birth, they will typically find a private hiding point where they can give birth. Female deer do not give birth in the presence of other animals including the fathers who have by then already dispersed and gone off to return to the herd. Female deer give birth to one offspring at a time.
Following birth the mother will not immediately join with the herd. Instead the mother will hide the fawn amongst the bushes and return to nurse it on a regular basis. Mothers will imprint on the newborn by licking the young. Weaning will begin at about 20 days of age but will not be fully completed until the seven-month mark. Sometimes that might occur earlier and will do so during the fall. It depends on the calf. The mother and the new fawn will join the herd after approximately 3-4 weeks. The independence of the fawn will take a year. The buck’s average lifespan is 8-10 years while a select few will live up to 16 years.
Learning About Fallow Deer Mating Behavior
If you want to know more about the fallow deer and hunting techniques, contact Squaw Mountain Ranch. There are no seasons wherein you cannot hunt the fallow deer, making the activity accessible throughout the year.
Call today at 830-275-3277 for more information on the variety of packages for the deer hunts in Texas.