In Louisiana its a little strange because we can have deer rutting as early as September and as late as March (3rd ruts in river parishes) and is the reason we have so many dang deer hunting zones
(to maximize dates in the field when the rut is on). All things being equal, deer drop fawns when they have the best chance of survival. In most places that is when the most food is available and that typically falls in the late spring/early summer (April showers bring May flowers) which coincides to a November rut, but in Louisiana other factors can trump food availability. There is a pretty good theory on the extreme 'late' ruts and extreme 'early' ruts in the state. Fawns the first month or so of their lives are very vulnerable and typically just hunker down and rely on camouflage when danger approaches, but not all dangers can be hidden from.
Early ruts - coastal zone deer tend to rut early even as early as September. The explanation is that these deer evolved with hurricanes and storms so it is best for them to have fawns as early as possible (which would mean rutting earlier) which allows the fawns to have enough time to develop and 'get on their feet' for the approaching storm season. They can't hide from a hurricane, they have to be mobile.
Late ruts - typically around areas of big river systems (floodplains). Parishes along the MS River for instance like Tensas, Madison, East and West Carroll, Felicianas, etc. tend to rut late (late Decemeber/January) and the explanation is that these deer evolved in a floodplain. Typical floods are in the spring when we get the most rains (April showers/May flowers) and the snowmelt up north begins. It benefits these deer to not drop their fawns until June/July when the waters recede and the food is then available. The fawns would be vulnerable to drowning if they were dropped in May.
(*can change word 'evolved' with 'adapted' if needed
)
You can have a 'late' rut in every zone, the first rut is the main rut, the second one can be the does that didn't get bred (they come into estrus, didn't get bred, and then come back in 28 days later), and the 3rd can be the does that didn't get bred again (very unusual), or this years doe fawns can come into estrus also.
Cliff's notes in urban-ese:
the baby mama ain't got time to be tending to a baby when da water is high or when a storm is nearra cuz baby daddy ain't gonna help out anyways, he just hits it and quits it and leaves it to baby mama to deal with his chirrens, he ain't got time fo that
11-07-2013, 09:34 AM
The rut is on
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