Denton,

Fawns are typically born late in portions of Mississippi and Alabama.  As a manager, I worry more about the duration than the timing of fawning season.  If you are seeing small, spotted fawns for more than three consecutive months it may be an indicator that the adult sex ratio is skewed toward does.  This would result from an extended rut and therefore fawns being born over an extended period of time.  This has several negative ramifications for the herd including allowing predators to key in on fawns and abnormally high stress on bucks.  You, and all deer managers, need to collect simple harvest data to monitor the herd’s health and be able to make sound, site-specific management decisions.  Herds with characteristics as described above usually have lower body weights than normal for the local habitat.  Collect some simple, but accurate data and you can make some good assessments of the herd’s health and appropriate changes to the deer and habitat program.

Growing Deer together,

Grant