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Lost a Fawn Yesterday #8292521 06/12/21 03:53 PM
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I have watched a set of twins since mid April and another fawn for about a month. Saw a new one about 5 days ago on the cameras. I went up to mow the yard yesterday to prep to kill some hogs tonight. As I was making my first pass down the fence line I caught something just inside the donkey pasture. Saw it was a fawn and thought it was young enough it was holding in place hoping I didn't see it. I pulled the mower up and went back to look,. No movement or breath signs. Went in the gate to check. Couldn't have been dead more than a few hours. Wasn't stiff, no ants could be see at first, No sign of trauma so not sure what happened. Ruined the rest of the day. We enjoy watching them from the porch and they are comfortable enough they sleep up by the house.

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Re: Lost a Fawn Yesterday [Re: J Hills] #8292539 06/12/21 04:18 PM
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What a bummer. I have notice many more coyotes on the cameras, as they are prowling and looking for new fawns. My area is lucky to have 20% fawn survival. Seldom see a set of twins.

Re: Lost a Fawn Yesterday [Re: J Hills] #8292540 06/12/21 04:19 PM
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Mother Nature can be a cruel bitch at times. I probably would have contacted the GW and got a salvage permit to at least tan the skin so it wouldn't be a total waste.


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Re: Lost a Fawn Yesterday [Re: MWTX270] #8292558 06/12/21 05:04 PM
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Originally Posted by MWTX270
What a bummer. I have notice many more coyotes on the cameras, as they are prowling and looking for new fawns. My area is lucky to have 20% fawn survival. Seldom see a set of twins.

let some coyote hunters come and take them out


hold on Newt, we got a runaway
Re: Lost a Fawn Yesterday [Re: MWTX270] #8292569 06/12/21 05:13 PM
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Originally Posted by MWTX270
What a bummer. I have notice many more coyotes on the cameras, as they are prowling and looking for new fawns. My area is lucky to have 20% fawn survival. Seldom see a set of twins.


I have a doe that has had twins 5/6 years. The one year she didn't, she may have lost one. Don't know.

Here are this years twins and the one from mid last month.
[Linked Image]
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Last edited by J Hills; 06/12/21 05:16 PM.
Re: Lost a Fawn Yesterday [Re: J Hills] #8292704 06/12/21 08:17 PM
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Creating places where coyotes don't have to search for fawns is one of the costs in using feeders. I've heard several reports from hunters who have caught coyotes sitting and watching feeders from a distance. Being prey animals, deer prefer to use cover to their advantage, which means anything that draws the most vulnerable out into the open is what it is. The landowner of my lease doesn't allow feeders, but I'm always on the lookout for coyotes when hunting near the stock tank. And that's especially true at this time of the year when hog hunting.

Who knows, perhaps there may be a benefit to turning feeders off for a month or so during the fawning season so that does are kept better in protecting their fawns. There's usually plenty of natural browse to support their diet during that time. Never overlook the chance to think outside the box and stop creating a dinner plate for predators.

Last edited by Texas Dan; 06/12/21 08:40 PM.

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Re: Lost a Fawn Yesterday [Re: J Hills] #8292738 06/12/21 08:53 PM
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Most mommas don’t bring little ones to feeders until they are old enough. On our lease when they are birthing we lose almost all our does around the feeders for two to three weeks.


Originally Posted by Phil Robertson
Don't let your ears hear what your eyes didn't see, and don't let your mouth say what your heart doesn't feel
Re: Lost a Fawn Yesterday [Re: J Hills] #8292800 06/12/21 10:26 PM
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Most of the dead ones you never find. Coyotes make the kill and the buzzards clean up the mess.

Re: Lost a Fawn Yesterday [Re: J Hills] #8292803 06/12/21 10:26 PM
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The subject of coyotes hanging around feeders is definitely not new within deer hunting circles, but like all things its up to the hunter to decide if it happens enough during the fawning season to warrant a change in feeding practices. As this hunter notes in his comments, it's the constant smell that deer leave at feeders, and other places frequented by deer, that I'm sure draws the attention of coyotes during fawning season. If the they know it's time for fawns, it only makes sense they'll focus more of their efforts where they smell deer most often.

"If predators are in the area, it's common practice for them to ambush their prey at well visited or popular food sources. With the concentrated scent of whitetails at favorite food locations and coyotes being around, we can expect yotes to be hanging out along the frequented places or trails of deer. We've had yotes in trail cam photos from summertime mineral licks, including several in the same photo or even laying down in pics for a bit waiting on the regular whitetail visits".

Last edited by Texas Dan; 06/12/21 10:31 PM.

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Re: Lost a Fawn Yesterday [Re: J Hills] #8292890 06/13/21 12:13 AM
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Sometimes I think Mother Nature just takes the ones that are weak and would have problems in life. Still is sad to find one like that.



A clear conscience is often the sign of a fuzzy memory.
Re: Lost a Fawn Yesterday [Re: J Hills] #8292919 06/13/21 01:03 AM
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Sorry , that is terrible

Re: Lost a Fawn Yesterday [Re: J Hills] #8295136 06/15/21 01:43 PM
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My neighbor said he found a dead doe this morning. No idea why she died. No trauma and a long way from any roads. Maybe died during fawning.


Sometimes it's hard being me! But somebody has to do it.
Re: Lost a Fawn Yesterday [Re: J Hills] #8295314 06/15/21 04:22 PM
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Maybe the donkey kicked it. confused2

Re: Lost a Fawn Yesterday [Re: Texas Dan] #8297863 06/17/21 11:24 PM
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Originally Posted by Texas Dan
Creating places where coyotes don't have to search for fawns is one of the costs in using feeders. I've heard several reports from hunters who have caught coyotes sitting and watching feeders from a distance. Being prey animals, deer prefer to use cover to their advantage, which means anything that draws the most vulnerable out into the open is what it is. The landowner of my lease doesn't allow feeders, but I'm always on the lookout for coyotes when hunting near the stock tank. And that's especially true at this time of the year when hog hunting.

Who knows, perhaps there may be a benefit to turning feeders off for a month or so during the fawning season so that does are kept better in protecting their fawns. There's usually plenty of natural browse to support their diet during that time. Never overlook the chance to think outside the box and stop creating a dinner plate for predators.

I see no need to feed this time of the year. At the place I hunt we would just be feeding pigs. I have convinced most of the hunters that we don't need pens. If we turned on the one feeder that still has a pen I guarantee the feed would pile up on the ground.


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Re: Lost a Fawn Yesterday [Re: J Hills] #8298464 06/18/21 05:43 PM
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That coon under the feeder looks annoyed.

Re: Lost a Fawn Yesterday [Re: Stump_jumper] #8298742 06/18/21 11:04 PM
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Originally Posted by Stump_jumper
I see no need to feed this time of the year. At the place I hunt we would just be feeding pigs. I have convinced most of the hunters that we don't need pens. If we turned on the one feeder that still has a pen I guarantee the feed would pile up on the ground.


Most biologists would tell you that feeders, and food plots for that matter, provide deer with food that supplements what constitutes the majority of a whitetail's diet, natural browse. In fact, biologists discourage feeding even in harsh, northern climates where browse is far more limited. So it really boils down to hunters wanting to make sure they're doing as much or more than their neighbors to grow next season's trophy. Now having said all that, I do believe a diet of high-protein feed above what's provided by natural browse does create a positive impact on antler development. However, some might argue even that's not necessary in certain areas of Texas where natural browse includes solid levels of protein.

As I stated earlier, my landowner doesn't permit feeders, which means I get to observe deer in a more natural setting where their movements are not impacted by a timed food source. The does will often walk into the pastures but prefer to stay close to their edges. In fact, the last doe I watched stayed close the pasture's edges to make it around to the other side. I've also never see a doe cross any of the pastures with a fawn in tow. All things considered, I'm convinced that turning feeders off until fawns are better able to survive a chase creates benefits that far outweigh the perceived risk of deer leaving your place. Simply put, leave them alone for a month or two and let Mother Nature better protect her new crop of fawns.

Last edited by Texas Dan; 06/18/21 11:37 PM.

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Re: Lost a Fawn Yesterday [Re: J Hills] #8298833 06/19/21 12:30 AM
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Gosh, I just wish I was good and could benefit from such a pristine hunting environment. Thinking I might do away with my five feeders which are providing such a detriment to my hunting experience and to the herd.

Re: Lost a Fawn Yesterday [Re: J Hills] #8298855 06/19/21 12:53 AM
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roflmao



Re: Lost a Fawn Yesterday [Re: J Hills] #8298923 06/19/21 02:33 AM
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I forget what the length of time is(STx chime in) but maybe a couple weeks before a fawn will hardly move at all after birth. No smell, no poop, no movement and mama stays away almost the whole time. After that or not much after that they are fast enough to get away from a coyote most of the time. They still get them but they have a good fighting chance.


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Re: Lost a Fawn Yesterday [Re: freerange] #8299026 06/19/21 12:03 PM
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Originally Posted by freerange
I forget what the length of time is(STx chime in) but maybe a couple weeks before a fawn will hardly move at all after birth. No smell, no poop, no movement and mama stays away almost the whole time. After that or not much after that they are fast enough to get away from a coyote most of the time. They still get them but they have a good fighting chance.


Coyotes will chase a deer to the point of exhaustion. I'll never forget the day I was fishing on the San Jacinto River with a friend when we noticed a doe came running up from behind us and at a distance down the river. She jumped in the river and began swimming across. A few seconds later a coyote ran up and stopped at the bank. Of course, this incident is in addition to the coyotes I've shot and killed while they were chasing deer.

Just as a side note, it's been theorized the reason why deer run with their tail up is to send a signal to predators they're healthy and can easily survive a long chase. And while it's not a reliable indication by any means, it could point to why some of the old timers would often claim a deer that's been hit would run with its tail down.

Last edited by Texas Dan; 06/19/21 12:42 PM.

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Re: Lost a Fawn Yesterday [Re: J Hills] #8299258 06/19/21 06:39 PM
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2nd paragraph is little in doubt here. YoYos are not bred to be marathon runners.

Re: Lost a Fawn Yesterday [Re: Texas Dan] #8299333 06/19/21 08:41 PM
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Originally Posted by Texas Dan
Originally Posted by freerange
I forget what the length of time is(STx chime in) but maybe a couple weeks before a fawn will hardly move at all after birth. No smell, no poop, no movement and mama stays away almost the whole time. After that or not much after that they are fast enough to get away from a coyote most of the time. They still get them but they have a good fighting chance.


Coyotes will chase a deer to the point of exhaustion. I'll never forget the day I was fishing on the San Jacinto River with a friend when we noticed a doe came running up from behind us and at a distance down the river. She jumped in the river and began swimming across. A few seconds later a coyote ran up and stopped at the bank. Of course, this incident is in addition to the coyotes I've shot and killed while they were chasing deer.

Just as a side note, it's been theorized the reason why deer run with their tail up is to send a signal to predators they're healthy and can easily survive a long chase. And while it's not a reliable indication by any means, it could point to why some of the old timers would often claim a deer that's been hit would run with its tail down.

In all of 60+years watching wildlife or hunting I can only remember seeing one coyote chasing a deer...it was a mule deer buck that spooked from me and they chased him for over a mile and out of my sight. Did they run him to death or catch and kill him? No, I killed him 4 days later in the exact spot I spooked him. Do coyotes catch and kill deer? Yes, but it is mainly fawns or the old, weak(post rut or drought stricken) or injured deer. Healthy deer are not being killed as often. If you have the other food sources that a coyote lives on then coyotes will not spend as much time hunting deer.
was riding thru a Hill Country pasture back in the mid 90's with an a man from South Africa. We came up on an injured or sickly whitetail buck in a pasture full of axis deer and he was not getting around very well. The man commented "In Africa a predator would zero in on that one animal and kill it." The next day I found that buck dead and eaten on by coyotes. Did they run him to death or did was to weak/sick to flee the coyotes? What I have noticed is when coyotes are around deer on a regular basis...some deer spook at the sight of a coyote in one area of a ranch while in another area on the same ranch the deer look but pay little attention to a coyote. I have watched mule deer does and whitetail chase coyotes more than coyotes chasing deer. Seen a WT fawn in late season actual chase after a coyote.
Fawns are an easy target in dry years or overgrazed pastures. IME Fawns are pretty much scent free and the doe will try to hide them for the first two weeks. It is very common for a doe to hide twins in separate areas also. Does stay fairly close to fawn(s) when they feed IME. What I have seen is that older does have safe areas they have reared fawns in during the past that they use year after year. Their home/fawning area shrinks down a bit in size when the fawns are still small. In South Texas you will see the doe sightings on cams at the protein feeders almost disappear in the fawning periods. You also see predominantly bucks only in the protein feeders from dark to daylight on well managed South Texas ranches where they have a 1 to 1 buck to doe ratios. In good habitat and numbers in CC the does just do not hit the feeders as the bucks do. If it is above average rainfall all deer will leave a feeder.
What I have read and witnessed is that deer run with their tail up as a signal to other deer that there is danger present. I witnessed deer shot run away with tail down most of the time and seen a few of them run away with tail up.
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Re: Lost a Fawn Yesterday [Re: J Hills] #8299369 06/19/21 09:40 PM
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Wild hogs will also take an occasional fawn.

Re: Lost a Fawn Yesterday [Re: stxranchman] #8299562 06/20/21 01:33 AM
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Originally Posted by stxranchman
In all of 60+years watching wildlife or hunting I can only remember seeing one coyote chasing a deer...it was a mule deer buck that spooked from me and they chased him for over a mile and out of my sight.


You won't have to search very far to find data that shows coyotes eat a lot of fawns. The last study that I can remember reading stated that in areas where coyotes are present, somewhere between 80-90% of fawn mortality is attributed to coyotes. And let me be clear, the data doesn't reflect that coyotes get 80-90% of the fawns, only that 80-90% of the fawns that don't make it, were killed and eaten by coyotes.

“One of the guys that hunts our land has a friend that set a camera outside a coyote den. One female brought 26 fawns back for the pups. No one had any luck hunting this year,” wrote one concerned hunter."

Link

Last edited by Texas Dan; 06/20/21 01:42 AM.

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Re: Lost a Fawn Yesterday [Re: Texas Dan] #8299611 06/20/21 02:31 AM
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Originally Posted by Texas Dan
Originally Posted by stxranchman
In all of 60+years watching wildlife or hunting I can only remember seeing one coyote chasing a deer...it was a mule deer buck that spooked from me and they chased him for over a mile and out of my sight.


You won't have to search very far to find data that shows coyotes eat a lot of fawns. The last study that I can remember reading stated that in areas where coyotes are present, somewhere between 80-90% of fawn mortality is attributed to coyotes. And let me be clear, the data doesn't reflect that coyotes get 80-90% of the fawns, only that 80-90% of the fawns that don't make it, were killed and eaten by coyotes.

“One of the guys that hunts our land has a friend that set a camera outside a coyote den. One female brought 26 fawns back for the pups. No one had any luck hunting this year,” wrote one concerned hunter."

Link

Nice cutting out what you want out of my post dunce I stated clearly that coyotes catch fawns...a lot of them in bad years. Read what I posted again very slowly you dunce


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