Hunters must know how long are deer pregnant and the best times during the hunting season are. In addition, you can find a link between how long is a deer pregnant and the game’s availability.
You can ask how long are whitetail deer pregnant, as if they are active just before the fawning season, they’ll be a no-go area for hunters.
To put it into perspective, Doe (Female Deer) can be pregnant for up to 205 days depending on the species, while others could go up to 230 or even 286 days.
It is highly beneficial for hunters to understand the reproductive process and how long are deer pregnant to save the next deer generation. Before breeding season, both males and females must experience significant changes in their hormone levels and reproductive organs.
In our guide, you can learn more about the gestation period of white-tailed deer and others, as no one wants to hunt pregnant doe.
By the end, you’ll know enough to see how long after mating season deer gestation periods will be and when deer reproduction is safe to add back all the adult deer into your trophy hunt expeditions. (Read Best Times to Hunt Whitetail Deer)
How many months is a deer pregnant?
The breeding season begins in early April and lasts until June, with seven months of gestation.
However, there is more to it than this, as there are different deer.
Mule deer and white-tailed deer are the two main types of deer found in the United States. You’ll find mule deer in Western America and West of the Rocky Mountains and Whitetail deer east of them. However, the location and physiology of these deer differ.
Deer Differences
An adult white-tailed male deer weighs between 150-175 pounds, whereas a mule buck weighs between 180 and 200 pounds on average.
Mule female deer (does) range in weight from 95 to 195 pounds, whereas white-tailed does are around 100 pounds. A doe is usually ready to conceive and breed when she is six to eight months old, and typically a deer is a seasonally breeding animal.
However, when you look at how long deer are pregnant, the gestation period of these two species is remarkably similar. The white-tailed doe has a 201-day gestation period, while the mule doe has a 203-day gestation period. Compare this to a Fallow Deer, whose gestation period is between 230 and 245 days.
Another species is the red deer (Asia, Northwest Africa, and more). Red deer stay pregnant for 264 – 305 days and produce 1 -5 offspring per year.
Note: Fallow deer are typically found in Europe, Asia Minor, and the United States-especially Texas.
A young doe normally gives birth to one fawn during the first year, but in future years, she may give birth to up to four fawns in a single delivery. (Learn What Do Deer Like To Eat)
Hunting Seasons
During the summer and the chilly winter seasons, the does and bucks of most deer species graze apart. However, because deer avoid rutting in wintry weather, this is a valuable predictor for when to go hunting.
The antlers begin to show in the fall, and they begin to mingle. This makes spotting the bucks in the wild much easier.
The rut season in the northern United States occurs between October and December, just before it gets chilly. Mating does not occur until January, sometimes even late February in the southern United States.
The actual rut date will be determined where you live and hunt.
The fawns are born between May and June, allowing for the gestation of a pregnant doe in the meantime. As a result, summers are usually lean, and there aren’t many deer around. This refers to the fall/rutting season, which runs from October until February.
Deer Breeding Season
The rut, or breeding season, is when bucks tend to be active. Does under the age of a year who are not pregnant are active and preparing for their upcoming pregnancies; the pregnant does are out eating and grazing more.
Because the male deer are out more to mate during this season, the chances of deer hunters getting a buck are higher.
Deer Pregnancy
Each state has its hunting regulations, and in some, it is illegal to hunt pregnant doe; thus, you need to know the signs and appearance of pregnant deer.
To spot if a doe is pregnant or not, check its behavior and size. If you’re not sure, it’s best to stick to a buck deer hunt.
The more you travel north, the fawning season arrives later, so the deer reduce the time fawns are exposed to the cold. (Read Rice Bran For Deer – To Attract and Hunt Effectively)
Fawn season lasts two months, with doe fawns appearing at the end of the year or mid-January.
One hunting tip is to watch out for a pregnant doe. If you spot one, there are chances a white tail deer buck or other species won’t be too far away.
How Many Times A Year Can A Deer Get Pregnant?
Most first-year does only have one fawn each year, but twins or triplets are expected after that.
Young fawns are left alone as their moms eat until they are strong enough to keep up with them.
Female deer begin to keep away from the baby deer to avoid attracting predators to their young. Because of the length of the gestation period, female deer can’t be pregnant more than once in a short period.
Besides this, deer are seasonal breeders, and mating season occurs at specific times. Here, you can learn more about being a seasonal breeder.
Doe Seasonality
Seasonal changes such as temperature, rainfall, and how long days affect the breeding season in deer.
Deer responds to short-day lighting and are not cycling during the summer months but signs the estrus period is starting.
The estrous cycle in deer ranges from 17 – 22 days, depending on deer species. A buck won’t let another male approach the female deer at the peak estrus period. You’ll also spot that the tails turn flat and urinate when in heat.
Buck Seasonality
The season when deer breed is called the “rut,” where they show their impressive antlers. The rut occurs during October (early fall), but some bucks rut during December are the younger or weaker bucks.
The rut season is best for buck hunting as they are out in force trying to find young doe to mate with. (Learn Where To Shoot A Deer)
Doe Seasonality
Female deer are short-day breeders and start estrus from October to December in the fall season.
Seasonality for breeding is vital for deer because it allows their offspring the best chance of survival as they are born in the early spring to early summer when food is abundant, and it isn’t as cold.
How Long Is A Deer In Labor?
When hunting deer, you should be well-versed in the seasons that affect your prey and the length of deer gestation.
Seasonal breeders have been identified because of research into deer reproduction psychology and when to hunt deer.
This means that a pregnant doe relies on the weather, day duration, and rainfall.
The reproductive cycle of pregnant deer is remarkable because it should give birth when the conditions are favorable for the survival of fawns.
Most does in North America give birth between late spring of May and early June. During this time, the fawns have access to a wide variety of healthy feed, thanks to the thriving lush flora.
When a Deer Is Ready to Give Birth, How Do You Know? A doe isolates herself from the rest of the herd as she gives birth.
They choose a densely vegetated region to keep the fawns safe from predators. The doe rests on her side among the thickets to assist uncomplicated birth.
The doe stands once the fawn is exposed by two-thirds, allowing it to glide out on its own weight. It’s also worth noting that female deer labor for between 24-48 hours, though this varies according to the doe of each different species.
How Can You Tell If A Deer Is Pregnant?
It’s impossible to detect if a deer is pregnant until she’s well into her pregnancy after a successful mating period. They don’t show until well into the third trimester of pregnancy.
When you see the following signs on a doe, you can assume she’s pregnant:
- Her lower abdomen has a huge protrusion, which you notice.
- The doe cleans her fur regularly.
- She spends a lot of time looking around and is always on high alert.
- There are other pregnant women in the area. They frequently travel together while expecting a child.
- It’s the beginning of spring. During this period, it’s a good bet that most does are pregnant.
White Tail Deer
Whitetail deer can be found throughout the United States and in South America. The females go into heat for 24 hours, and most of them do so around November. Therefore, the mating season is in full swing from October to December. After a 200-day gestation period, the first fawns will be born in the latter part of April.
Mule Deer
Mule deer can be found throughout the western United States, including the four American Southwest deserts. These deer are similarly polyestrous and only breed during the day.
Mule Deer mating season peaks in November and December. Before the breeding season, males will grow antlers and often battle with other males and play chase games with does for the privilege to mate. After mating, they will stay together for a few days.
Red Deer
Western Europe, northwest Africa, Asia, and northern America are the most common habitats for red deer. Males do not use antlers to attract mates. Instead, males roar to attract females before they start breeding. Females can tell the difference between the roars and frequently prefer a guy with a quieter roar.
Roe Deer
Roe Deer are found throughout Scotland, the UK, and Europe, and their breeding season lasts from mid-July to mid-August.
The fertilized eggs develop towards the end of December or early January, despite August being mating season, and the doe is pregnant at this time.
This is considered to deter deer from breeding during the winter when supplies are scarce.
Females remain pregnant until May and June and give birth to 1-3 baby deer, where twins are common. After that, males grow violent, protect their territories, and battle over females to attract mates.
Fallow Deer
You may find fallow deer worldwide, but especially in Texas. Deer breed from September to November, with the peak breeding season in October.
The gestation period is 7.5 months, and fawning occurs from late May to late June. Twins are common, but usually only one fawn. To breed, males mark an area that no other males may enter. (Read The Benefits of Using a Scope When Crossbow Hunting)
Females will stay in a male’s territory until they come into heat and mate. Males quit their territories after mating season and rejoin other male groups.
With all the above, you’ll find certain times of the year a lazy season before you can start hunting again. However, when you understand why deer need to reproduce, you can see it will bring years of happy hunting for everyone.
