Biology And Management Of White-tailed Deer In Alabama

later estrous cycles will have fawns at a time when habitat conditions
are at their poorest. As a result, later born fawns often have lower
weights and poorer antler development than their earlier born cohorts.
It may take several years for late born fawns to catch up with respect to
physical condition.
In populations heavily skewed toward females, population density
often is excessive and out of balance with existing habitat conditions.
Attempts to control
overall herd density
through harvest becomes
increasingly
difficult as sex ratio
becomes
more
skewed toward females.
Does have
different habitat requirements
and
preferences than do
Excessive deer numbers and few antlered bucks
often are problems associated with deer
populations heavily skewed toward female deer.
bucks outside the
breeding season.
Poor growth rates
among younger deer
and poor reproductive success for does generally are associated with
increased competition for food and cover. These negative impacts are
typically the result of too many does, rather than too many bucks (Miller
et al. 1995).
In herds with doe-heavy sex ratios, bucks have to do very little
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