Seeing an adult doe with twin fawns used to be the rule but increasingly seems to be the exception. Most herds are still healthy but recruitment rates seem to be declining nationwide. Fortunately, there are ways to improve the situation.
Predator Control
As we discuss harvesting crops, let’s start with the low-hanging fruit. It seems almost intuitive that predator control will improve fawn production. It sounds good in theory, but often falls short in practice. For the most part, we’re talking about coyotes, and widespread efforts to eradicate them have failed time and time again. That doesn’t mean they can’t be controlled.
Concentrated trapping and eradication programs have had some success in small, localized areas. However, such efforts are only a short-term (annual) remedy, and can be quite expensive – between $200 and $300 a day. And it has to be done right. Coyotes are resilient and adaptable, and some research suggests that when conducted casually or improperly, control programs can actually have an effect opposite of what was intended. In summary, we can reduce predator numbers over the short term, but we can’t really control them. Besides, there are better ways to boost fawn production.
Herd Management
One is to control the prey. The deer’s natural defense against predation is an adaptation called predator swamping. They produce a glut of potential prey by dropping fawns in a relatively short, synchronous time period. Predators can only take so many, leaving the others time to get their feet under them literally. Maintaining a healthy doe population ensures a sufficient number to do the job.
Most deer management is directed toward females as they represent the reproductive potential of the herd. The goal is to have enough does that they can withstand predation, but not so many that habitat and herd health suffer. Every situation is different, and it takes time and effort to determine the proper population level for any given property. For better or worse, it’s very hard to over-harvest deer. Removing some deer means there are fewer out there, and they wise up quickly. Even on intensively managed properties, results often fall short of objectives.
Maintaining a healthy age structure is also a factor in the equation. More adult males in the herd tend to produce a more synchronous and compacted rut. It also means more fawns being born during a shorter period the following spring.
Habitat Management
The third leg of the fawn recruitment stool is managing habitat to provide more and better food and cover. The latter is essential as research has shown that improving protective cover is a more effective way to reduce predation than predator control.
Providing enough of the right food throughout the year is also essential. Healthier deer are better able to avoid predation and produce more offspring. Food plots, mast orchards, timber management, and letting open areas revert to brush are all ways to improve food and cover.
Conclusion
The basic steps for improving fawn production involve reducing or removing predators, controlling the harvest, and managing habitat. Every property is different, but recruitment rates should rise if you apply that general philosophy with a healthy dose of common sense.
Bob Humphrey is a certified wildlife biologist, outdoor writer, and registered Maine guide who divides his time between producing, harvesting, and consuming wild game.