Lactating does

[HermanMerman]

A buddy of mine killed a doe this past weekend that was full of milk. I dressed her out myself and she was not pregnant, but it prompted the following two questions:

1. Can a lactating doe get pregnant?

2. If yes, are lactating does generally receptive to being bred?

 

[T-N-T]

My guess, she had a fawn. Maybe the fawn was recently shot, out simply not seen while he was killing the mother.
But, plenty of does hold milk through the rut. And I imagine that doesn't slow them from being bred.

 

[Milkman]

Most other mammals will conceive while lactating.

Perhaps a biologist will happen by and inform us.

 

[Patriot44]

I killed a doe once that was full of milk. My guess is a late, late 2nd rut or 3rd. I know where I used to hunt in S Fulton, you could find the woods tore up beginning of March some years.

 

[DCHunter]

I shot a doe in late december 2 years ago that was full of milk. I didn't see a fawn with her. But that February I started seeing a sickly looking, but older fawn that still had spots on it, showing up by itself.

 

[mguthrie]

my son shot a BIG doe 2 weeks ago that was full of milk. About 20 min later a BIG doe fawn came into the food plot. He figured it was her fawn. I suspect a doe will let fawns feed on them till late winter or spring. The fawn is only 5-6 months old right now. Unless it's a second rut fawn