Don't Fret Over Genetics

Most does breed for the first time when they are 18 months old (yearlings) and produce a single fawn. From then on, they typically produce twins. However, access to abundant, high quality nutrition can greatly influence fawn production. For example, in the most productive habitats, up to half of all female fawns breed their first year when they are only 6 to 8 months old. Additionally, yearling does often produce twins, and mature does occasionally even produce triplets. Given the above, it’s easy to see why whitetails are one of the most widespread and prolific big game animals in the world.

While today’s deer hunter is far more knowledgeable about whitetail biology...