White-tailed deer are common throughout Georgia. Understanding their reproductive cycle provides insight into when these deer give birth to fawns across the region.
The Breeding Season
The reproductive cycle for white-tailed deer begins with the breeding season, often called the “rut.” In Georgia, this period generally extends from October through late December, with specific timing influenced by geographical location. Shortening daylight hours serve as the primary environmental cue, triggering hormonal changes that initiate mating behaviors in deer. During this time, male deer, or bucks, become more active and less cautious as they search for receptive females.
Across much of northern and central Georgia, the rut typically peaks from early to mid-November. In southern counties and coastal plains, peak breeding activity occurs later, often in late December or even into January.
Gestation and Fawning Season
Following successful mating, white-tailed does undergo a gestation period of approximately 200 days, or roughly six and a half to seven months. The majority of fawns in Georgia are born between May and August.
The peak fawning period in the state generally occurs in June. Newborn fawns typically weigh between 4 and 8 pounds at birth and possess a distinctive spotted coat that provides natural camouflage within their environment. Within minutes to hours of being born, fawns can stand and take their first wobbly steps.
Regional Variations and Fawn Behavior
While the fawning season spans several months, minor regional variations in timing occur within Georgia. These differences are often linked to genetic factors and the specific photoperiod of an area. This localized timing ensures fawns are born when environmental conditions, such as food availability and cover, are most favorable for survival.
After birth, the doe licks her fawn clean, a behavior that removes birth scents and helps prevent predators from detecting the newborn. For their initial weeks, fawns spend most of their time hiding alone and motionless in dense vegetation. The mother visits her fawns only a few times a day to nurse them, minimizing the risk of attracting attention to their hiding spots. By about three weeks of age, fawns grow strong enough to follow their mothers and begin foraging on plants within a month, becoming fully weaned around three months old.