I watched a big doe a couple of afternoons ago wobbling down a fence line and she looked as if she was about to pop. That doe had to be one miserable deer in this heat. I've heard a few people say they have seen some "skinny does", but no one from central or south AL has mentioned any fawn sightings yet.

I'm in northeast AL and our does haven't dropped yet.

not yet, just a bunch of fat, pregnant does so far.

I am from northeast alabama and yesterday afternoon I walked up on a fawn laying in some brush not 50yds from my trail camera and I think it was as shocked as I was a that moment.

I am from NE bama and seen a big fawn ran over close to the house. We are seeing some giant does ready to drop and have a few fawns on trail cams already.

Me and the wife saw one on the way back from the lake last sat. Barely able to walk.

seen one last week looked about 2 weeks old

They are allready hitting the ground here in central Alabama.

Got a pic of one on July 24 in Jackson Co. Right on schedule, puts momma getting bred the first week in Jan.

This just confirms to me that our local deer herd is really screwed up.... South of the river in Marshall county, our deer don't rut until the last few days of January, but normally in early February.

Last week in Jan. is the secondary breeding period in most of Jackson. Primary being last few days in Dec. first days in Jan. However, the peak can shift a little. But, if you hunt say Dec 25 thru Jan 10 you won't miss it. I saw a mature buck breed a doe on Dec. 28 a couple years ago. Fawns start popping out 3rd week in July. If your herd is unbalanced really bad,they may not breed till late Feb. or early March. My info is that does keep coming in every 28 days untill bred or bucks testostrone drops.

The deer here were stocked in the early 80's. They came out of G'ville state park. If I remember correctly the deer at the park originally came out of southwest AL and the deer on the north end of the Sand Mountain and Jackson county came out of Bankhead and filtered in from TN and GA. That may all be wrong though. I have not seen a fawn any year here before mid August.

I think our deer came from the Stimpson sanctuary in lower AL. They were released on Skyline WMA and the Jones farm in lower PRV. I forget the years, once in late 50's and again in early 60's. And, boy did they ever spred!

X2

I've seen a lot of fresh worked scrapes during the mid/late part of turkey season in Pike County. The rut is definitely screwed up. I wish they would take two weeks off of the early season when it is hot anyway, and add two weeks in February. Even if they did this just in a line south of Montgomery or something it would be better. If does are needing killing, have the early two weeks as doe only.

Saw one two weeks ago between Chocolocco MGT Area and Ft. McClelland. Deer here rut around Thanksgiving though.

I started getting pictures of fawns on 7/31 here in N. Bama.

That ain't a bad idea. It wouldn't alleviate human pressure in the woods, but would thin the heard and force buck to work a little harder come rutting time.

I may be missing something, but I don't understand why we need an early doe season. Just pound them first 3-4 weeks of season. Then let up on them and hunt the big un, when he gets on his feet in the rut/ breeding period. After the guns go to poppin' he's not moving in daylight till rut anyway.

They are getting close here, but as I said, no fawns yet. If fawns drop in deer like calves do in cows then these does are very close to fawning.