How much work can a yearling Breeder Buck Do?

I had to use yearlings to breed with last year after EHD. I called around to guys that have been raising deer for a long time. Most of them did not really like the idea of using a yearling but I was told if you are going to do it 8 does is enough.

Also the yearlings I used last year are barely starting to grow antlers. Maybe up an inch. A full brother to one of the bucks I used is a ways past his brow tines. Looks like breeding with my yearlings may have set them back a bit .

I have seen 3 year olds breed 35+ and still grow way bigger the next year. Its not so much a number of deer, but the way the buck chases. If he chases hard and wears himself down, he of course would be able to breed less and recover. If he is calm and waits for the does to come to him or just walks after them, he could do more and recover.

I used a yearling on 9 does and he grew 84 inches the next year.... but that was in a very calm herd with a 2acre flat pen.

I agree with Todd on this one. I also believe letting a yearling have a few girls actually does make him grow off better the following year! Just my observation.

I would put cidr's in the does and synchronize them, then turn one into him every hour or so..................No chasing,Less stress and it's alittle more work but pays BIG dividens for both you and the buck!



Best of Luck

I say 5 does 6 max. Size of pens matter a lot. 3 acres is big especially for a yearling. Also Todd is correct about how they act when "chasing" the girls. I would use a small pen. Maybe 3/4 acre. Using CIDR's is a neat idea also but not sure I would stagger them so close together. Maybe one or two days apart.

Roger, We have done 12 a day 30 min. apart to one buck........17 one year!! For several years now. they have always been 2 yr old or more in age, But i can tell you for a fact by the second doe that buck is waiting at the gate for his next date and they have all taken. The first buck we did this with scored 235" @ 2 and bred 12 does in 8 hrs and went on to score 335" @ 3 and had 18 3/8' G2's.

Its worked well for me!



Best of Luck

Whitetail Sanctuary said:

Roger, We have done 12 a day 30 min. apart to one buck........17 one year!! For several years now. they have always been 2 yr old or more in age, But i can tell you for a fact by the second doe that buck is waiting at the gate for his next date and they have all taken. The first buck we did this with scored 235" @ 2 and bred 12 does in 8 hrs and went on to score 335" @ 3 and had 18 3/8' G2's.

Its worked well for me!



Best of Luck

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Very cool Wayne. Seems like a lot in a short time. But no chasing either so that's great. Still would use a lower number with yearlings. Maybe 10 using your method?

Roger, I agree a lower number for a yearling for sure!



Try my method on a few does some time and see what you think............It's unreal that ol buck will start meeting you at the gate and pacing like a puppy.............they get the hang of love in the air...............QUICK!!! Lol

Just wondering after reading this thread whats the advantage of implanting doe's with Cidr's and synchonizing if your going to buck breed them ? I'd think a buck could better breed more doe's if they were spread out and allowed to come into heat on their own . Am I missing something ? Just courious ..

I guess what Wyane was trying to say was use the cidr's and spread the does out so there are not a couple in at the same time and this way the buck would be able to breed them on a more spread out schedule.......maybe I am wrong...but I think that's what he was saying......not sure though....

We use cidr's to synchronize the does just like you would to A/I................But we also do it on our Live Cover does that we are NOT going to A/I. This way we have ALL the fawns that we possibly can in as short a window as possible so we are not strung out with them through out the summer. That way we are not starting a new group as often.

We still have the occasional A/I one who hits on back up .................But it's ALOT less this way.

Stress on the breeder is ALOT less.............In my opinion ............When he does less chasing and in turn suffers less weight loss and in turn has better over all winter health and comes out of breeding season fat n sassy?



You can do it spread out over a longer period if you have the time ? But we have been doing it here this way for 5+ yrs with 0 problems in small pens and several does!



It anyone is skeptical..................Try it on a few of your does that you were NOT going to A/I and see for yourself............Its a difference you can see first hand.



Best of Luck

Sounds like a good idea Wayne........just might have to try this......

Makes sense !! I was just wondering , thank you for the explanation !