# How long is a whitetail in estrus???



## TRMichels (Apr 2, 2008)

This was one of the questions on the Whitetail Der Hunters Survey.

About 50% of the people got it wrong. Answers ranged 12 hours to 4 months.

Here is the answer:

In his study in Georgia, Dr. Larry Marchinton found that the estrus cycles of does ranged from 21 to 30 days, with an average of 26 days, and that does may recycle up to 7 times. Another note of interest is that the does were in estrus from 24 to 48 hours, not the 22-24 hours previously thought.

Any buck chasing a doe may spend up to three days with her without returning to its core area. If you have set up on uck trail or buck rub-route, where you have sen a buck before, but don't see it for a few days - stay there a few more, or come back and try again. If the buck is with an estrus doe, he will generally return to his core area after she is unwilling to breed, and then he will again begin to move along his normal route, until he finds another estrus doe.

God bless,

T.R.


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## Csquared (Sep 5, 2006)

Are you sure he will leave her WITHOUT breeding? I thought mature bucks following a doe were like prom dates.......

....they're not going home until the breeding is done!!!!!!


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## huntinND (May 1, 2008)

> If the buck is with an estrus doe, he will generally return to his core area after she is unwilling to breed


I think he means after the buck has bred her numerous times and the Estrous cycle is over she then becomes unwilling to breed and the buck leaves.


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## Csquared (Sep 5, 2006)

Thanks for clearing that up. You're probably right, and I'm probably showing my age.

I'm no longer familiar with that "numerous times" phenomenon.


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## ImpalaSSpeed96 (Aug 25, 2008)

The actual time she will be willing to accept the buck to breed is 24-48 hours like stated. She will continue to cycle until she has been bred, but I never heard it is over a 26 day period. I have always read that she will cycle again around 30 days later just like a woman.


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