November 19, 1999

     Meet the White-Tailed Deer

The white-tailed deer is the largest wild animal in southern Minnesota.  It has a thin, reddish coat in summer, and that is replaced by a thicker, gray coat in winter.  Antler growth begins each spring and continues until late summer.  Most bucks retain their antlers only until after breeding season ends in December.  This indicates antlers are not used for defense against predators, as deer are in greatest danger in the deep snow of winter.

As the rutting season reaches its peak during the last two weeks of November and continues into December, bucks often engage in severe fights using both their antlers and hooves.  The bucks in the finest condition and having the largest racks become the fathers of next year's fawns.

Many people try to tell the age of a buck by his antlers, but this cannot be done because antler development is not an indication of age but of nutrition and amount of food consumed.  Deer ages are usually learned by studies of their teeth.

Under ideal conditions, the lifespan of a deer is about 15 years.  In a wild herd that is subjected to hunting, or has food or cover stress, few deer live more than six years.