Deer Update

I’m observing the local deer herd several times a week, hoping to learn more about their behavior in response to the changing seasons.

Most of the bucks have rubbed and polished their antlers……….

But not all. There is more variation in the timing of velvet removal than I realized, especially with respect to mature bucks like this one:

We usually watch deer in fields, because we can, which doesn’t always tell the whole story. In wooded areas, acorns and other hard, dry fruits are a highly nutritious and desirable food source that can be critical for winter survival and fawn production. A doe and her two fawns frequent the Red Oak trees at the edge of my property at least once a day (after they’ve foraged on my wild apples!):

“Button buck” fawn eating Red Oak acorns

Red Oak acorn

This adult doe is an “urban” deer, feeding on Red Oak acorns at the edge of a golf course, within sight of noisy patrons:

Photos by NB Hunter. © All Rights Reserved.