Everything You Wanted To Know About Deer

It’s easy to understand why everyone loves deer. Deer are majestic animals that roam freely in large forests but in the same time they’re also quite friendly towards humans, as far as wild animals go. Everyone wants to see, pet, hunt and feed deer nowadays.  If you are lucky enough to live in an area frequented by deer and want to see more of them, be sure to check our article on deer movement times.

How Long Do Whitetail Deer Live?

Male whitetail deer get to live up to around five or six years old. But that’s just an average – some males may live a little longer and some unlucky males tend to live a little less. Females on the other hand tend to live about two years longer than males. The oldest known whitetail was a doe that lived to the ripe old age of 22.

How Many Babies Do Deer Have?

Deer usually have 2 babies or between 1 to 3 fawns each year. In general, first time mothers birth just one fawn but their litter increases as they mature. The number of females to males in a litter depends on different factors such as food availability and potential threats.  

How Long Do Fawns Keep Their Spots?

Most fawns will keep their spots for 90 to 120 days after birth. The white spots are meant to act as camouflage, helping the fawn evade predators. During this period the doe does not stay with her litter during the day in order to avoid bringing predators to their nesting area.  

Deer Vision – What Do Deer See?

Deer vision is a much debated topic especially among hunters, because it can either make or break a hunting trip. Deer may not have the best vision, but they surely make up for it with their other senses.

Are Deer Color Blind?

Deer are definitely not color blind in the traditional sense. Deer can see colors but they don’t see them as we do. They can pick out blue and green colors but they have a harder time seeing colors such as orange or red.

Can Deer See Orange?

Research has shown that deer can’t see orange in the same way humans see it. Deer likely see orange looking more like brown or gray.

Where Do Deer Go During The Day?

Deer will spend most of the day in or close to their nesting area – this is why you’re unlikely to see deer wandering around during the day. Most deer will not travel more than a hundred yards from their nesting area during the day. Check out our other article to see when deer are most active.   

Are Deer Territorial?

Deer are not territorial in the traditional sense, but they will fight over resources and mating rights from time to time. You can even see female deer fighting off other females in certain circumstances.

Why Do Female Deer Fight?

Female deer usually fight over feeding grounds when resources are scarce, such as in times of drought. Since females don’t have antlers they get up on their hind legs and kick each other vigorously.