Jan 28, 2022 5 min read

Walking through the quiet snow-filled woods, I was heading back out after a day’s scouting mission. I hadn’t seen any deer moving about and decided it was time to go in and warm up.

The deer seemed to have just disappeared with the heavy snowfall that morning. It puzzled me and I peered closely at the ground looking for sign. Suddenly, right in front of me, I saw a sudden movement of snow. It was as if the snow in front of me was rising off the ground. Three deer had been bedded down out of sight with their heavy covering of insulating snow. The deer had a heavy coating of the white, cold stuff on them like a coat. It was then that I decided to investigate their makeup a little closer.

When you closely look at those deer hairs on your next hunt, you will find out that they are hollow. These top guard hairs insulate the deer and protect the dense warm undercoat that holds warm air in close to the body. On cold, snowy days, the deer will trample a spot down and lay on the grass or brush underneath, allowing the snow to fall on top. When the deer lay in this bed, they tuck their nose under the back leg and their breath will melt all the snow under them. If they are with another deer, they will lay close together, allowing the snow to fall on top. Like a house roof, those outer hairs keep the snow off the short warm undercoat and that coating of snow protects them from getting wet and cold.

The antlers of deer have always fascinated man. Deer have antlers whereas horns belong to cows and bovines. Antlers are made of bone, cartilage, fibrous tissue, skin nerves, blood vessels and really are an extension of the animal’s skull. You probably know that deer shed and regrow these weapons every year. Did you know that deer ancestors had tusks and evolved to have antlers? The antlers grow from the skull and are covered in a skin of velvet. This velvet is full of oxygen and feeds the bone while it is growing. These antlers grow faster than any other mammal bone. The velvet is lost when the growing phase is done. Antlers are a handicap for the buck growing them as it is a tremendous nutritional strain on the animal. That’s why good nutrition plays a role in antler size too. Decreasing daylight is what starts the amazing growth and usually the antlers get bigger each time they are grown until they reach a maximum size.

I have seen many a good buck with broken-off antlers from the fierce fighting that occurs when they decide to find a mate. These antlers can make good weapons and they will occasionally get them locked together. Normally, the antlers are also used to show off for the does. They display the rack to compete for the access to mates. Males with the largest antlers are more likely to obtain mates and are the most successful breeders. Interestingly, if antlers were just used to attract mates and the biggest bucks bred the does, wouldn’t you think they would drop them as soon as they breed? This is not what happens because these antlers are also used for protection from predators. Lastly, antlers on the ground become a great source of minerals for squirrels, porcupines, rabbits and mice. I also have friends who collect sheds, and some are just good at finding them. People sell them and make quite a bit of money.

A buck’s rear hooves are smaller than its front hooves. Bucks tend to have more weight up front than does so I guess this makes some sense. Does back and front hooves are very similar. I have seen large bucks rear tracks end up in the front tracks when its running. I think this probably must have more to do with the direction his head is turned in and what he’s running on. So many interesting deer facts to learn when one hunts.

The other day, I was sitting at that gun bench window, not reloading, just sitting there watching the snow fall. It was getting colder as the day went on. Suddenly, the dog went a little nuts barking and carrying on at the big back slider. I woke up a little bit and focused on those woods. At first, I didn’t see them but then one stood up hearing that dog probably made them a little bit nervous. One by one, I watched five does stand up and shake off that coating of insulating snow. They looked a little grumpy at being disturbed by the dog, who must have spotted them. They moved off down the hill with their coating of white snow protecting them. They look so cold when you see them this way but in reality, they probably are not.

Next time you are feeling cold this winter, look out there to the woods and think about laying in a snow bed with your double coat of hair all cozy and warm, brrr I think I will go find my blanket now and warm up a bit.