Female deer less reclusive than bucks

A female deer is called a doe. This is a yearling whitetail doe feeding on the last of autumn leaves still clinging to life on an invasive multifloral rose.

The whitetail doe is less reclusive than her male counterpart. Because of this, the doe is generally more visible than the buck. A whitetail deer will rarely live more than eight years in the wild. A doe is most likely to give birth to one fawn during the time between late April through mid June of her second year. Successive years she may give birth each spring to two or three fawns. During her lifetime a single doe may raise as many as a dozen or more young.

Whitetails are graceful animals. Adults can easily jump farm fences where cows and horses are penned. The whitetail is the largest of all wild animals common to Southeast Missouri. They have an acute sense of smell, good eyesight and great hearing. Even so, getting a photo of a whitetail deer is not overly difficult. As with all wild animals, patience and persistence are required in getting a good photo of a deer interacting naturally within its environment.

Through the Woods is a weekly nature photo column by Aaron Horrell.