More Fawns

From the trail camera trapline there are more fawns.

Whitetails all over the dang place.

The gift that keeps on giving. 

                                                      Can you spot the twins?

  

Fawns

From a recent trip along the trail camera trapline fawns and their mama have been showing-up regularly.  Some days you'd think we were running a deer farm or ranch operation.

Little-known factoid.  The white spots on a fawn's coat do not show when a trail camera is operating on infrared (IR) mode.

 

Buckaroos

Right up there with raccoons whitetail deer are among the most frequently photographed animal by our network of six trail cameras. 

Within that category are girl deer; does.

Nevertheless, there are a bucks too.

And with the onset of summer they've shed their gray winter coat to show-off the ruddy red coat of summer for a few precious months.

And they're growing their 2026 set of antlers.  The velvet covering the growing antlers is a delicate membrane packed with blood vessels that deliver oxygen, nutrients and minerals such as calcium and phosphorus to the primarily bone antlers allowing them to develop at an astonishing rate.  The velvet supports one of the fastest-growing bones in the animal kingdom. 

Around here the process begins in April and continues throughout the summer.  Then, by late August or early September the adult bucks begin shedding the velvet revealing the bony antlers.  Antlers are shed the following late winter - early spring and the process begins again. 

 

Q&A

Question:  Why does a dog lick his balls?

Answer:  Because he can.

Same for whitetail deer.

Follow me for more critical wildlife biology answers.....

  

 

New Recruits

Trail camera pix of the incoming class of 2026

 

A very pregnant doe. 

 

 

And we got babies!

 

 

Click on images for a closer look

 

Bad Hair Day

 

This animal looks a bit raggedy so you might think it has the mange.  It doesn't.  But it's definitely scruffy as the animal is beginning to shed its fur.  Antlers are first; winter coat is next.  As the days grow longer the additional sunlight triggers hormonal changes in whitetail deer that bring-about these changes.  For boy deer testosterone levels gradually rise.  As a consequence antler growth begins and for all deer the gray winter coat, with its thick guard hairs, begins to molt.

Hormonal changes bring about a molting process twice a year and deer alternately grow a faded gray coat consisting of longer guard hairs and replace it with the ruddy red-colored coat of summer.  Better-suited to reflecting the heat of the sun the deer really stand out when they're gathered in a bright green hay field in July.  The summer coat will only last about three months before the critter begins to regrow the extra layer of longer, stiffer, hollow hair over the softer hair closer to the skin.  

Until the transition is complete the local whitetails are going to continue looking a bit raggedy.   

Hair everywhere. 

Winter Adaptations

Getting-up before sunrise, flipping-on the coffeemaker and taking note of the single digit temperatures is a huge change compared to rising to the double-digit negative temps of only a couple of weeks ago.  Change like this makes me ponder whether springtime is lurking just around the corner?  Nah.  I digress.    How do the resident critters that make their home around here adapt and adjust to harsh winter weather conditions anyway?

The short answer is that wildlife does have adaptations to the seasons and this time of year they manifest as both physical change, behavior or a combination of the two. 

Thinking of the critters that show-up most frequently on the trail cameras; the resident whitetails, raccoons, coyotes, fox and other mammalian species all grow a thicker coat of hair and fur that absorbs sunlight, and provides camouflage properties to avoid detection by predators.  Additionally, this fur coat generally consists of several layers; the softer, thicker layer adjacent to the skin traps air and retains body heat.  Next to this undercoat is an outer layer of guard hairs that repels rain, snow and wind.  

So efficient is this winter-wear that the snow accumulating on a whitetail doesn't even get close to melting....

 

 

Pre-Rut

 

Two weeks ago we found our first deer rub; predictably a sacrificial tamarack sapling. While out for our daily walk yesterday Ruby and I found our first scrape.

 

If you encounter a whiff of deer pee redolent in the autumn air look carefully beneath any shoulder height tree branches close by. You may locate a bare patch of dirt in the turf that is trampled with deer hoof prints. This is called a scrape. 

 

 

Bucks create scrapes by using their hoofs to dig at the ground. Once the soil is stirred up, they urinate on the scrape. Bucks don’t pee the way we do. We try to keep it off of us. Bucks actually try to pee on their own hind legs. The object is to hit their tarsal glands in an effort to leave their scent on the scrape. Every deer has its own unique bouquet and the tarsal glands hold concentrated amounts of that spoor. 

 

 

About the licking branch - a tree branch will hang above the cleared-out soil. Bucks will rub their forehead glands on it and will also lick it with their tongue to deposit their scent on it.

 

The earliest of rubs and scrapes that begin to appear in October are few and far between and used principally to communicate as bucks begin to leave their bachelor groups and stake-out their territory. It is akin to posting a no trespassing sign on a property line. 

 

Scrapes serve much the same function in the whitetail world as a mailbox post or a fire hydrant does for dogs. Scrapes are meant to show dominance over a territory but are normally used by more than one buck.

 

Very soon the scrape will be used to communicate breeding readiness.

Velvet Bucks

Antlers are unique among mammalian structures because they are the fastest-growing bone in the animal kingdom. While growing, they’re covered in a fuzzy skin called velvet, which contains blood vessels, nerves, and nutrients that fuel rapid growth.

Scientists study velvet antlers because they are a rare example of a mammal regenerating a large, complex organ each year—making them a model for regenerative medicine and bone growth research.

From the trail camera trap line there are velvet bucks....

 

Including this dandy boy...  

 

Mama And The Twins

There's always some uncertainty in identifying individual deer; nevertheless this is the same general location about a month apart.

The twins are growing; rapidly... 

 

 

Daily Dose

It's not just me; social media - Face Book in particular - is a vessel for disgruntled and aggrieved individuals.  Fortunately, they are in the minority.  Nevertheless, a waste of valuable bandwidth.  Clickbait.    

Since the beginning of this year I have endeavored to be a better person.  Not a Mother Theresa - just better.  And as a consequence I truthfully don't have very many grievances.  I have opinions and am not hesitant to speak truth to power; but that's not the same as full-blown grievance.

As a public service and in the interest of spreading positivity on the interweb here are some recent trail camera photos from our woods.  

A daily dose of happiness and cuteness....

 

Three Is a Charm

What are the odds? 

Ran the trail camera trap line recently and downloaded this gem. 

I have previously captured trail camera images of triplet fawns (including mom) in 2014, 2019, 2020, 2021 and now 2025.  Go ahead; type fawn triplets in the search feature in the upper left corner of the homepage.

Daycare situation or the real deal?

Fingers-crossed to catch a pic of all three with mama.... 

Daily Dose

Is it just me or does social media seem to have an overabundance of grievance?

Since the beginning of this year I have endeavored to be a better person.  Not a Mother Theresa - just better.  And as a consequence I truthfully don't have very many grievances.  I have opinions; but that's not the same as full-blown grievance.

As a public service and in the interest of spreading positivity on the interweb here are some recent trail camera photos from our woods.  

A daily dose of happiness and cuteness....

Strategic Alliance

If you spend as much time as I do napping in a deer stand or turkey blind one of the observations made during a hunter’s waking moments is that deer and turkeys sometimes hang out together.   It’s not all the time; yet, it isn’t a rare occurrence either.

The proximity of a flock of turkeys to one or more deer doesn’t scare-off the whitetails and the presence of the deer doesn’t seem to bother the birds.  By all outward appearances they seem to enjoy the company of one another.  What might be the explanation for this curious wildlife behavior and what seemingly might be a symbiotic relationship?

Wild turkeys both see in color and their vision is incredibly advanced – possibly three times greater than that of a human with 20/20 vision.  Since turkey do not sport external ears their field of view is 270 degrees and they can detect motion a hundred yards distant.  Turkeys move about in sizeable flocks resulting in dozens of vigilant eyes.  Inasmuch as turkeys will immediately begin to distance themselves from any movement they conclude is suspicious whitetail deer place their trust in the instincts of their turkey pals and follow.

Similarly, it is the sniffer of a whitetail that is incredibly advanced. I’ve been busted by a deer that winded me long before the animal ever had an opportunity to detect my presence visually.  In a group setting, if a deer goes on high-alert as a consequence of a whiff of danger the turkeys place their trust in the instincts of their whitetail pals and follow.

This photo - one of about a dozen taken over a period of twenty minutes - of a whitetail doe and fawn, accompanied by a wild turkey is likely further evidence of this symbiotic relationship.  

So, if you’re driving down the road some day and you spy a flock of turkeys keeping company with a doe and her fawns or any collection of whitetail deer there’s an explanation other than mere coincidence.

Some biologists have concluded that each species trusts the other’s best sense for their mutually-assured security.

Beauty Contest

 

As the days have grown longer the hormonal levels of whitetail deer began to change.    

Fawns are born, antler growth commences as testosterone levels increase for the boy deer and for all of the whitetails the gray winter coat with its thick guard hairs is shed and the ruddy red heat-reflecting summer coat is revealed.   

The process is complete now and you cannot miss the deer highlighted against the lush green clover and alfalfa of the local farm fields.           

These daylight-influenced hormone levels occur twice a year to trigger the spring molt and after only three months, is supplemented by the regrowth of the extra layer of longer, stiffer, hollow hair over the softer hair closer to the skin.         

Mangy Deer

This animal looks a bit mangy but it's probably just scruffy.   

As the days grow longer the hormonal levels of whitetail deer begin the change.  For boy deer testosterone levels gradually rise.  As a consequence antler growth begins and the gray winter coat with its thick guard hairs begins to molt.

Hormonal changes bring about this process twice a year and deer alternately grow a faded gray coat consisting of longer guard hairs for winter-wear and replace it with the rusty red-colored coat of summer.  The summer coat will only last about three months before the critter begins to regrow the extra layer of longer, stiffer, hollow hair over the softer hair closer to the skin.  

Until the transition is complete the local whitetails are going to continue looking a bit raggedy.  

 

Pre Rut

There are a number of locations on our property where you can predict the arrival of a deer scrape almost to the day. Last Saturday doggo and I were out hunting ringnecks when we decided to check several of those spots for any activity.

Sure 'nuff, and right on time, at the bottom of this photo (arrow) is a recently started scrape.  At the top of the photo is a horizontal branch of an oak tree just to the left of the photo frame.  This is called a licking branch.  Licking branches are located directly above a scrape. 

If you encounter a whiff of deer pee redolent in the autumn air look carefully beneath any shoulder height tree branches close by.  You may locate a bare patch of dirt in the turf that is trampled with deer hoof prints.  This is called a scrape. 

Bucks create scrapes by using their hoofs to dig at the ground. Once the soil is stirred up, they urinate on the scrape.  Bucks don’t pee the way we do.  We try to keep it off of us.  Bucks actually try to pee on their own hind legs.  The object is to hit their tarsal glands in an effort to leave their scent on the scrape.  Every deer has its own unique bouquet and the tarsal glands hold concentrated amounts of that spoor.  About the licking branch - a tree branch will hang above the cleared out soil. Bucks will rub their forehead glands on it and will also lick it with their tongue. 

The earliest of scrapes that begin to appear in October are few and far between and used principally to communicate as bucks begin to leave their bachelor groups and stake-out their territory.  It is akin to posting a no trespassing sign on a property line. 

Scrapes serve much the same function in the whitetail world as a mailbox post or a fire hydrant does for dogs.  Scrapes are meant to show dominance over a territory but are normally used by more than one buck.   

Very soon the scrape will be used to communicate breeding readiness. 

Mr. Buck

There's a pretty good chance that by the time you view these photos the velvet on these antlers will be gone.

Anywho, there are some dandy buckaroos around these parts.

If you're careless you might catch a case of Buck Fever....

The Big Fibroma

On July 7 I scored some photos of a whitetail with a pendulous tumor.

Looks gross, eh?

I emailed the pics to a biologist I know who heads-up the UW School of Wildlife Biology in Madison to see if she might shed some light on the subject. She shared them with the DNR’s Chief Veterinarian.  Here’s the response back:

 

Hi all-

 

While I can’t make a diagnosis from a picture, the image would be most consistent with a fibroma. They can vary greatly in size and shape. Usually they’ll eventually regress. Sometimes that can be irritated by injury or insect bites but again that is self-limiting most of the time. These fibromas are just a lesion of the skin and caused by a deer specific papillomavirus. 

 

More info can be found here: https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/.../wildlif.../disease/Deerfibroma

 

Best

 

Lindsey

 

This showed-up on a trail camera last week.  Looks like it's improving all on its own... 

 

 

Diagnosis

 

Looks gross, eh?

These images showed-up on a trail camera recently showing what appears to be a pendulous tumor on an otherwise healthy-looking whitetail.  Curious, I forwarded them to a biologist I know who heads-up the UW School of Wildlife Biology in Madison.

She shared them with the DNR’s Chief Veterinarian.

Here’s the response back from the doctor:

Hi all-

While I can’t make a diagnosis from a picture, the image would be most consistent with a fibroma.  They can vary greatly in size and shape.  Usually they’ll eventually regress.  Sometimes that can be irritated by injury or insect bites but again that is self-limiting most of the time.   These fibromas are just a lesion of the skin and caused by a deer specific papillomavirus.  More info can be found here: https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/wildlifehabitat/disease/Deerfibroma

Best
Lindsey

These are  deer fibroma, or warts, and generally disappear as the animal mounts an immune response and do not present a health risk to humans.  The meat is safe for consumption too. Michigan DNR also hosts a detailed webpage on the subject here: https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/managing-resources/Wildlife/Wildlife-disease/WDM/deer-fibroma

 You learn something every day.....