This common mammal seen elegantly springing across fields or through forests is still a favourite sighting of many. A white-tailed deer is commonly seen on the edges of forests and in fields of crops in the spring, summer and early fall. The deer then move into forests for protection from the elements in the harsh winter season. Deer are actually not nocturnal but rather crepuscular. Crepuscular means they are most active at twilight, meaning dawn and dusk. This is the time you will most often see these animals seeking out water and food. They come out at this time because visibility is challenging which gives them an advantage over predators.
We hear about the history of these deer every day from Rondeau Park visitors. Everyone seems to remember the multitude of deer that roamed the woods by the hundreds and from what I’ve been told by visitors, roaming right up to the car windows as well. I was quite interested in these incredible animals before my job here at the Rondeau Visitor Centre and they still peak my interest today. Besides being told stories from visitors and fellow staff of Rondeau I have spent a bit of time researching the white-tailed deer in books and magazines.
The white-tailed deer can weigh up to a whopping 300lbs and if stretched out could be up to 7½ feet long! These deer have a very large range which covers most of North America. They are herbivores and graze on a variety of plants, nuts, grasses, corn, flowers and may even eat twigs and lichens. A single bound may reach up to 30 feet and they may jump as high as 10 feet! The power of this mammal is really astounding, especially considering they do so much bounding.