My 29th page... The roe deer

What do roe deer look like?

Roe deer are graceful with a white chin and rump patch and a black nose; coat is redder in summer. Male’s antlers are short and erect. Muzzle shorter than in red deer; stance more upright and ears more pointed than in muntjac. 

How big are roe deer?

An adult is between 0.6–0.75m at their shoulders and between 0.85–1.4m in length. They weigh between 8–22kg.

What do roe deer eat?

Mainly the leaves and buds of trees, shrubs and wildflowers; also arable crops and grasses.

Though most commonly seen at dawn and dusk, when fewer people are around and they’re most active, roe deer forage day and night. In fact, they feed every three or four hours, spending long periods lying and ruminating between grazing and browsing.

Do male roe deer fight?

Males become highly aggressive during the rut, from mid-July to late August, defending territories and vying for access to does. Fighting usually consists of locking antlers, twisting and shoving, which can sometimes cause serious injuries.

How long do roe deer live for

Their lifespan is usually up to 10 years.

How to age a row deer via its antlers

You can learn a lot about a roe buck simply by looking at his antlers.

Roe have simple antlers that take the same time to regrow (about four months) as those of larger deer.

Antler size is determined by age, condition and food; a buck can produce a poor set one year but a good set the next.

Roe antlers grow on pedicles, part of the frontal bone of the skull. A male kid develops a small button on his pedicles during his first few months; this will be shed in spring, when he grows his first antlers: usually short spikes.

The buck’s second set of antlers are usually short, though they may feature small tines (points) and a secondary branch. The antlers have little pearling (knobbly lumps) on the main shaft; the coronet at the base is small.

By now the buck’s antlers usually have three tines (normally the maximum in roe). The pearling is developing; the coronets are still separate. Overall, the antlers still look fairly slender. The pedicles get shorter each time the antlers are cast.

The antlers look best at about seven years old; in a strong buck they will be 30cm long, though generally still with three tines. The antlers are thicker, the pearling covers much of the shaft and the coronets usually meet.

Sources/Links:

https://www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/mammals/roe-deer-facts/

https://www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/mammals/muntjac-deer/

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