Never fancied myself a student of deer social cues, but here I am. Or rather, here is a doe and her one-year-old.
Neighboring River Forest has a postage stamp-sized field/preserve, and this small family of white-tailed deer flock to it for grazing.
The doe and her youngling behave a lot like cats (friendly cats, that is). They groom each other and stay close. Occasionally the younger one adventures out on her own. Ears perked up—always alert.
The buck, on the other hand, is a solitary sort. His priorities seem to be resting, eating, and more eating. And for good reason, an adult white-tailed deer consumes 5-7 pounds of grass, vegetation, and nuts each day to maintain a healthy weight.
must love biscuits 