His tail vertebrae add only about 11 inches, but the long hair makes it far more conspicuous. Does tend to average less in weight and body length than males of the same age from the same area. Deer weights vary considerably, depending upon age, sex, diet and the time of year the weight is checked. For example, breeding-age bucks may weigh 25 to 30 percent more at the onset of the breeding season than they do at its conclusion. Hence, a 140-pound buck in December might have weighed approximately 180 pounds in September.
Hair color is alike in both sexes.
In adults, the belly, throat, areas around the eyes, insides of the ears and the underside of the tail are white all year long. During summer, the upper parts of the body are reddish brown, and in winter they are grayish brown. Summer hairs are short, thin, straight and wiry. Winter hairs are long, thick, hollow and slightly crinkled. Winter hairs afford the deer excellent protection against the cold.