Pueblo chieftain., 1922-02-26
D0ERINC TELLS SOMETHING
ABOUT HABITS OF THE DEER
There Are About Two Thousando Of These Wary Little
Animals In the San Isabel
Forest

\ bla ok tailed by their rather long flow
Ing white tail which shows conspicu-
ously in flight. The whtte-tailcd deer
arc little known In this region ana
are seldom seen; the small number
we have exist In the foothills near Rye.
About November first deer begin
banding in groups of five to twenty,
the bands are made up Of does, fawns,
yearlings, and ono or two bucks. Ordi-
uarily there is but one old or king
buck to tho herd but. us in all other
male life. there are many contests for
supremacy. The deer remain banded
until about March first when. upon
the buck dropping his horns. which oc-
ours annually. the band begins break
Ing up. At dsbandlug the does strike
into aspen and lodgepolc thickets to
rear their young; the fawns and year
linss depart in pairs or trlos to roam
the woods at will, while the bucks
work up with receding snow toward
and above timberline where they live.
usually alone. until tho following No
vcmbcr.
Each year the male deer raises a new
set of horns and II is during this period
that he likes to be alone. This may be
because he is cross. or because he is
in no condition to brook fight with
other male deer. During growing period
the horns are lin velvet'-covered with
a, reddish. moss-likc substance. The
points OF the horn are rounded. soft.
and very tender. Inside the ball. or
rounded point OF the TIP. is a jeily-like
substance which IS gradually growing
into new pronEs. and lengtheulng and
hardening as 1t grows. The growing
occupies all summer and we'll into Sep
tember when the deer begins rubbing
off the moss or velvet on willows and
trees until. finally. by November first.
hi. horns arc fully hardened. finely
polished. and as sharp as noodles.
From this time on he begins banding
his flock again. There are somo who
lcontend-and many old hunters at
that-that tho age OF the male deer may
hc told by tho number OF points on
his horns, thero being added one point
each year. This theory may hold good
for tho first five or six years. but af-
ter that is noe yerv rrlis bio The sau-
THOR has known deer SO old that they
were very grey and their teeth worn
points. Tho female deer never has
horns.
Tho habits of tho deer during band
Ing season. and for that matter all
times of tho year. are very regular. It
is not believed that they change abode
whero tho same deer used practically
tho samo patch OF timber In rearing
her young for ten years. and II In not
far fetched to believe that all OF them
pass their lives in certain valleys and
mountains that appeal to them. They
learn Intimately OF tho trails, runways.
and feeding grounds. and are loathe to
lcave-.t is their homo.
During November and December,
deer Will invariably bo found fecdinS
lin burns, parky spaces, and open tim
bcr. being especially fond OF aspen
wooded areas. In January and Fcoru-
sry they will DO found still feeding
-. N.,,t ~
and park-like areas for northern
slopes whore snow Is deep and tho
| timber dense. This Is charEcablc to
two reasons: they seek dense timber
to escape severity OF storms. and be-
lcauss they can paw out feed which
feed where less snow exists. As spring
approaches. and tho snow in heavy
timber dccpens and hardens SO that
lthcy can no longer paw feed. they
move toward southern slopes where
tho sun has barred the ground. ordi-
narily they feed these slopes by night
returning TO the northern slopes dur
ling tho day. incidentally the deer IS
IAN invcteratc night feeder, especially
so on moonlit nights. The deer doubt
lies, realize. that this Is the tino when
he Is least apt TO bc disturbed by man
The deer eats very little grass, sub
i-isting largely upon weeds and browse.
sage aud cldcrbcrry stems: relish oak
brush and aspen leaves. and occa-
sionally eat spruce needles. In carly
lspring they will seek tender shoots OF
grass along streams. springs, ana
'aloughs. but caro- little moro for IL
lonco weeds have appeared. They arc,
however. very fond OF grains. carrot
Itops. lettuce. and cabbage leaves of
ten invading farm gardens at night If
there il no dog about 20 discourage
Them. 1t is rare, tho. that the most
delicious morscl will tempt them into
n garden or grain field In daylight.
| I'nqucstionably the deer possesses
tho kccncst faculties OF any OF our big
game animals. Their senses OF hearing
and smelling are remarkably acute
Nature has done Wen to thus cudow
them for their enemies are many and
,unscrupulou-. \ deer crippled by gum
shot wound will invariably lie down
within three hundred yards OF where
lit was injured. and the hunter who
can stalk and kin one IN Its first bed.
lis u we'll trained woodsmau. They
know perfectly we'll that they arc he
ing. or will he. followed and. without
exception, will lie down with their
moses pointed I'm tho direction from
which they came. II n deer has the
wind" OF trackcr-ond nc VIII
.hrcwdiy take tho wind " at all posi-
lble-hc win smell tho follower nny-
where from two hundred yards up to
a quarter nile. II persistcntly follow
cd. the deer will resort to. almost hu-
imam Intelligence 90 ovndc and con-
fuse hie follower. They know and
practice many tricks. among them that
of wading up or down streams II con-
siders bic distance IN order to leave no