Amazing facts about deer

Deer friends.
We need more of you.

It’s funny that we use the word “scapegoat,” because deer are really the ones we’re always blaming. They eat our expensive hedges, force us to wait all of 30 seconds so that they can cross the road with their cute little families, and—most offensive—are trying to conserve their species by procreating. Appalling, I know.

The classic argument against deer is that they are overpopulating. Which is ironic, because deer haven’t overpopulated; we have. Since European colonization and the dispossession of Native Americans (yeah, we’re going there), we’ve dominated habitats, eradicated entire species, and altered the landscape. Deer have figured out how to live within the margins of the ecologically unbalanced environment we created, and that’s in spite of our organized efforts to make it fatally inhospitable to them.

Arguments aside, deer are nimble, gentle, loving creatures. The least we could do, and should do, is get to know them.

Let’s review a few reasons why we should really treat them, well, dearly.

• Deer are playful.
  • Reindeer games aren’t just a thing of the North Pole. Whether they’re prancing, dancing, or just playing around—deer love to have fun. And who says dogs are the only ones that can kick around a ball? This deer's got game.

• Deer are great listeners.
  • No promises that they’ll pick up the phone if you need to vent, but when it comes to survival, deer have an incredible sense of hearing. In fact, a deer can be in a deep sleep, but its ears never stop moving, and its brain is analyzing and filtering out sounds that don’t represent danger.

• Deer are super-sniffers.
  • Deer have a highly developed sense of smell—100x better than ours. Much like dogs, the moist nose of a deer allows it to pick up the faintest of odors. One of their best weapons for defense, a deer can detect the odor of approaching danger several hundred yards away.

• Deer take care of each other.
  • While bucks (male deer) tend to ride solo, does (female deer) travel in groups and are known to look out for one another. For example, a white-tail doe sensing danger will flee the area with the white of her tail exposed, serving as a silent warning signal to the others. Talk about does before bros.

• Deer are gentle and strong, amidst challenge.
  • Sure, most deer are a little skittish and paranoid, but for good reason; they’re forced to live in constant fear of unexpected attack. When faced with challenge, deer are intuitive, nimble, gentle, and strong. 

By this, we can all learn from deer. In the inevitable obstacles we face in life, can we—will we—respond with such grace and gentleness?

Wear your heart on your chest,
and check out The Vegan Age deer collection.