This Maine native was totally unimpressed with the freezing arctic airs that were swirling around her on Saturday. White-tail deer are superbly adapted for winter; they reportedly can survive in temperatures down to 30 degrees below zero Fahrenheit.
How do they do it? There are a number of organic and lifestyle reasons reported in the literature, including the following ones.
To begin with, the deer eat voraciously in the fall to increase their fat storage; they reportedly can store enough fat to lose up to 30 percent of their weight during the winter. They also “run hot”: their body temperatures average about 104 degrees, compared to our 98-99.
In addition, their body heat and outside heat are managed efficiently. The deer grow darker gray-brown winter coats that absorb heat. Those coats are layered with hollow guard hairs over furry undercoats, which the deer can adjust for maximum insulation by using their muscles. The deer usually are so well insulated that the snow on their backs doesn’t melt:
eighton Archive Image
In terms of lifestyle, white-tails reduce their activity during the winter. They move more during the warmer daylight hours and rest more at night to conserve energy. In really bad weather, they often seek collective refuge in a protected “deer yard”– an area in the woods with natural wind barriers, food, and (if possible) a nearby clearing with a southern exposure for taking in sunlight, should it appear. (Primary image taken in Brooklin, Maine, on January 22, 2022.)