This young doe is one of “our” white-tailed deer – one of the several groups of does and one buck that consider our property to be within their somewhat circular browsing range. This image reveals two of her important leg glands that are named for their anatomical location and that I was surprised to learn about when I started reading about white-tails.
That dark spot on the inside crook of her left hind leg is her tarsal gland, which works in conjunction with an internal gland to produce a substance on which the deer urinates purposely at least daily. Researchers believe that this function creates each deer’s own, distinct scent by which they are primarily known in the white-tail herd. That is, white-tails usually recognize each other by urine-stimulated smell, not sight.
That tuft of white hair on the outside of the right hind leg about six inches above the hoof is the metatarsal gland. There’s another one on the outside of the left leg. Researchers believe that these glands are cold sensors that activate the deer’s body temperature controls to help conserve energy. (Image taken in Brooklin, Maine, on February 6, 2023.)