Deer facts

Deer Ten million years ago, within the lower arenas of an area called the Piliocene epoch, a small mammal came to appearance on earth. Through rapid growth this species was spread across the Americas, Europe, Asia, and North Africa. Eventually coming to range in size from 7' (seven feet) to the shoulder, to 13" (thirteen inches) to the shoulder. This quadruped mammal known as 'deer' in its historical life before the existence of humans had only to fear it's natural predators. One by one they fell to the effect of disease and aggressive proclamation of territory. Those of who lived healthily fell to the cause of old age. Others died from a foreign predator, while there where still others falling to their own species. Once territory had been claimed by a male, any 'buck' (male deer) to invade the claimed area was certain to come in contact with the owner, and occasionally tangle the 'antlers' (a bony obtrusion from the upper of their head, generally branching like a tree), and die of exhaustion or starvation.

However many predators devoured deer after deer, their numbers still grew immensely. Deer was an animal destined to certain extinction, due to the fact that they travel and graze upon the grass, and eventually because of their large numbers, run short on food supply. Now to this day we have in affect hunting seasons to regulate the growth of this species as well as others. When dough (female deer), becomes pregnant she will bear 1 to 2 fawn (infant deer). This happens but once a year, with a gestation period of about 160 days. Though the number of fawns she bears is small per year, however the number of dough in existence, they grow very rapidly and almost to the point of which they run short of food.

The antler, which is one of the chief distinctive marks between buck and dough, is a bone that obtrudes the top of the head. During the period of time the buck grows his antlers, he consumes a large amount of calcium from the vegetation they eat. The growth of these antlers is controlled by the sex hormone and are normally completed within about 2 or 3 months. After which circulation is cut off from the fine-haired skin, called velvet, at the base of the antler. Most antlers reach widths of 6' (six feet) wide, however they extinct species of Giant fallow deer, have a spread of about 10' (ten feet).

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