With no natural predators or controls in place, the population of deer has boomed to over 25 million nationwide.

Average lifespan is between 3-5 years, and up to 20 years in captivity.

The home range for a typical deer is ½ to one square mile.

Adult deer body length is from 5 feet to 8 feet long. Adult body weight for female deer (does) is 90 to 210 pounds. For male deer (bucks), body weight ranges from 130 to 300 pounds.

An average deer eats six to ten pounds of plants in a day, or a half ton over a growing season.

Adult female deer (does) have two to three offspring each year. Young fawns are born mid-May through July.

Adult male deer (bucks) begin growing antlers in late winter or early spring, within weeks after the previous year’s antlers are shed. Deer antlers are among the fastest growing tissue known to man.

The deer’s hearing and sight are amazingly keen, but its strongest sense is its ability to smell. A deer’s nose is 10,000 times stronger than that of humans.

If spooked, deer can run up to 35 to 40 miles per hour, jump over 8 foot hurdles or leap a 25 ft. wide road.

Deer are active around the clock, but less so during daylight hours. Most often, deer are on the move at dawn and dusk.

Deer/car collisions are increasing at an alarming rate each year. Drivers should pay special attention during breeding season in the fall, between October and December. Be especially cautious when traveling through zones marked with deer crossing signs.

Each year, there are millions of dollars in deer damage to plants and crops.

Deer can carry ticks, Lyme disease, and other parasites, which could spread to humans and pets.