Missouri Conservationist online

Sept. 2001 - Vol. 62, No. 9

Deer Time

The reddish color on the antlers of the deer on the left indicates that these deer have recently shed their velvet. Male deer sometimes form social groups in the summer, but when the rut begins, they become solitary and pugnacious. Male bucks use their antlers to intimidate other bucks or to fight with them for the attention of females. In Missouri, the rut typically begins in early October and peaks about the middle of November.