You may see deer moving or grazing at night, but most deer are not nocturnal. They also have a larger appetite in the fall, from their instinct to put on weight for the winter.Īt this time of year, deer may continue to graze and forage for food after twilight and during the night. This is one of the reasons why they are so enticed by the wider variety of higher-calorie foods in the fall. This is essential for them to digest their food.ĭuring the spring and summer, a deer’s diet focuses mainly on greenery.
This means that their stomachs have four chambers. This diet helps fatten them up for the winter. In the fall, they eat foods such as nuts, corn, and acorns. If given the choice, they won’t eat primarily at night since they are not nocturnal.ĭeer browse and look for food in feedings area trails. The time of day they eat varies depending upon a number of factors, but they tend to eat during the early morning hours and evenings. Like other deer, whitetail deer are herbivores and primarily eat plants. This means that does aren’t always being distracted by bothersome suitors.Īll deer are spending the vast majority of their time getting as many calories as they can, collecting fat on their bodies to withstand the upcoming cold weather. This is crucial if they are to successfully survive the cold of winter.ĭuring the pre-rut period, the bucks aren’t yet completely preoccupied with wanting to breed. Both male and female deer are looking for protein sources in their diets. When the pre-rut arrives, the bucks depart from their bachelor groups and seek to find home ranges of their own. Prior to this time, bucks have lived in groups of other bachelors for the summer weather. Whitetail deer behavior tends to be quite predictable and depends on the specific time of year.įor example, it’s easiest to predict what deer will do in the period immediately before the rut. In these circumstances, deer may need to do more foraging for food during the evening or at night in order to have all the time they need to get the nutrition they require. For example, the deer may have detected the scent of a predator nearby and feel the need to move.Īlso, deer are occasionally compelled to sleep in a specific place for the entire night (or day) in order to avoid danger.
However, remember that deer’s sleep and activity patterns are affected by other conditions, including human behavior and predator movement where they live.ĭeer can be somewhat active during the day, or even in full dark, making it easy to assume deer are nocturnal if that’s when you see them. Changes in Behavior PatternsĪs someone who has seen whitetail deer at night, you may be confused by the fact that they are not nocturnal. That way visibility will be good and the road will be adequately illuminated. It’s recommended to take measures to improve your visibility when driving during these times.įor instance, make sure your windshield and headlights are completely clean. This is especially true in regions that have harsher climates.Īs whitetail (and many other deer) tend to be crepuscular, they’re most active at times of the day and evening when it’s more difficult for humans to see. Whitetail deer prefer the twilight hours because dawn and dusk often have milder temperatures than other hours of the day and night. Keep this in mind when you’re driving a vehicle, especially in the dusk and dawn hours.
While whitetail deer have relatively good hearing and eyesight, specific features of their hearing and seeing abilities differ from those of humans.
How to Avoid Hitting White Tailed Deer at Twilight Whitetail deer is mainly crepuscular and browse for food primarily at dusk and dawn. If you’re wondering whether White Tailed Deer are nocutrnal, the answer is no. They are also the smallest deer found in North America. White Tailed Deer (also referred to as white-tail or whitetailed deer) are the most frequently hunted large game in the United States.