Ask The Biologist

Tarsal gland staining is usually associated with bucks ... usually.

QUESTION: While hunting during the rut, I saw a deer with no antlers that had dark tarsal glands. I’ve always been told this only happens with bucks, so I thought it must be a button buck, but I couldn’t see anything on its head that looked like nubs or buttons. What else might cause this?

ANSWER: Tarsal staining is not a good indication of sex, because both bucks and does urinate on their tarsal glands. Does and younger or subordinate bucks often lick the urine from the tarsal glands so they don’t show as much staining as a mature buck. However, there are exceptions to every rule, and perhaps the deer you saw was a doe that for whatever reason wasn’t predisposed to clean her tarsal glands.

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