You might need to tell a buck from a doe, especially in late seasons.
QUESTION: Last fall I had around five does 20 yards from my ground blind but was not sure if one of them was a buck that had lost his antlers. Can you help me determine this in the future?
ANSWER: There are no certainties, but you can reduce the odds of misidentification with some general guidelines. Typically, bucks should retain their antlers through the fall, and therefore most hunting seasons. There are always exceptions, but they’re so rare you shouldn’t worry. The possibility of misidentification increases when very late hunting seasons extend into winter.
However, at 20 yards you should have no problem distinguishing a buck from a doe. The buck will still have very obvious circular patches where the antlers detached.
Even in low light and farther distances, there are some other things to look for. Bucks and does are built differently, with bucks having broader shoulders and narrower hips, while the opposite is true of does. Bucks might also still have thick necks although that’s a less reliable characteristic, particularly in northern deer with dense coats.
While bucks are less aggressive after testosterone levels have diminished and antlers have fallen off, they still tend to be loners, and less likely to be in amongst a group of females. If you’re still not sure about a certain deer and don’t want to make a mistake, pick one you are certain is a doe and shoot it.
— Recent Ask the Biologist Question: Luke, I am Your Father: It’s entirely possible that localized genetics influence antler characteristics. Find Out The Answer!