With Christmas quickly approaching, references to Santa’s reindeer are common. In my neck of the woods, it is also common to encounter deer of a different variety, White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus). When I was younger, it was rare to see white-tailed deer roaming the countryside, but fortunately, numbers of this native species have increased. However, as an adult with a long work commute, I worry that I will see too many of this beautiful animal. You see, deer and cars do not mix. With the advent of winter and fewer daylight hours, my entire drive home is in the dark. The chances of running into deer are increased, since deer tend to be more active at night. During the past few years, I have had my cars repaired at the local body shop several times, after deer related accidents. Although I am very careful when driving near known deer “hangouts”, deer still flit in front of my car at unexpected moments. My car’s brakes have been tested several times with many near misses. During the past few weeks, I have been driving home using extreme caution in deer zones. A couple of times, as my eyes scan the roadside, I have seen groups of deer standing in harvested fields, watching me. Luckily, they decided to stay off the road until after my car passed. While I enjoy watching these graceful animals move, I don’t like them moving in front of my car.

Deer are fast runners and effortlessly jump over fences and other taller objects. Their famous white tails are very prominent as they glide from place to place. Males are known as bucks and sport velvety antlers that are shed annually. I am amazed at a buck’s power and strength. Female counterparts are called does, and young deer are called fawns. Fawns are normally born in the spring, and their dainty bodies are covered with white spots for several months. It is breathtaking to watch a doe and her fawns lazily grazing on a dewy morning. These herbivores eat a variety of foods, but one favorite food is poison ivy, a plant that most humans try to avoid.

In my third Rachel Raccoon and Sammy Skunk book, “Rachel and Sammy Learn About Trees”, I have added many new characters, including a white-tailed deer. Mrs. Doe is Rachel and Sammy’s teacher and leads her class on an outdoor field trip, where Doc Opossum helps to teach the class about trees. I am very excited about this newest book in the Rachel and Sammy series and hope that it inspires children to learn more about trees.