The white-tailed deer population in North Carolina has grown from approximately 10,000 in the early 1900s to nearly a million today. In data compiled by Duke University in 2020, Guilford county has more than 50 deer per square mile (see HERE).

The rezoning of large tracts of land from rural to building housing have resulted in significant changes in the wildlife population. The above deer is one of a pack of ten deer who are almost tame. Right now, they are very docile. However, come mid-October to early December in Guilford County, white-tailed deer mate the will become aggressive. This timeperiod is known as “the rut”. And, locally, the peak will be the first two weeks of November. Be careful in your yards and on the roads during this time. We are so lucky to have a diverse population of wildlife and, those in the city limits, will increasingly share their land with a variety of critters. We are their best friends, if we do not bother them, yet, we don’t entice them.

Happy Thursday!

(By the way, in the above case, the deer won the stare down)!