Who left this impression in the snow?
A white-tailed deer lay snug in “bed” to rest and digest.
Look closely and you can tell what direction the deer was facing. Deer lay on their sides with their front feet tucked under them and the hind legs out to one side. The smooth curved area is the impression of the deer’s rump and lower back. The folded front leg prints show on the opposite side of the bed. These leg prints are deepened when the deer stands as they lean much of their body weight into their front knees before fully standing. The impression of the folded hind leg the deer was lying on is also sometimes visible alongside the body.
Where several deer have bedded down, usually each deer is facing a different direction to best detect an approaching predator. The beds are also often on higher ground to give them a good vantage point. The dominant deer in the group often takes the highest bed. Look for different sized beds to give you clues about the animals’ ages. What deer stories can you piece together?