Black-tailed deer are found throughout western Oregon. In early September, when this video was taken, the bucks have recently shed the velvet off their antlers. Now that their antlers are hardened and are not sensitive to touch, they are trying out their new headgear on each other. This sparring will benefit the bucks when it comes time to the rut in the beginning of November when they will be competing to see who gets to breed with the does when they come into heat. This sparring usually doesn’t lead to serious injuries or continued conflict between the bucks involved—it’s more like teenage boys wrestling for fun . |