Tuleyome Tales: When it comes to black-tailed deer, the nose knows.
The female black-tailed deer have five scent glands on their bodies and the males have six. Each one is on a distinct spot on the deer’s body and can transmit different kinds of pheromonal information from one individual to another, or from one individual to the entire herd.
The one gland specific to the males is the one on the forehead between the antlers. It secretes a scent that communicates the buck's physical maturity and whether or not it is old enough to breed.
You’ll often see the bucks rubbing their foreheads against trees and other vegetation, marking them with scented advertisements to females and other males in the area.
Comments
Add a Comment