#not deer

[blodwyrm]

saw someone on artfight with “traditional art” genuinely in their DNI 😭😭 like aww okay

[xpebblefm]

What the fuck is he smiling at 🦌🦌

[identifying-deer-in-posts]

Happy Halloween! This year, let me tell you about the Not Deer -- and why it is, in fact, just a deer

You've probably seen it if you've been on the internet at all these past couple years. "Something" pretending to be a white-tailed deer, allegedly haunting the Appalachian Mountains. You can always tell, because there's something just a little -- or very -- off about it. Usually seen on grainy, nighttime trail camera images.

But the reality is, these behaviors, looks, and quirks all have an explanation. I'd like to demystify deer for both sides here -- they're far more complex than many people give them credit for, and far weirder, naturally, than anyone wants to admit.

So, here's some normal deer behaviors/appearances that have become "not deer" tropes:

Standing/walking on hind legs

You've probably seen this one. Whitetails do this all the time, mostly when they're duking it out with their front hooves or reaching for leaves/apples/acorns/etc. This is also a common rutting (breeding) behavior for bucks like this, which will rub their antlers and faces on branches to mark them.

Pale eyes

(source)

Yes, whitetails can have naturally pale or blue eyes, especially if they have leucism (a lack of melanin). It's a rare, but normal gene, which can be more pronounced in inbred populations. (Alternatively, blindness or cataracts can cause the eyes to turn blue or milky.)

Long necks and legs

Deer have long necks, some longer than others, which they extend when they're watching something. Like people, there's variation in their proportions. This also goes for other "not deer" features, like eyes being "too far apart" or "too close together."

Age is also a factor. This one in particular is an older, "teenage" fawn, which is why its face is small and round while its neck is awkwardly long.

Prolonged eye contact, standing completely still

Yes, I've seen this called a "not deer" thing. What these guys are known for doing in the middle of the road.

This is a defense mechanism. The deer is watching you because you're a predator, and it's trying not to be seen.

Growling, hissing, screaming

I can understand this one a little better. Usually, a buck will grunt during the rut to tend to does and show off his prowess. There's various sounds he can make, including growling or clicking noises. However, rarely, any deer might growl in aggression or as a defense. This is scary, not because it's secretly a monster, but because it's about to beat you up with its antlers or sharp little hooves.

As for hissing, whitetails will blow air sharply through their noses when alarmed to alert nearby herd members of danger. This sound might also seem similar to a scream from far away. (Bucks will "snort wheeze" during rut, as well, but it's far softer.)

Eating bones, carrion, or live birds

Deer need calcium to produce antlers or milk, thus will chew on bones from various animals, including other deer and, in one study, humans (TW for human remains). They'll also occasionally feed on carcasses, eggs, and live birds/rodents if it's a lean winter (or just for extra protein). Many ungulates do this, including domestic cattle and horses!

Now, sometimes a deer doesn't act or look right, and it is a cause for concern because it's ill or injured. Here are some abnormal behaviors and appearances, and what might cause them (TW for sick, emaciated deer):

Swollen face or body

(source)

Swelling in the muzzle may be caused by bacterial infections or issues with the teeth. Other causes of swelling include abscesses, like the one on this doe's side, internal injuries, or trauma.

This deer in particular may also have chronic wasting disease (CWD), which is an always-fatal degenerative disease that attacks the deer's brain.

Lack of fear

This could either be due to habituation to humans or illness. Don't approach a "friendly" deer, and don't give it food, especially if it exhibits any of the following symptoms.

Excessive salivation, weakness, emaciation

(source)

These are signs of severe illness, like chronic wasting disease (CWD) as seen here, or rabies, which is transmissible to people and extremely dangerous. This is not a cryptid, this is an animal that needs help -- call wildlife services if you see one like it!

Listlessness, lack of balance, running in circles

Potentially due to a vehicle collision, but also symptoms of CWD and especially rabies. Either way, call wildlife services.

If you got this far, thank you for reading! If anyone wants to add a trope I missed, feel free. Hopefully it helps normalize some very cool, if not freaky, aspects of these animals.

[clovencraft]

Reverse Crown 👑

[oliviarampaige]

“The Not Deer”

Day 19 - Cryptid

Lord of the Wraithmarsh

[moonbeampixels]

The road walker 🦌

[will-o-the-witch]

This is your irregularly-scheduled reminder that the Not Deer is NOT the same thing as a w-d-go, is not meant to be conflated or compared to the w-d-go, and that OP of the Not Deer story actively disavows people disrespecting Native American culture by doing so. The two have nothing to do with each other.