Deer Science The latest in deer research

The NDA prides itself in keeping up with the latest in deer research and management and presenting that information to our members in easy-to-understand articles, videos, and podcast interviews.

Deer Science

What Makes Those Holes in Deer Antlers? And Other Odd Antler FAQs.

Jun 4, 2025 Kip Adams

They grow for about 150 days a year. They can grow nearly 1 inch per day, making them the fastest normal growing tissue known to man. Humans have cherished them for thousands of years, and…

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Deer Science

A Photo Gallery of Jawbones From Extremely Old Deer

Apr 30, 2025 Lindsay Thomas Jr.

The longer deer live, the more they wear down their teeth from chewing forage and browse. It used to be that hunters could only age extremely worn deer jaws as “5½-plus” or some variation of…

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Are Sika Deer Outcompeting and Replacing Maryland’s Whitetails?

Jul 10, 2024 Matthew McBride and Dr. Jacob Bowman

I had no idea that nearly 20,000 short, stocky sika deer roam the marshes of Maryland’s Eastern Shore until I watched a MeatEater episode filmed in Dorchester County. A few years later, I jumped at…

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3 Reasons Deer Attack People

Jun 26, 2024 Matt Ross

No matter your age, race or upbringing, the cast of beastly characters that headline our nightmares typically involves sharp teeth, claws or an overall slimy, creepy-crawly “ick factor.” Cute and cuddly are never traits conjured…

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Deer Antlers Come in Many Colors. This Hunter Wanted to Know Why.

Jun 5, 2024 Dr. Tim Lewis

Hunters have long been intrigued by variation in the color of deer antlers. Archibald Rutledge’s writings immortalized the dark racks of South Carolina’s lowland swamp bucks as unique and special. Others have admired the glistening…

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Genetically Modified Deer Won’t Stop CWD. Here Are 7 Reasons Why.

May 21, 2024 NDA Staff

You may have heard some people claim we can fight chronic wasting disease (CWD) through breeding and releasing genetically modified, CWD “resistant” deer. NDA believes every potential solution to the CWD problem should be considered…

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How Often Do Whitetails Give Birth to Triplet and Quadruplet Fawns, or More?

May 8, 2024 Lindsay Thomas Jr.

A whitetail doe can give birth to one, two or three fawns each year, and that’s the limit for almost all of them. A very rare doe will bear quadruplet fawns. And rarest among the…

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Missouri Shows Us How to Manage CWD in Deer for the Long Haul

Apr 22, 2024 Lindsay Thomas Jr.

The Missouri Department of Conservation recently released its 2023-24 chronic wasting disease testing results, and the report contains good news and a lesson for deer hunters in other states: If the disease is discovered early,…

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NDA Urges Deer Hunters to Consider New CWD Report With Caution

Apr 18, 2024 NDA Staff

A sketchy online report from neurologists at the University of Texas Health Science Center, in the journal Neurology, is getting attention and causing confusion about the human health implications of chronic wasting disease in deer….

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You Know Where That Buck Beds, Huh?

Apr 10, 2024 Luke Resop

We’re all familiar with the lore surrounding buck beds and bedding habits. Many hunters have elaborate theories that factor in weather and landscape features to predict where a specific buck will choose to bed at…

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