Outdoor Radio: Deer Yards Provide Vital Winter Home For Local Deer

Vermont Public | By Chris Albertine,

Franny Bastian

Published February 24, 2016 at 5:28 PM EST

The Department of Fish & Wildlife says proposed changes to Vermont's deer hunting rules will give it more control over herd management.

1 of 3

This is one of several White-tailed Deer that Kent McFarland and Sara Zahendra saw in a deer yard in Norwich.

Kent McFarland / Vermont Center For Ecostudies

2 of 3

"Guard hairs" are filled with air and act as insulation for deer.

Kent McFarland / Vermont Center For Ecostudies

3 of 3

This deer scat looks like saw dust, illustrating how a deer's diet in winter is bushes and small tree branches.

Kent McFarland / Vermont Center for Ecostudies

Managed deer yards provide a protected area for deer to hang out in the winter. Kent McFarland and Sara Zahenda take us to a deer yard in Norwich to learn about how this environment helps deer survive. We also learn about why it's a bad idea to feed deer.

Learn more about the White-tailed Deer from the Vermont Department of Fish And Wildlife.
Add your deer observations to iNaturalist Vermont.
See a map of the latest White-tailed Deer observations.
Management guide for deer wintering areas in Vermont.

Outdoor Radio is produced by VPR Chief Audio Engineer Chris Albertine. The program is produced in collaboration with the Vermont Center For Ecostudiesin Norwich, Vermont.