It takes simple, raw hardiness to survive a -25°F (-32°Celcius) Otter Creek cold snap in January.
As I walked to my car for work the other morning, I spotted these two whitetail deer bedded down under the pine trees at the edge of our yard. They blended so well in the landscape, wearing a fine dust of frost and snow that refused to melt.
Resilience in the Deep Freeze
You might be wondering how deer can survive a night like this at -25 F (-32 Celsius). Whitetail deer possess the perfect tool for the job. Their winter coats consist of hollow hairs that trap heat against their bodies like a high-end puffy jacket. By bedding down together and remaining still, they conserve every precious calorie.
I felt a mix of awe and “neighborly” concern as I climbed into my warm car. They barely moved; they simply watched me from the trees with a calm, unafraid gaze. They offered a humbling reminder: while we crank up the thermostat inside, the wild world simply beds down and stays warm all winter.
Fun Fact: Deer possess such efficient insulation that their body heat won’t even melt the snow beneath them!