{"id":376,"date":"2022-12-08T19:34:00","date_gmt":"2022-12-08T19:34:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/movinggiants.org\/?p=376"},"modified":"2023-01-25T19:07:50","modified_gmt":"2023-01-25T19:07:50","slug":"are-deer-nocturnal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/movinggiants.org\/are-deer-nocturnal\/","title":{"rendered":"Are Deer Nocturnal? (When Are Deer Most Active?)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Deer are incredibly timid and elusive animals, rarely spotted during daylight hours, other than perhaps the odd glimpse of a lone grazer from a great distance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are deer just excellent at hiding from us humans, or could the answer lie in their active period? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, do deer prefer to go about their business under cover of nightfall?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, although they do sometimes get out and about after dark, technically, deer are not<\/em> nocturnal animals, which, I know, poses more questions than it answers, but fret not, fellow deer enthusiasts. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stick with me and we\u2019ll get to the bottom of this mystery! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/path><\/svg><\/span>If Deer Aren\u2019t Nocturnal\u2026 When Are They Active?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Deer subscribe to a similar but decidedly different active period to nocturnal animals \u2014 They\u2019re crepuscular! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the uninitiated, crepuscular means an animal is most active during the in-between times, the twilight of both dawn and dusk. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And unlike us, it\u2019s not because they enjoy a good sunrise and sunset.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These transitional periods are perfect for deer to socialize, travel, and forage for food, as there are fewer predators about, there\u2019s still some light to bolster their vision, and it\u2019s lovely and peaceful. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They don\u2019t have to worry about sudden stirrings in the shadows, as most other animals in their habitat subscribe to one side of the nocturnal\/diurnal spectrum<\/a> and are likely getting some shuteye. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, despite their love of low light conditions, deer have a  rather fluid approach to active periods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Behavioral Fluidity Of Deer<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While deer are technically crepuscular animals<\/a>, they aren\u2019t locked into this position come what may. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Extremely adaptable, these temporally chameleonic creatures can roll with the punches and make use of near enough any time of day or night, which is why we\u2019ll often see stray deer<\/a> on our daylight nature walks, or perhaps even spy their glowing eyes in the darkness of a nighttime excursion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That said, if you\u2019re hoping to catch a glimpse of a herd, your best bet is absolutely going to be the hours just before the sun rises over and sets beneath the horizon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And bear in mind that this is the case whether you\u2019re actively looking to see them or not \u2014 Most vehicular collisions with deer<\/a> occur during the twilight hours. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, if you\u2019re traveling during these ungodly hours, and you\u2019re heading through a known deer hotspot, be sure to take it nice and slow, and use your full beams where possible to increase vision and visibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Will Deer Change Their Active Period?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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It\u2019s not always an easy life for deer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If they\u2019re not being hunted by humans, they\u2019re being hunted by predators, and if they\u2019re not being hunted by predators, they\u2019re facing widespread habitat loss due to our meddling in the wilderness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In light of this, they can\u2019t always live on their own terms, and certain situations force their hand cloven hoof, resulting in temporary diurnal or nocturnal action. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

They will likely return to their preferred active period once the danger has passed but have no problem amending their schedule in the meantime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During Rainfall<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The weather is also a key variable when it comes to the active hours of deer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, the pitter-patter of rainfall is a fantastic sonic blanket<\/a> that masks their footsteps, meaning they can forage for food without being detected by predators, even if it\u2019s the predator’s preferred active period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mild Temperatures <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Climate is another consideration for deer when mapping out their active hours, as they\u2019ll mostly be chasing mild temperatures. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In areas with harsh climates that get quite hot in the day and quite cold at night, twilight is the Goldilocks zone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, as the temperatures change with the seasons throughout the year, deer may alter their active and downtime patterns in kind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deer Species & Active Periods<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve been speaking very generally about the active periods of deer up to now, and that\u2019s because, by and large, the majority of deer are in fact crepuscular animals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If any species of deer exhibit primary diurnal or nocturnal behavior, it doesn\u2019t necessarily mean that they aren\u2019t<\/em> crepuscular, only that they have found a temporary benefit in their current surroundings to deviate from their preferred schedule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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