Trees tower in dormant sleep, their stoic, chestnut-colored outlines striking against the white lay of the land. The air hangs in frosty stillness. Biting. Silence hovers, saturating nature in much welcomed peace and tranquility. Replete repose.

Such is the atmosphere of winter within Deer Haven Park. Lovers of nature and wildlife often inquire as to how the whitetail deer are equipped to survive winter’s harshness. The next most inquisitive question always follows: Can the white whitetail be seen in winter? Don’t they blend in?

As far as resilience is concerned, the Northeast’s whitetail would win awards if such existed. Mother Nature has assured as much. Winter’s preservation begins in autumn, when the land yields vast harvests of grains, berries, and tuber greens, all of which contribute to a deer herds’ fat reserves. Whitetails will add another 30-50% in body weight during this season to help sustain them, most vitally important to impregnated does, who will not birth until........

© Finger Lakes Times