To catch a glimpse of a white-tailed deer in the forest or snow-covered field is a winter delight. The magnificent natural setting of southern Georgian Bay is home to large numbers of white-tailed deer. Some facts you may not know about this widespread creature: they love nighttime. They do most of their foraging then, searching out the ingredients for their mostly vegetarian diet–nuts, greens and in winter, wood vegetation. They can make vertical leaps of over two-and a-half meters (well over your head) and horizontal leaps of nine meters. Deer have reached running speeds of up to 58 kilometres an hour. Male deer grow antlers in spring and shed them in winter. A small percentage of female deer have also been known to grow antlers—scientists aren’t sure whether it’s a genetic trait or something else. During most of the year, bucks and does segregate themselves but in wintertime, they gather in groups. This keeps their trails cleared and offers protection from predators.