Momma Bear
Magic
The Innocence of Deer
There are mule deer in the woods around my house. When I see them, I immediately slow down, just to enjoy their presence. While the Elk move more deliberately, the deer stot about, bouncing upon all four feet as if they are pogo sticks. The fawns do this as play, and I have seen them stotting right into their mothers. If ever an animal could roll her eyes, it might be Deer. Deer teaches us about the power of innocence, unconditional love, and a deep gentleness that heals us from the inside out. The male (stag) and female (doe) together demonstrate balance. She is very tender, he is strong. She is communal, he is independent. She is humble, he is proud. This is not at all arbitrary. To be truly tender, you must be strong; to be communal you also need some independence; And indeed there is an important place for both humility and pride.
If deer has stotted into your path today, open your heart. Tap into your innocence. Let her unconditional love, patience, and gentle kindness envelop you.
The Magic of Deer
Significant Qualities
Gentle
There is a tremendous power in the gentleness of deer. It can melt even the hardest of hearts. She brings no harm and no threat, just a soft and kind understanding.
Shift
Stotting or pronking is the term for bouncing on all four legs at one time. This kind of movement means that Deer is able to shift direction quickly and move with a playful and graceful agility. Deer can reach speeds up to 40 miles per hour and can leap in distances of over 20 feet. Her agility is her greatest defense in a hostile situation.
Strengthen
The battles that are undertaken by Deer for mating rights are truly a test of vigor. For in our world, the ability to be gentle and kind requires enduring strength.
Peace
Often stalked and hunted, Deer is perpetually vulnerable. And yet, she ventures out into the middle of the meadow. Buddha is often pictured with a deer, representing innocence as well as harmony, happiness, and peace. Deer reminds us that although we do not have the power to control the world around us, we can control how we respond.
Heal
There is something profoundly healing about Deer. She is guided by her intuition. Deer is the animal of love and the heart and is deeply connected with the spirit world. Deer can use his antlers as a kind of antenna to tune into the voices in the spirit world. By translating this information to the people, more profound guidance and healing can be accessed.
Time
Day: Monday
Month: October
Season: Autumn, Spring
Sabbat: Imbolc, Mabon, Yule
Moon: Rutting moon
Planet: Earth
Zodiac: Mriga, Gemini
Magic
Chakra: Heart
Tarot: Fool
Rune: Algiz
Archetype: Innocent
Gods: Buddha, Artemis, Rohit, Deer Woman
Nature Spirits: Four stags of Yggdrasill
Symbols
Stone: Rose Quarts, Morganite, Green Fluorite, Chrysoprase
Herb: Pine, Clover, Pea
Element: Earth
Number: 7
Direction: Unknown
Gender: Both
Color: Green, Pink
The Science of Deer
Zoology
Latin Name: Odocoileus hemionus (Mule Deer)
Family: Cervidae (Deer Family)
Other names:
Group name: A herd, parcel or rangale of deer
Female: Doe or Hind
Male: Buck, Stag or Hart
Baby: Fawn
Type: Mammal
Size: 4 – 7 ft
Weight: 95 – 331 lbs
Life expectancy: 9-11 years
Sustainability: Least Concern
Behavior
Shelter
Mule deer are wanderers. They will make temporary beds by scratching a depression in the ground or flattening grass and leaves. I most often see evidence of these beds under the canopy of trees.
Range
Mule deer are iconic animals of the American West. They are found west of the Missouri River, especially throughout the Rocky Mountains as they are well adapted to arid, rocky environments. They have been introduced in Argentina and on the island of Kauai in Hawaii.
Diet
Mule Deer are herbivores and their diet changes with the seasons. They are more selective than Elk, which makes them able to share habitats. Mule Deer thrive with varied plant communities including green plants, nuts, trees and twigs – favoring nutritious new growth. Near me, they also like to nibble on Douglas fir and Ponderosa pine.
Mating
In the winter, the older bucks (over 3-4 years old) will engage in battles for the privilege to mate with the females. Locking antlers, they will fight until exhausted in a display of strength and stamina. The victorious bucks will then attract females, but must continue to successfully defend them against the attention of any other suitors.
Reproduction
Gestation will take about 200 to 210 days. The fawning period extends over several weeks in the summer. The mother selects a secluded and protected spot to drops her fawns (1-4), as they will snuggle in there for about a week before they are strong enough to follow her. When born, these little ones weigh in at about six pounds and are spotted. They will start to lose their spots when they are weaned from their mother’s milk sometime between 60 or 75 days.
Predators
Mule Deer predators include bears, mountain lions, coyotes, humans, and automobiles.
The Folklore of Deer
Proverbs and Sayings
Somali Proverb
Italian Proverb
Chinese Proverb
Don’t call a deer a horse.
Latvian
An old buck still has his horns
Indian Proverb
Indian Proverb
With my head on his spotted back
and his head on the grass—a little bored
with the quiet motion of life
and a cluster of mosquitoes making
hot black dunes in the air—we slept
with the smell of his fur engulfing us.
It was as if my dominant functions were gazing
and dreaming in a field of semiwild deer.
It was as if I could dream what I wanted,
and what I wanted was to long for nothing—
no facts, no reasons—never to say again,
“I want to be like him,” and to lie instead
in the hollow deep grass—without esteem or riches—
gazing into the big, lacquer black eyes of a deer.