This hoofed mammal is found from the southern third of Canada to the northern corner of South America. It ranges in length from 1.4 to 2.1 meters, with a shoulder height between 70 and 115 centimeters. Adults may weigh from 50 to 200 kilograms. In winter, they eat twigs from evergreen and deciduous trees; in early spring, their diet shifts to grasses and even mushrooms. Their average lifespan in the wild is two to four years. Male deer, called bucks, are easily recognizable in summer and fall by their large antlers, which grow annually and fall off in winter. Mi’kmaq hunters still harvest deer as a valuable source of dietary protein.