A whitetail buck’s weight varies depending on the species. In colder climates, deer fatten up during the fall to be ready for the winter. A whitetail buck eats a lot during the summer and fall, so its fat reserves are built up. But during the rut, male deer lose a quarter of their body weight. This means they don’t have much time to build up fat reserves.

The adult whitetail buck produces a grunt-snort-wheeze sound that asserts dominance, aggression, and hostility. It also uses its white tail to communicate with other deer in the area. If you think a whitetail buck doesn’t like another deer, you can bet he won’t want to get near it.

A mature whitetail buck weighs from 50 to 511+ pounds. The average yearling buck weighs 125 pounds field dressed, but it’s likely to be between 160 and 210 pounds once it’s mature. Many hunters make the mistake of misjudging whitetail buck weights and have unrealistic expectations about how much venison the buck will yield. But an average mature buck can produce a large amount of steaks, chops, hamburger, and stew meat. The meat yield is still tiny compared to domestic animals.

A 3.5-year-old buck weighs about 170 pounds and is much like a doe without antlers. Its chest is deeper than its hindquarters, and its neck swells during the rut. The inside spread of its antlers is about 12 inches.

An average 180-pound buck has about 16 pounds of hide, 21 pounds of bones, and nine pounds of blood. However, it’s difficult to estimate the live weight of a deer, as the innards vary in weight depending on the individual’s health and diet.

White-tailed deer are the state animal of Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, and Oklahoma, and are also the state animal of Wisconsin and the inspiration for the Milwaukee Bucks basketball team. They are also on the coat of arms of the State House in Vermont and the flag of Honduras.