I’d like to share an image of some whitetail deer swimming across Charleston Lake in Charleston. I’m not sure why they chose to swim across the lake instead of traveling by land, but I suspect they were scared away from their bedding area on nearby Fort Chaffee. I’ve been hearing rabbit hunters with beagles in the area where these deer came from.
Did you know that whitetail deer are strong swimmers? They can swim at speeds of up to 15 miles per hour, using their strong legs and unique coats for buoyancy. They are also capable of swimming long distances, with some observed crossing rivers over half a mile wide. Researchers have even recorded bucks swimming 1-2 miles up and downstream rivers to find mates, while pregnant females swim to islands to give birth safely.
Whitetail deer’s unique two-layer coat provides insulation and buoyancy, allowing them to stay afloat and conserve energy while swimming. They’re capable of swimming in open water far from shore, with documented cases of deer swimming significant distances, such as 8 to 10 miles.
These impressive swimming abilities of whitetail deer make them surprisingly strong and adaptable swimmers.
Image Information:
- Date: 01/01/24
- Time: 09:01 AM
- Location: Charleston, Arkansas
- Camera: Canon EOS R7
- Lens: Canon RF 800mm F11
- ISO: 1250
- Aperture: 11
- Shutter: 1/800
- Exp. Comp.: -0.3
- Lens (mm): 800
- Program Mode: Manual