The Secret Life of Whitetails

Actor Peter Coyote narrates this poetic depiction of whitetail deer, “creatures of the edge” often seen at the intersection of daylight and darkness in the places where woods border farmland or near suburban homes with gardens bursting with delectable treats (like the leaves of that expensive azalea the homeowner just planted). Able to leap 8-foot obstacles and to sprint 40 miles per hour, whitetails are described as an evolutionary success story, having developed and survived over millions of years while facing a variety of predators. Filmmaker Gary W. Griffen spent several seasons tracking a herd for this lushly filmed documentary featuring extraordinary footage of whitetails in nature. The “secret life” essentially captures a wide range of activities, from the birth of twin fawns, to marking territory with urine, to bucks coating trees with blood as they rub the downy coating off their summer antlers before the fall mating season. Sure to appeal to armchair nature buffs, this is highly recommended. Aud: P. (F. Gardner)