Ree in nature Friesland by anne droogsma

The roe deer has a sandy-yellow to reddish-brown summer coat; in winter it is more gray-brown to black in color. Adults have no spots. Clearly visible is the white to yellowish torso patch. In males, this spot is quite indistinct in summer. The nose is black and the chin is white. The tail is quite small (two to four inches long) and only visible during defecation. In winter, in the female, the roe goat, a bunch of white hairs protrudes backward between the hind legs, the apron. This looks like a tail, but is not.

The adult male, the roebuck, has simple antlers, consisting of usually two to three points (scions). Reindeer with four to five points are exceptions. The antlers are usually about 25 centimeters long. New antlers grow each year between October and January and therefore the old antlers fall off. The antlers grow under a phloem which, when the antlers mature between March and June, becomes loose and is shed. An occasional antlered roe goat also occurs.

When the antlers are not yet branching, that doe or antler is called a gaff. A gaff has one branching; this is common at around two years of age. The number of branches is not an indication of age: even a one-year-old, yearling roebuck can already have gaff antlers or six-pointed antlers. This depends on the condition of the roebuck. If it is very bad, only a small pointed antler grows. Such a roe deer is also called button buck. Older roebuck usually have antlers with two times three points, a sixender. Later in life, a roebuck may regain branchless antlers.

The roe deer has a head-rump length of 95 to 140 centimeters, a body weight of 16 to 35 kilograms and a shoulder height between 60 and 90 centimeters.