This is a difficult species to ID without having some good photos and/or a specimen. These mice are ubiquitous but their looks can widely vary. There are 2 possible species in the Eastern US, a prairie one and a woodland one. Their Latin names are the same for both but their sizes are different. It’s possible we have both but I was only able to get a photo of the woodland type.
These two were scurrying around because our dogs were in the woods with us. Oddly, the dogs were more interested in other things!
Deer mice don’t make sounds that humans can hear. What we hear can hear is the drumming sounds of their feet — just another way they communicate with each other.
In the winter, they will nest with critters other than family members, generally in some type of hole in a tree. They do not hibernate but rather they reduce their body temps or enter a state of torpid. Because of this they cache their food in places other than their nest.
Bear Tracker has very interesting info and you can see their tracks, too!
