(male) Shoulder height 36-43 inches (91-109 cm). Weight 140-220 pounds (64-100 kg), sometimes more. Females are smaller.

Medium-sized, with more color variations than any other deer. The four principal ones are: (1) typical-summer coat of rich brown with white spots and lighter underparts, changing to dark gray-brown in winter with spots barely visible; (2) menil-pale fawn with white spots; (3) white (but not albino); and (4) black-not actually black, but very dark brown. There are many intermediate color variations. Antlers have brow and trez tines (bez tines are usually absent), and are well-palmated at the top, with a number of tines coming off the rear edge of the palmation.