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Common Name: White-Tailed Deer

Scientific Name: Odocoileus virginianus

Type: Mammals Diet: Herbivore

Group Name: Herd

Average Life Span in Captivity: 6 to 14 years

Size: 6 to 7.75 feet

Weight: 110 to 300 pounds

Size Relative to a 6-ft Man.

What are white-tailed deer?

White-tailed deer, the most diminutive members of the North American deer family, have a wide geographic range spanning from southern Canada to South America. In the peak of summer, they predominantly occupy fields and meadows, seeking refuge under clusters of broad-leaved and coniferous forests to escape the scorching heat. Conversely, in winter, they tend to retreat to the shelter of forests, displaying a preference for coniferous groves that offer protection against the harsh elements.

Breeding

Adult white-tailed deer exhibit distinct seasonal changes in their appearance. In the summertime, they sport reddish-brown coats that gradually transition to a more subdued grayish-brown hue in the winter. Male deer, known as bucks, are particularly identifiable during the summer and autumn due to their prominent antlers, which they grow annually and shed during the winter. Antlers, exclusive to male deer, typically feature multiple tines or sharp points. During the mating season, referred to as the rut, bucks engage in territorial disputes, employing their antlers in sparring matches.

On the other hand, female deer, or does, give birth to one to three offspring at a time, typically in May or June, following a gestation period of seven months. Young deer, referred to as fawns, possess a reddish-brown coat adorned with white spots, aiding in their camouflage within the forest environment.

Diet and behavior

White-tailed deer are herbivorous creatures that leisurely graze on a wide array of available plant foods. Their adaptable stomachs enable them to digest a diverse diet, which encompasses leaves, twigs, fruits, nuts, grasses, corn, alfalfa, and occasionally even lichens and other fungi. While they occasionally venture out during the daylight hours, white-tailed deer predominantly exhibit nocturnal or crepuscular behavior, with their primary browsing activity occurring at dawn and dusk.

Did you know?

• The blood of white-tailed deer kills the bacterium that causes Lyme disease. —Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases

• Male white-tailed deer grow and shed their antlers every year. Scientists think the purpose of the antlers is to attract mates, fight other males and predators, and to show dominance. —University of Missouri

• If a buck sheds their antlers in the spring or summer that means that they are sick.

• White-tail deer are good swimmers and will use large streams and lakes to escape predators.

• The life span of a whitetail deer can be up to 14 years in captivity.

• Opposite of dogs, Whitetail deer only wag their tail when they are startled.

• They can run as fast as 30mph and jump as high as 10 feet.

• The colors red, green, and orange appear as gray to deer.