WHITETAIL DEER

1
WHITE-TAIL DEER

• From foukeffa.org
• Written by Teri Micke
• Ag Student Texas AM
• GA Ag Ed Curriculum Office
• To accompany the Georgia Agriculture Education
  Curriculum Lesson 03453-1.1
• July 2001

2
DESCRIPTION

• 3-3 1/2 feet tall
• weight 150 lbs (largest buck was 425 lbs)

3

• color shading changes twice a year
• spring - new coat is bright reddish brown
• fall/winter - hair is bluish to grayish-brown

4

• albinism - genetic change that prevents pigments
  from forming in body
• hair is white, eyes pink, hooves gray

5

• Albinism (cont.)
• - more common is partial albinos
• - usually have hearing deficiency
• - normal deer avoid them

6

• walk on toenails, not toes, which allows them to
  move fast on well packed earth
• have 32 teeth

7

• 4 glands
• interdigital gland - between hooves
• metatarsal gland - between hooves and heel on
  hind leg
• tarsal gland - inside leg on hock
• lachrymal gland- front of eye

8

• ruminants 4 compartment stomach

9
DISTRIBUTION

• found everywhere in WI
• from middle Canada to southern US

10
TRAVEL

• tend to move only in a 1 sq mile area
• do not migrate - will starve to death, refuse to
  leave home range

11
HABITS

• buck lives separate from doe/offspring except
  during rut
• usually start to feed at 430pm till 7am

12

• creatures of habit - if not bothered will follow
  same routine, trails, etc. - will shift pattern
  due to weather and food availability

13

• require 10-12 lbs of food to satisfy needs
• herbivores
• startled deer will run to nearest cover, then
  stop to see if followed

14
BREEDING

• bucks lose antlers in December/Jan.
• does estrus cycle is in Oct. -heat period of 30
  hours come into heat every 28 days

15
BIRTH AND YOUNG

• gestation period is 200-210 days
• fawns born late May or June

16

• fawns weigh 4 1/2 to 8 lbs at birth
• does leave fawns and come back to nurse 5-8
  times/day
• at 3-4 weeks fawn will go with doe

17
LIFE SPAN

• life span of 8-11 years
• most bucks killed before 5 yrs
• Does fertility decreases after age 9

18
SENSES

• smell - greatest sense
• hearing - flicker ears to get sound
• sight - quick to notice slight movements

19
COMMUNICATION

• fawn - bleats like a lamb
• older deer sound like hoarse raspy sheep

20

• stamp feet when nervous which causes vibrations
  in ground
• signal danger by flashing white hair on rump

21
LOCOMOTION

• top speed is about 40 mph
• can clear up to 8 feet from standing position

22

• can jump 28 ft in length
• will seek water if they cant out run predator -
  good swimmers

23
ENEMIES

• original predators - mountain lion and wolf
• today - man and dogs

24

• parasites
• external lice, fleas, mosquitoes, wood ticks
• internal lungworms, footworms, liver flukes, and
  tapeworms