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Wildlife Identification Guide

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Wildlife Identification Guide Antlers vs. Horns Members of the deer family (which includes caribou, deer, elk, and moose) have antlers. Antlers are solid bone and are shed annually. They are one of the fastest growing natural materials in the world. Antlers grow from the tip while horns grow from the base. Except for Wildlife caribou, only male deer have antlers. Horns are found on bison, sheep, goats, and pronghorns. Unlike antlers, true horns are hollow and grow continuously. If broken, they do not grow back. They consist of a keratin sheath surrounding a core of bone. Female sheep have half-moon horns while rams have horns that are longer and heavier and Identification curve around the sides of their heads. Female mountain goats have horns that are longer, straighter, and thinner than Billy goats. The horn sheath of a pronghorn has characteristics of both antlers and bones because it’s made of keratin surrounding the bony core yet is shed Guide annually. White-Tailed Deer How to Distinguish Adult White-Tailed Deer From Fawns* Fawns • Short, square bodies (look like a “briefcase” from a distance) Reddish-brown to • Short necks and less muscle development blue-gray or tan • Rarely have swaying backs or sagging bellies coloring; under- Male Whitetail • Ears appear large in comparison to head side of tail is white, Adults Courtesy of Texas Parks & Wildlife producing a “flag” when raised off the rump. Antlers on male • Larger, rectangular-shaped bodies (look like a primarily consist of main beam with tines “suitcase” from a distance) Courtesy Barnett of George growing from it. Maximum antler size occurs • Long necks between 5–7 years of age. Briefcase Suitcase How to Identify Buck Fawns* Habitat and Habits: Range movements • Presence of developing antlers limited to one to three • Head appears more flat and less miles, depending on rounded between ears sex, age, and habitat. Herbivore. Lives up How to Identify Doe Fawns* to 10 years. Male is polygamous with most Courtesy of Wyman Meinzer • No developing antlers whitetails in North rut • Head appears slightly rounded between ears America rutting in The period of sexual Female Whitetail November. One to excitement and *Information courtesy of the Quality Deer two spotted fawns breeding in deer Management Association: www.qdma.com © Tom J. Ulrich, used with Courtesy of George Barnett permission typical. Pronghorn Bighorn Sheep Moose White-hoofed with reddish to Dark brown to tan coloring. Large gray coloring; white rump patch, white rump Male Pronghorn short white tail; patch with Male Moose Dark brown Male Bighorn Sheep with grayish Courtesy of U.S. Fish & Wildlife rump hair stands short darker © Tom J. Ulrich, used with permission Service up when alerted Courtesy of Texas Parks & Wildlife tail. Two heavy, legs. Large or fleeing. Two broad white bands across neck. tapering, curled brown horns on male; smaller overhanging snout; dewlap on throat. Antlers Male has large black jaw patch and larger, and less curled on female. on male are massive, palmate, and flat. slightly curved horns with single prong growing Habitat and Habitat and Habits: forward. Habits: Lives Habitat and in rocky, Lives in Habits: Lives mountainous forests with lakes and in open prairies, terrain, prefer- swamps. plains, and ring bluffs or Herbivore. brushlands. steep slopes. Lives up to Herbivore. Lives Herbivore. 20 years. up to 14 years. Lives up to 15 Female Moose Female Bighorn Sheep Male is Female Pronghorn Male is polyga- years. Male is © Tom J. Ulrich, used with permission © Tom J. Ulrich, used with permission polygamous; © Tom J. Ulrich, used with permission mous; rut runs polygamous; rut runs Sept.–Oct. Usually one calf; light Aug.–Nov. Two grayish-brown fawns typical. rut runs Nov.–Dec.; males engage in battles, butting heads. One small brown lamb typical. reddish-brown with dark stripe down back. Mule Deer Woodland Caribou Elk Reddish Dark brown Dark brown coloring in Male Woodland Caribou Male Elk with whitish to tan Male Mule Deer summer and © Tom J. Ulrich, used with permission neck, Courtesy of Texas Parks & Wildlife coloring; © Tom J. Ulrich, used with permission blue-gray underside, rump, and above each hoof. All yellowish rump patch and tail. Large, spreading in winter. Cream-colored rump patch with males and more than half of females have semi- antlers on male. black-tipped cream tail. Ears are larger than the palmated antlers with a prominent vertical tine white-tailed deer. Antlers branch equally. Habitat over nose. Females’ antlers are smaller. and Habits: Habitat and Habitat Lives in Habits: Lives and Habits: mountain in forests, Found pastures in desert shrubs, in boreal summer and thickets of coniferous on wooded shrubs or forests, alpine slopes in trees, grass- tundra, and winter. lands, plains, muskegs Female Elk Herbivore. foothills, and Female Woodland Caribou (peat bogs). © Tom J. Ulrich, used with permission Lives up Female Mule Deer river bottoms. © Tom J. Ulrich, used with permission Herbivore. to 15 years. Male is polygamous; rut runs © Tom J. Ulrich, used with permission Herbivore. Lives up to 10–12 years. Male is polygamous; Sept.–Nov. Usually one calf; spotted until three Lives up to 16 years. Male is polygamous; rut rut is late Sept. Grayish-brown fawns. months of age. runs Oct.–Dec. One to two spotted fawns typical. Mountain Lion (Cougar) Black Bear Feral Hog © Tom J. Ulrich, used with permission © Tom J. Ulrich, used with permission Courtesy of Florida Fish & Wildlife Large, tan-gray cat with Color varies from black to Commission long, brownish-tipped tail. cinnamon in West and black A medium-sized, hoofed Habitat and Habits: Lives in East; face always brown; mammal; descendent of the mainly in rugged mountains usually a small white patch domestic hog. Varies greatly in color but most and sometimes in forests and on chest. Male much larger often black. Upper tusks curl up and out along swamplands. Carnivore. Lives up to 18 years. than female. sides of mouth. Wild hogs may be infected with Makes a food “cache” out of uneaten prey. Habitat and Habits: Lives primarily in forest swine brucellosis, which can be transmitted Mainly nocturnal; dens found in caves, rock and swamps in East; in forest and wooded to people who come in contact with infected crevices, and other concealed locations. Two mountains in West. Omnivore. Lives up to blood. spotted cubs can be born throughout year. 30 years. Nocturnal; usually solitary, except Habitat and Habits: Lives in forested moun- mother with cubs. Mates Jun.–Jul. Typically tainous areas, brushlands, dry ridges, and two cubs, born in winter. swamps. Omnivore. Lives up to 10–15 years. Hunters must take extra precautions when Travels in groups. Three to twelve young born hunting in areas where there are bears. For anytime during the year. more information, visit this website: http://fwp.mt.gov/fishAndWildlife/livingWithWildlife/ beBearAware/default.html Coyote Red Fox Wild Turkey Courtesy of Texas Parks & Wildlife © Tom J. Ulrich, used with permission Medium-sized to large Medium-sized, reddish- Courtesy of Texas Parks & Wildlife with gray to reddish-gray yellow; can range from fur, more tan on legs, feet, darker to lighter; bushy Large, long-legged bird; and ears; dark-tipped tail; tail with white tip; usually dark and iridescent body; whitish belly and throat. dark legs and paws. featherless, reddish head. Male larger and more Habitat and Habits: Habitat and Habits: Lives in mixed iridescent than female. Wild Lives in prairies, open woodlands, shrublands, woodlands, farmland, and open country. turkeys are native to North America and there and variety of habitats. Carnivore. Lives up to Carnivore. Lives up to 10 years. Three to seven are five subspecies: Eastern, Osceola (Florida), 8–10 years. Mainly nocturnal but can be active young born Apr.–May. Rio Grande, Merriam’s, and Gould’s. anytime. Five to ten pups born Apr.–May. Habitat and Habits: Lives in open woodlands, brush country, thickets of shrubs or trees, river bottoms, and hardwoods. Lives up to 12 years. Polygamous males. Mating call is a gobble; normal calls are clucks, putts, and purrs. Nests in depressions; 6–20 whitish eggs. Eastern Fox Squirrel Eastern Gray Squirrel Red Squirrel Courtesy of Ryan Hagerty/U.S. Fish & © Tom J. Ulrich, used with permission Wildlife Service Courtesy of Texas Parks & Wildlife Smallest of tree squirrels in its Medium-sized with inner range. Yellowish or reddish back Larger, rusty-yellowish with orange-red yellowish-rusty and gray or and whitish belly; bushy tail. underside; bushy tail tipped with darker white-tipped hairs; lighter Habitat and Habits: Lives in pine, spruce, or hairs. underside; bushy tail with mixed hardwood forests. Nests in tree cavities Habitat and Habits: Lives in open varying dark hairs tipped white or yellow. or branches. Herbivore. Lives up to 10 years. woodlands, river bottoms, and pine Three to seven young born Mar.–Apr. forests with interspersed clearings. Habitat and Habits: Lives in forests, river Herbivore. Lives up to 10 years. Two to bottoms, pine forests interspersed with five young born in Jan. and May. hardwoods, and clearings. Herbivore. Lives up to 15 years. Two to five young per litter. Virginia Opossum Mink Common Muskrat Courtesy of Ed McCrea/U.S. Fish & © Tom J. Ulrich, used with permission © Tom J. Ulrich, used with permission Wildlife Service Medium-sized with dark Small-sized with brown Small- to medium-sized brown fur and white chin to grayish-brown fur and with gray to dark gray fur; patch; tail slightly bushy. grayish underside; black, scaly whitish face and small ears; Habitat and Habits: tail; partially webbed hind feet. rat-like tail. Lives in stream, pond, and lake Habitat and Habits: Lives in marshes, Habitat and Habits: Lives in woodlands, habitats.
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