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Home , Eastern gray squirrel, Rump (animal)

vs. Horns Members of the deer family (which includes caribou, deer, , and ) 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 . 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 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 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 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 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. Deer Woodland Caribou Elk

Reddish Dark brown Dark brown coloring in Male Woodland Caribou Male Elk with whitish to tan Male 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 () Black Bear Feral Hog

© Tom J. Ulrich, used with permission © Tom J. Ulrich, used with permission Courtesy of Florida Fish & Wildlife Large, tan-gray 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; ; 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. . 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

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 , more tan on legs, feet, darker to lighter; bushy Large, long-legged ; 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. in depressions; 6–20 whitish eggs. Eastern Fox Eastern Gray Squirrel

Courtesy of Ryan Hagerty/U.S. Fish & © Tom J. Ulrich, used with permission Wildlife Service Courtesy of Texas Parks & Wildlife Smallest of tree 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 , , 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. Carnivore. Polygamous. ponds, and streams. Omnivore, feeding on water, and farming areas. Omnivore. Lives Four to ten young born Jan.–Mar. aquatic vegetation, , and small fish. Two up to three years. Nocturnal. Up to 14 young to six young per litter; 2–3 litters per year. per litter several times a year. Young remain in mother’s pouch for several months.

American Beaver

Medium-sized, brown ; naked tail, scaly and paddle-shaped. Large, chestnut-colored front teeth; webbed short feet for swimming. Habitat and Habits: Lives in streams, ponds, or lakes. Constructs houses of sticks, logs, and mud or burrows in banks; builds dams serving as habitat. Lives up to 11 years. Two to four kits born Apr.–Jul. © Tom J. Ulrich, used with permission Black-Tailed Jackrabbit Eastern Cottontail Striped Skunk

Courtesy of William Janus/U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Courtesy of Texas Parks & Wildlife Courtesy of Texas Parks & Wildlife Small-sized with brownish-gray Medium-sized; grayish-brown fur with large Medium-sized with black fur and white stripes fur with cottontail; large ears black-tipped ears and black streak on top of but not as large as jackrabbit. from head to tail. short tail. Habitat and Habits: Habitat and Habits: Lives in Lives in semi-open Habitat and Habits: Lives in prairies, shrub- heavy brush in forests, farmlands, thickets of prairies, thickets of shrubs or trees, and lands, and semi-arid deserts. Herbivore. Lives shrubs or trees, swamplands, and weed patches. mixed woods near water. Omnivore. Mostly up to 5–6 years. Two to four young per litter. Herbivore. Lives up to 3–4 years. Four to seven nocturnal. Five to six young born in May. young per litter; 3–4 litters per year.

Prairie Common American Badger

Courtesy of Texas Parks & Wildlife Courtesy of Texas Parks & Wildlife Courtesy of Texas Parks & Wildlife Medium-sized with short black legs and Small-sized with tan to reddish fur; small ears Medium-sized with dark and light mixed yellowish-gray hair. White stripe over head to and light-colored underside; black-tipped short fur and distinctive black mask across white nose; white cheeks; black patch in front of each tail. face. Small- to medium-sized ears; ringed ear. Long front claws for digging. Habitat and Habits: Lives in dry upland tail. Habitat and Habits: Lives in open grass- prairies in colonies or “towns” of burrows. Habitat and Habits: Lives in woods near lands, deserts, and thickets of shrubs and trees. Herbivore mostly but may eat some . cliffs and water. Omnivore. Lives up to Carnivore, feeding mainly on small . Lives up to 7–8 years. Three to five young 7–10 years. Nocturnal. Two to seven young Lives up to 12 years. Two to five young born born Mar.–Apr. born Apr.–May. Feb.–May; one litter per year.

Porcupine Dusky (Blue) Grouse

Large rodent, size of small dog; Male is gray with orange-yellow or red chunky body with short legs. Color comb over eye; yellow skin on neck; gray varies from black or brown in East band at end of dark tail. Female is brown and yellowish in West. Sharp spines with dark tail. on rump and tail. Habitat and Habits: Lives in © Tom J. Ulrich, used with permission Habitat and Habits: Lives in forests coastal rain forest and just below or in brushy areas. Herbivore; likes salt. Lives up to 7–8 years. Primarily Courtesy of Khanh Tran mountain timberline. Makes a “whoop, nocturnal. Mates in fall; one young born May–Jun. whoop, whoop, whoop” call. Nests in shelter of stumps or rocks; 5–10 cream-colored eggs with brown spots.