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LIFE PROFILES

White-Tailed Odocoileus virginianus

No is as recognizable as the white-tailed deer. Whether a mature buck with splendid antlers, a graceful doe or a spot- ted fawn running with its mother, the white-tailed deer is one of the most popular of . There are four of deer in North America: the mule deer, white-tailed deer, elk and moose. The white-tailed deer is the only species now present in North Carolina.

a , , Historyandstatus although the underside is all feed mostly in the early morning The white-tailed deer popula- white. The hooves have two toes and twilight, but they will also tion in North Carolina has made covered with a hard fingernail- get up to feed at about any other a dramatic turnaround. Deer like material, and another toe time of the day. were plentiful when European called the dew claw appears The white-tailed deer is a i settlers first arrived, but the about 3 inches high on the back of herbivorous animal. It will eat animals were hunted extensively each leg. many green-leaved succulent for meat and hide with no idea of Buck deer grow antlers, not plants, the tender new growths of conservation or management. horns. Antelopes grow horns, as stems, and fruits. One of their I Within 100 years deer were do buffalo and goats. They are most important food sources is i threatened with extinction in permanent parts of a skull while acorns. North Carolina, as well as in the buck deer drop their antlers each I entire United States. Through year. Antlers range in size from Habitatand Habits I sound game management, deer little knobs that do not protrude Deer are so adaptable they are populations today are at an all- from the skin, to larger "racks" found in almost any type of time high and their numbers are that branch out to a variety and habitat. They like creek and continuing to increase. Today number of points. An average river bottoms, oak ridges, pine there are approximately 650,000 mature buck has eight or 10 forests, farmlands or about any deer in North Carolina. points. Antler size depends on other type of habitat that offers the age of the buck, its nutrition food and cover. They adapt well Description and its genetic constitution. to suburban sprawl. A deer's coat is usually a tan- Deer are not long-distance In autumn, deer fatten up for nish brown, or some shade of runners, but they can run up to brown, ranging almost to gray. It 35 or 40 miles per hour. usually has a white patch on its They also are excel- neck and large prominent ears. lent swimmers and Its eyes are circled with white strong jumpers. and a white band rings the To protect them- muzzle. The belly is white, with selves, deer rely L white running down the inside of mainly on their strong sense of

the legs. The tail, about 9 to 11 smell, in addition to their keen .-*-"- inches long, is mostly brown, eyesight and good hearing. Deer High Moderate P-: Low WILDLIFE PROFILES

the breeding season, or "rut." During mid-October and into November, the bucks establish hierarchies among themselves leading up to mating with the 1 does. A buck rubs its antlers on 2 112 in. trees and limbs, scrapes depres- sions in the ground and deposits Right Front 1 scent to let other deer know its territory. After the breeding season, bucks and does socialize less and the bucks become secre- tive again. Around the middle of January and early February, the bucks' antlers drop and in April and May they begin to grow again. The fawns are born in May or June. RangeandDistribution In the United States white- tailed deer are found in all of the 48 contiguous states. Every county in North Carolina has deer, although they are distrib- uted unevenly, with very large numbers in the Coastal Plain and fewer deer in the Piedmont and References Mountains. Elman, Robert. All About Deer Hunting in America, (Winchester Press, 1976). People Interaction Madson, John. The White-tailed Deer, White-tailed deer are often (Olin Mathieson Chemical Corporation). Osborne, Scott. The White-tailed Deer in seen at night feeding in fields or North Chroli7za, (N.C. Wildlife Resources on the side of the road. Deer are Commission). also the most popular game Rue, Leonard Lee 111. The Deer of North animal in the state. In North Anzerica, (Grolier Book Clubs Inc., Outdoor Carolina, both the deer popula- Life, 1978). tion and the annual harvest by hunters continue to rise. When Credits Written by Chris Hartigan and Scott properly managed, hunting does Osborne. not hurt deer populations and is Illustrated by J.T. Newman. actually a helpful management Produced January 1992 by the Division of tool for keeping deer from becom- Conservation Education, North Carolina ing overpopulated. Before Wildlife Itesources Commission. The Wildlife Resources Commission is an European settlers arrived, deer Equal Opportunity Employer and all wildlife populations were controlled by programs are administered for the benefit of year-round hunting by Native all North Carolina citizens without prejudice Americans and large predators toward age, sex, race, religion, or national like and . Without origin. Violations of this pledge may be reported to the Equal Employment Officer, some control, deer populations Larry A. Campbell, Personnel Officer, N.C. grow larger than their habitat Wildlife Resources Commission, 512 N. can support, causing mass starva- Salisbury Street, Raleigh, N.C. 27604.1188, tion and disease in deer herds, as telephone (919) 733-2241. well as crop depredation and 20,000 copies of this public document were overgrazing of habitat. printed at a cost of $.04 per copy.