Characteristics of Various Deer Species Essay

Over just a century ago the whitetail deer population became nearly extinct, mostly due to a rapid expansion in the railroad system. At this same time market hunting, weak enforcement of game laws, and habitat loss contributed to the dangerously low deer populations in the late 1800’s. In states like Kansas and Indiana deer were completely extinct, being endangered in many others. With the whitetail deer population doubling every two years there is an estimated thirty million deer in the United States (Rooney, 2012). Although with these over-abundant populations comes the destruction of natural resources along with diseases and other factors that can tremendously affect the population. While there are many factors that play an active role in the declination of Whitetail deer populations, chronic wasting disease is just one of them.

There is no other big-game animal in North America like the white-tailed deer. The whitetails habitat is so widespread that it covers just about all of North America and parts of Central America. The white-tailed deer is the most commonly hunted big game animal ever. Before the settlers arrived, an estimated 30 million whitetails inhabited what is now the United States and Canada. But as settlers pursued them for food and market hunters slaughtered them with snares, traps, and set guns, the deer population underwent a disastrous decline. By 1900, only 400,000 whitetails remained.

The ultimate dream of nearly all outdoorsmen in the United States of America today is to kill a mature old whitetail buck, and these chances have been very few and far between in the state of Tennessee in the past. In order for a male whitetail deer to grow into, what some might call, a trophy buck, it will take a

In recent years the Whitetail population in South Dakota has greatly decreased due to a disease called EHD. Epizootic Hemorragic Disease (EHD) is a virus caused by a biting bug that affects deer herds mostly whitetails (Epizootic Hemorragic disease). The disease also referred to as blue tongue can occur in all kinds of animals in South Dakota but it mostly occurs in Whitetails. As a hunter it is very disappointing when you realize how many deer are dying from this disease. Thinking about all of the big bucks

The white tailed deer is one of the most popular deer in South Carolina. This deer can be found in southern Canada and most of the United States except for Alaska and Hawaii. They are also herbivores, meaning they feed on only plants. They can grow up to 7.2 feet long and 3.3 feet tall and a minimum of 3.1 feet long and 2.6 feet tall. Their gestation period is about 201 days. They can run up to 30 miles per hour and can weigh anywhere between 100 pounds to 150 pounds. Lastly they can live for around two to three years. But coyote are the predators for the white tailed deer. They can weigh anywhere from 15 to 46 pounds. They are about 1.9 to 2.2 feet tall. They can run about 43 miles per hour. They are also carnivores which means they feed on meat and

Mule deer and Whitetail deer share many similarities and differences. The first similarity between them is that males are called bucks and the females are called does. Secondly, they are both hunted a lot, for both their meat and their antlers. On the other hand Mule deer and Whitetail deer have many differences.

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) is one of the largest spread mammals in the North region of America. White-tailed deer are grayish brown in the winter and red-brown in the summer (Curtis and Sullivan 2001). Compared to female deer (does), male deer (buck) have antlers and they weigh between 125-200 pounds. Female deer weigh less than male deer. (Curtis and Sullivan 2001). White-tailed deer are opportunistic animals that take advantage of unexploited areas. They are mostly found on the edge of the forest, shrub lands, agricultural fields, open grasslands, and suburban areas (Curtis and Sullivan 2001).

The deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) is the most widely dispersed mammal in North America and is the primary reservoir species for SNV (University of California Agricultural and Natural Resources 2013). Deer mice are nocturnal and are found throughout all types of habitats ranging from forests to scrublands, making this a very ubiquitous species that primarily feed on grains and seeds(University of California Agricultural and Natural Resources 2013). However deer mice are very adaptable animals that can change their diets to suit their environment and their diet can consist of invertebrates, fungi, fruits, and green vegetation. The typical lifespan of deer mice is 2 years and they typically do not breed during the winter, although in times of abundant food supply and warm temperatures they may breed year round with liter size varying from three to six young SNV (University of California Agricultural and Natural Resources 2013).

To have a safe and enjoyable road trip, an individual needs to pay attention to animals who may cross the road, have bright lights on for safety in heavily populated deer country, and get attention if injured, so that more injuries do not occur. Keeping people safe from car casualties or injuries due to deer overpopulation is important. According to an article on deer collisions, “Cars and deer can be a lethal combination” (“Car and Deer”). This is evidence that deer crossing the road and hitting cars could be dangerous. Also the article states, “Deer migration and mating season generally runs from October through December, and causes a dramatic increase in the movement of the deer population” (“Car and Deer”).

The White-tail deer can often be found all over southern Canada and most parts of the United States. Their range extends throughout Central America to Bolivia. This sophisticated animal's habitat range is usually less than a square mile. Some of the White-tail deer's habitats include grasslands, prairies and plains, mountains, and forests. These deer prefer a more sheltered habitat; they often reside in forests, including hardwoods, coniferous, and tropical forests. However they may reside in forests such as tropical forests for a more sheltered habitat. The White-tale deer can adapt to their many habitats and they have incredibly strong muscles in their leg that allow them to run up to speeds such as 30 miles per hour! This is quite an advantage when it comes to running from predators. The White-tail deer has quite simple needs for a healthy life. Shelter from harmful weather or predators, food and water, and the space to find food and water, and to attract a mate.

In the eastern United States, the white-tailed deer is so abundant that it is destroying broad amounts of herbivory. Even after legal hunting season, deer are abundant even near cities. As the coyote migrated east, the largest and most abundant food source became the white-tailed deer. The western coyote weighs on average 20-40 lbs while the white-tailed deer can weight up to 140 lbs. To take advantage of this food source, a genetic change must occur in the coyote population. With the addition of wolf DNA, weight and muscling is added to the slim physique of the coyote. “The larger body size of northeastern coyotes is widely accepted as advantageous for hunting large prey"(Kirchman 92). The coyotes that bred with wolves became genetically favorable over coyotes of western decent. The “northeastern coyote” or “coy wolf” became the apex predator of the eastern region over that of the wolf or western coyote because it is able to live off of the most abundant food source of the region. Wolves can live off of deer also, but they are not as adaptable to industrialized areas as the coy wolf. This hybrid can also live off of more than just deer, but almost any small game in the eastern region. They can also scavenge from the scraps of humans such as garbage and pet

When people talk about deer, they are commonly talking about the North American Whitetail. That is because they are so prevalent in this country. They can be found in every state in the US. The only place where you will not find any whitetails is in parts of Arizona and California. In most states the whitetail is very prevalent, especially in the northeast. They are one of the most hunted animals in this area, particularly in Pennsylvania and Michigan. Despite the amount they are hunted, both in and out of season, you can not drive more than a few miles out of the towns without seeing one that was hit by a car. The deer population in this area just keeps growing. It is unclear what

Van der Hoek D, Knapp AK, Briggs JM, and Bokdam J. 2002. White-tailed deer browsing on six shrub species of tallgrass prairie Great Plains Res 1:141.

The deer and elk population is growing at an alarming rate. According to Outdoor Life, the "Whitetail deer population grew from 29.8 million in 1994 to 32.7 million today." According to Garth Kidd, the solution to this overgrowth problem is hunting. If we were to get rid of hunting,

As the morning wore on I began to get anxious and fidgety feeling that no deer were going to come. As I was contemplating whether to leave my stand in the field, I recognized two deer grazing peacefully in the middle of the field. I quickly pulled up and looked through my scope and saw nothing but green fuzz. I was so nervous that I had forgotten to readjust the focus on my scope. As I did, the deer saw me move and began to trot away from me and into the protection of the forest. I managed to get my scope in focus in time to see that there was a buck and a doe. My chance had finally come. I was going to get my first Vermont buck. I immediately stood up from my stand and jogged over to where they had entered the woods. Once in the woods, I evaluated the surroundings and had a good