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).
White-tailed deer are large primary consumers or herbivores that feed on plants (primary producers). Their diet consists mainly of grasses, herbaceous plants, and fruits. Their diet changes according to the habitat and season. For instance, they feed on green plants such as grasses, forbs, crops, leaves, twigs, and buds during the summer and spring season (Curtis and Sullivan 2001). In the fall, they concentrate on nuts, acorns, and corns. They eat twigs and buds during the winter season.
According to Curtis and Sullivan (2001), the percentage of a deer consumption is dependent on its body weight and gender. The authors added that a male deer requires about 4,000 to 6,000 calories per
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When herbivorous species such as white-tailed deer and elks are the main predators in a habitat, they create an imbalance in the habitat, and force other species in the habitat to go extinct. Natural predation also has a stronger impact in stabilizing or reducing the population of white-tailed deer than human hunting alone. One of the main reasons for the overpopulation of the deer was the extinction of their predators. Every animal in the food web is highly important in keeping the balance in the ecosystem. Yellowstone National Park was a great example of how every species support the
To manage this population of mule deer in Colorado a detailed Microsoft Excel spreadsheet has been used for 29 years. To ease management of this population I would not utilize trial and error based on this spreadsheet. However, it does provide ample insight into how various management strategies will play out in the landscape. Moreover, due to the dangers associated with stochasticity and constant
In the late winter season, bucks are all about keeping their bellies full, so you only have to find a good food on your property to locate the antlers. What are some good food sources for deer? Anything from corn to soybeans to
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).
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.
The average adult roe deer will grow to 60-75cm when measured at the shoulder with a body length of 95-135cm and typically weighs around 10-25kg. Male deer (bucks) are slightly larger than the females (does). The roe deer is small compared to others such as the red deer. The roe deer has a grey face and their summer coat is a reddish brown that turns to grey, pale brown or black during the winter months. The roe deer has a black nose, white chin and a fluffy white patch on its rump and a white underside with a short tail measuring 2-3cm in females. The male roe deer also has ridged antlers that have three points on each. The first and second pair of antlers do not have points and are short measuring 5-12cm. As the buck grows older its antlers
White tailed deer have a very strong sense of smell. Their smell is one of the most important senses that guides them through their life. They rely
So to put that into perspective from Kansas, down to Mexico, and from Kansas up into Canada, and all the way to the water on the East Coast. Typically Whitetail Deer in the Midwest will eat on green sprouting plants in the summer when its hot. Such as turnips, clover, alfalfa and even beans and corn before it starts to change in color and start to harden. In the winter time, the Whitetail Deer will move more to cover to keep out of the harsh elements. They revert to acorns falling from the trees and also corn and beans before its about to be harvested. Also having food plots planted for them with greens on it for the late season will also keep the deer on your place. If you leave food on your land and the deer know about it they will be there until you run out. Whitetail deer typically get the biggest out of the four different types of deer. Many Whitetails go beyond the 300 pound mark. Antler size ranges on the Whitetail the farther east u go towards the water. This is because there is less crops for them to eat such as were Kansas, Iowa, and Illinois produce some of the most crops in the United States on yearly basis were North Carolina hardly produces any crops. Typically more food the state has for deer, the bigger the deer will get in body size and also body
People often think that deer are the kind of animal that will try to avoid humans, staying as far away from us as possible. Although the deer are often afraid of humans, they do not always do well in the deep forest setting. The deer are not like most animals that are found in the forest; they actually do very well in a relatively rural setting. Unlike the grizzly bear which prefers to be alone, and really can not survive with humans, the deer has survived and is growing in numbers because of the human. Although the food is generally unwillingly taken, man has been feeding the deer for years. Deer love to eat farmers’ crops, vegetable gardens, and any landscaping flowers they can find. Not only has man been feeding the deer, but we have also eliminated almost all of their predators. The population of wolves and coyotes are gone in most regions. Hunting is strictly controlled by officials, and cannot really guarantee anything as far as population control. Therefore, there is no good way to control the population.
Just as body builders often take protein supplements to build up strong muscle mass, deer must do the same by consuming enough protein. If their natural diet doesn’t provide enough protein, a specially built protein deer feeder from a specialist retailer such as All Seasons Feeders can make up this difference, keeping deer and other large animals strong and growing to a large size.
Deer play the role of a consumer in the ecosystem. Deer eat plants such as trees, shurbs, vines, and grasses. They would be considered a primary consumer because they are herbivores (animals that eat only plants). In certain forests, green plants are held in check by the deer using them for food. In the relationship of predator prey in an ecosystem, the deer become the prey for other animals, man being one of them. If the deer are taken out of an ecosystem, some green plants will over populate from the deer not there to eat them and some animal populations would decrease because they have lost a food source.
White-tailed deer have long, slender legs, large ears, and a tail that, when the deer is alarmed, flares erect to reveal the white underside for which the animal is named. They belong to the Cervidae (deer family), which includes elk, moose, caribou, mule deer, and many others. White-tails can reach a total length of approximately six feet and a height of approximately three feet. Weight depends on the age, sex, and physical condition of the animal and on the quality and quantity of food available to it. Bucks generally range in weight from 100- 250 pounds, whereas does are somewhat lighter at 70-150 pounds (Living wildlife, 2009). The breeding season usually takes place in November but, in some areas, can extend into early December. Bucks rub their antlers against small saplings to mark their territory and also use them to fight with other bucks during the rut. After the breeding season, the antlers are shed and a new set begins to grow later in the spring. Does often travel together, especially during the winter months, or a doe will often be accompanied by her young from the previous season (General
The Schomburgk's Deer lived in a very swampy and grassy area called Thailand.They traveled in herds.they became extinct in 1938. The average weight of the Schomburgk's deer is 220lbs and the body length is 180/6ft the shoulder height 104cm/3.4ft the tail length is 10cm/4in.The deer is brown (Regions, 2015).
For decades, Colorado has been home to some of the country's largest mule deer herds, so many in fact that certain areas in Colorado are dubbed “the mule deer factory.” Though this so called “factory” is declining, mule deer are still considered the most iconic wildlife of the American West. Mule deer get their name from their very large and mule like ears, which are around three fourths of the length of their heads. Mule deer usually range from three to three and a half feet tall at the shoulder, four to seven feet long, and can weigh anywhere from 130 to 300 pounds in some cases.
Recently, especially in the last decade, deer populations have dramatically increased. It is estimated that there are over 20 million deer in the United States alone. This rise in population numbers has taken a huge toll on the habitats that the deer reside in. Ecologists and wildlife managers alike are equally concerned about the effects of over browsing and grazing that the deer are having on the environment. Overpopulation can influence the absence, presence, and abundance of plants and other wildlife. The prevention of regeneration of new leaves on trees and plants is ultimately killing their source of food and decimating the health of the forest. Without new tree seedlings to grow and populate the forest, there will eventually be no habitat for the deer to live. Not only does over browsing negatively affect deer but it also has an impact on other wildlife species. Reduction of the understory growth removes nesting and feeding sites for forest birds. Huge deer populations also out compete other species, such as squirrels and chipmunks, for similar food sources such as
This projects primary goal was to create a comprehensive system to reduce the amount of crop damage caused by whitetail deer and prolong the time it takes for them to habituate to this system. To accomplish this, the project was broken down into six main goals and 29 objectives as outlined in Table 1.