White-tailed Deer Odocoileus virginianus Family: Deer (Cervidae) Size: L 4-7'' (1.2-2.1 m); T 6-12" (15-30 cm); H 3-4'' (1-1.2 m) Weight: M 100-250 lb. (45-113 kg); F 75-150 lb. (34-68 kg) Description: Reddish brown during summer, grayish brown during winter. Large ears, white inside with black edges. A white eye-ring, nose band, chin, throat and belly.

Brown tail with a black tip and white underside. Male antlers have many small tines originating from a central beam; antler spread is 12-24" (30-61 cm). Female is overall smaller, has a thinner neck and lacks antlers. Origin/Age: native; 5-10 years Compare: Sambar Deer (pg. 249) is larger, darker and seen only on St. Vincent Island. Key Deer (pg. 241) is restricted to only a few islands in the Keys.

Habitat: many habitats such as woodlands, ranchlands, wetlands and scrublands Home: no den or nest; sleeps in a different spot every night, beds may be concentrated in one area, does not use a shelter in bad weather Food: herbivore; grasses and other green plants, acorns and nuts in summer, twigs and buds in winter Sounds: loud whistle-like snorts, male grunts, fawn bleats Breeding late Aug-Oct mating in southern Florida, Oct-Nov in northern Florida; 6-7 months gestation Young: 1-2 fawns once per year from April through June; rare to have 3-4; covered with white spots, walks within hours of birth Signs: browsed twigs that are ripped or torn (due to the lack of upper incisor teeth), tree rubs (saplings scraped or stripped of bark) made by male while polishing antlers during the rut, oval depressions in snow or leaves are evidence of beds; round, hard brown pellets during winter, cylindrical segmented masses of scat in spring and summer Activity: nocturnal, crepuscular; often moves along same trails to visit feeding areas, most active in early morning and the end of day Tracks: front hoof 2-3" (5-7.5 cm) long, hind hoof slightly smaller, both with a split heart shape with a point in the front; neat line of single tracks; hind hooves fall near or directly onto fore prints (direct register) when walking Stan''s Notes: There are many species of White-tailed Deer in Florida, including the tiny Key Deer (pg. 241), which inhabits just the Keys. All subspecies look similar and act the same; size and habitat are the only differences. In summer, antlers are covered with a furry skin called velvet. Velvet contains a network of blood vessels that supplies nutrients to the growing antlers. New antler growth begins after the male (buck) drops his antlers in January or February. Some females (does) grow antlers.

Antler growth is tied to available nutrition. It is impossible to judge the age of a buck by the number of antler tines or antler size due to the direct correlation between antlers and nutrition. Examining teeth is a better way to estimate age. Grows longer guard hairs in winter, giving the deer a larger appearance than in summer. Hairs of the winter coat are thick, hollow and provide excellent insulation. Usually restricts its movement to a relatively small home range and is dependent on the location of the food supply. Eats 5-9 pounds (2.3-4.

1 kg) of food per day, preferring acorns in fall and fresh grass in spring. Research shows that Whitetails eat up to 500 different plants. Its four-chambered stomach enables the animal to get nutrients from poor food sources, such as twigs, and eat and drink substances that are unsuitable for people, including poison ivy and deadly mushrooms. Able to run up to 37 mph (60 km/h), jump up to 8.5 feet (2.6 m) high and leap 30 feet (9.1 m). Also an excellent swimmer.

For two weeks after birth, fawns lay still all day while their mother is away feeding. Mother nurses them during the evening and at night.