BACKROADS AND BOBTAILS
AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT THE WHITETAIL
by Bob Kornegay

Just what sort of animal is the white-tailed deer? Wildlife biologist Bill Gray provides a few interesting insights.

"Deer were here long before the white man," Gray explained, "and have always been admired for their appearance. However, many characteristics that make them beautiful are simply survival mechanisms. For example, large ears and eyes provide keen hearing and eyesight. Long legs help them move quickly to evade predators. Antlers are formidable weapons. Each aspect of a deer's physiology makes the whitetail resilient and adaptable."

According to Gray, deer depend on motion and depth perception to identify objects by sight. They can even detect motion behind them along their flanks. They see better in low-light conditions, and their color perception is like that of a red-green-color-blind human.

"A deer's hearing is very acute," said Gray. "They can detect sounds at a great distance and pinpoint sound direction. They also use their sense of smell to detect danger and identify other deer and food sources. Researchers have identified seven major glands in white-tailed deer, most of which aid in scent communication."

The hairs of a deer's winter coat are hollow, efficiently trapping body heat. During the summer, a deer sheds its brownish-gray winter coat for a thinner, reddish one. Fawns are born with spotted coats to conceal them from predators.

"Female deer are smaller and weigh less than males," Gray continued. "An adult female stands about 36 inches at the shoulder. Males are slightly taller. Weights of adult does range from 90 to 140 pounds while healthy bucks can be 140 to 200-plus pounds."

Bucks grow a set of antlers each year, size depending on age, genetics, and nutrition. Healthy bucks grow a larger set of antlers annually through their prime age (5.5 to 7.5 years). Antler growth is triggered by day length various hormones.

"Antlers typically grow from April to September and are shed in late winter and early spring," Gray said. "Mature bucks use antlers for defense, to create rubs associated with breeding, and fighting."

Deer seem to be most active at night, though they do move intermittently during daylight hours. Movement is affected by weather, food availability, disturbances, sex and age, and reproduction. Bucks may increase movement during the rut while does may reduce movement late in the gestational period.

Several deer sounds have been analyzed and identified. The snort is the most recognizable. They also make a shrill, whistling sound when alarmed that is often accompanied by the stamping of a front hoof.

"Bucks display unique behavior between the periods of antler hardening and breeding," Gray explained. "These include rubbing, sparring, scent marking, and scraping. Bucks fight well into the breeding season in competition for breeding opportunities and social standing. There is a definite social hierarchy between both sexes."

Except for breeding season, male and female deer have little contact throughout the year. Bucks form small bachelor groups, and does gather with female offspring from the previous year and the current year's fawns. Shortly before giving birth, a doe drives away her fawns from the previous year.

"Adult does, on rare occasions, produce as many as four fawns," said Gray. "On average, though, twins (one of each sex) are the norm. In well-managed herds, there is a good proportion of older-ageclass bucks in the population. A good number of mature bucks provides more natural social interaction and normal breeding behavior."

According to Gray, deer herds managed with heavy buck harvests and insufficient doe harvests exhibit poor age structure among bucks and reduced fawn production. These herds often display poor overall herd health.

"The challenge in modern deer management," Gray concluded, "is to maintain the proper size and structure of populations so that the animals are healthy and their behavior is normal. Under those conditions, we can enjoy the aesthetic and sporting benefits of white-tailed deer for many generations to come."