what are the dimensions of a whitetail deer

White Tailed Deer Size

• Head-Body Length – about 180 cm
• Shoulder height – 90 to 105 cm
• Tail length – 15 to 28 cm
• Weight – 50 to 115 kg.

Full Answer

What is the average size of a whitetail deer?

White-Tailed Deer have standing shoulder heights between 2'8"-3' (81-91 cm), head-to-body lengths in the range of 3’1”-7’2” (95-220 cm), and overall weights of 80-250 lb (36-113 kg). The lifespan of a wild White-Tailed Deer is roughly 6-15 years.

What is the optimum height for a whitetail deer feeder?

Ideally, the roof is at least 72” or more off from the ground. Use any second-hand metal for the roof of the deer feeder. On the other hand, the trough should be at least 24” from the ground. This height allows the fawns easy access the feeder.

What is the largest whitetail deer in the world?

Which state kills the most deer?

• Wisconsin. Wisconsin is easily the top producer of B&C whitetails. …
• Kentucky
• Ohio
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Minnesota
• Illinois
• Kansas

How much does a white tailed deer weigh?

• Moose are the heaviest deer species in the world (average weight 840 – 1,540 pounds)
• North American Elk are the second heaviest species of deer in the world (average weight 705 pounds)
• Sambar Deer are the third heaviest species in the world (average weight 400 pounds)

What are the dimensions of a deer?

White-Tailed Deer have standing shoulder heights between 2'8"-3' (81-91 cm), head-to-body lengths in the range of 3'1”-7'2” (95-220 cm), and overall weights of 80-250 lb (36-113 kg). The lifespan of a wild White-Tailed Deer is roughly 6-15 years.

What is the length of a whitetail deer?

3.1 – 7.2 ft.White-tailed deer / Length

What is the height of a deer?

Reindeer: 2.8 – 4.9 ft.Deer / HeightThe reindeer, also known as the caribou in North America, is a species of deer with circumpolar distribution, native to Arctic, subarctic, tundra, boreal, and mountainous regions of Northern Europe, Siberia, and North America. This includes both sedentary and migratory populations. Wikipedia

What is the average size of a male white-tailed deer?

Deer size depends on sex and habitat. On average, mature specimens range from 6 to 8 feet in length, with a shoulder height around 2 to 4 feet. Deer in colder climates are larger than those found closer to the equator. Mature males, called bucks, weigh 150 to 300 pounds, on average.

How tall is a whitetail deer buck?

1.7 – 3.9 ft.White-tailed deer / Height (Adult, At Shoulder)

Why are deer smaller in the South?

Conversely, in hot and dry climates, the higher surface-area-to-volume ratio means more heat loss through the skin, and this helps cool the body. That's Bergmann's Rule. Bigger body size for the species in the North, smaller body size for the same species in the South.

How tall is a male deer?

White-tailed deer can reach a total length of approximately 6 feet and a height of approximately 3 feet at the shoulder. Weight depends on age, sex, and physical condition, but adult males (bucks) weigh an average of 120–160 pounds, while females (does) average 80–120 pounds.

What state has biggest deer?

Boone and Crockett's Top Whitetail States#1 – Wisconsin. Wisconsin is the #1 ranked state with 1,822 total entries and six counties in the top 20 U.S. counties with the most records produced. ... #2 – Illinois. ... #3 – Iowa. ... #4 – Minnesota. ... #5 – Ohio. ... #6 – Kentucky. ... #7 – Missouri. ... #8 – Kansas.More items...

What is a group of deer called?

herdAnimal Group TerminologySpecies NameGroup Namedeerherd, bevydogspack, mute, kennelelephantsherdelkgang104 more rows•Feb 11, 2017

What is a deer's biggest predator?

Predators. Humans are the white-tailed deer's only major predator. Bobcats, wolves and coyotes used to be major predators but populations of these carnivores have fallen significantly.

Do deer mate with their siblings?

1 | Myth: Sibling Fawns Are Always Sired by the Same Bucks When a doe gives birth to fawns, they aren't always sired by the same bucks. In fact, it's relatively common for does to give birth to two fawns sired by two different bucks.

Are all white tail deer female?

Female White-tails live in social groups consisting of an adult female, her fawns and her yearling offspring. Mature males hang around other males, except during breeding season. Deer are prey animals and shy, always on alert.

What is the white tailed deer?

Famous for its title role in Bambi, White Tailed Deer are a sometimes unavoidable part of life in America – including as a suburban pest, and driving hazard. On this page we’ll share facts, information, photos and more so you can get to know this beautiful type of deer.

Where do white tail deer live?

It is most widely spread in the east, and it occurs from the north of Canada, to Florida, and southwards into South America.

How long do white tail deer stay with their mother?

The mother visits each fawn regularly to be nursed. When they are able to flee predators on their own, they will remain with their mother 24/7. Weaned at 4 months of age, most white tailed deer are not independent until they reach a year of age.

What are the predators of whitetail deer?

Whitetails have a number of natural predators including wolves, coyote, pumas and jaguars. The White Tailed Deer’s diet includes grasses and woodland herbaceous plants, they are also a pest species feeding on agricultural crops.

How long does it take for a white tail deer to reproduce?

White-tailed bucks fight fiercely during the rut. These deer are prodigious breeders. After a 7-month gestation period normally two fawns are born, but occasionally 3 can be born.

How much do deer weigh in Florida?

In Florida the smallest subspecies occur, and these weigh only about 25 kg. The deer living in the south of its range have a tropical lifestyle while those living further north have lives that are governed by the seasons. Large, vigorous animals thrive in this sort of environment and climate.

How many tines does a sailor have?

They grow first outwards and backwards, before turning to point forwards and more inwards. There can be up to 15 tines, 3 or 4 of which point backwards.

What is the color of a whitetail deer?

The White-tailed deer, also called the Virginia deer or whitetail, is named for the white underside of its tail which is visible when it holds its tail erect when it runs. Adults have a bright reddish brown coat in the summer and in the winter it is a duller grayish brown.

Where do whitetail deer live?

White-tailed deer occur in most of southern Canada and all of the United States mainland except for a couple of western states. Their range covers entire Mexico and Central America reaching to South America as far south as Peru and Bolivia. They live in a range of habitats, from big woods in northern Maine to Florida's hammock swamps ...

How long do whitetails mate?

The season runs from October to December. The gestation period is about 6 months. A female usually gives birth to one fawn in her initial year of breeding but 2 are born subsequently. Fawns can walk as soon as they are born and only a few days later are able to nibble on vegetation. When seeking food, mothers leave their offspring hidden amongst vegetation. A fawn starts to follow its mother as she goes off to forage when it is about 4 weeks old. At 8 - 10 months old they are weaned. At one year old, young males leave their mothers but young females will often stay with them for two years. Most of them (particularly males) will breed in their second year.

What are some interesting facts about deer?

Fun Facts for Kids 1 When White-tailed deer gather together and trample down snow in a particular area, this is called a "deer yard." 2 White-tailed deer can jump vertically more than 2.5 m and horizontally 9 m, which is almost the length of a school bus. 3 White-tailed deer swim well and can escape from predators through large streams and lakes. 4 Only the males grow antlers, and they shed them each year. 5 White-tailed deer are the shyest and most nervous of deer. When they are startled and run away, their tails wave from side to side. 6 Deer can smell human odor on underbrush for days afterwards. Bucks will stay away from areas that have been visited by humans for weeks afterwards. 7 Bucks usually lie on their right side when they go to sleep, and they face downwind, enabling them to employ their nose, ears and eyes to detect danger in any direction.

What do whitetails eat?

Whitetails are browsers and feed on twigs, bark, leaves, shrubs, the nuts and fruits of most vegetation, lichens and other fungi. Plants such as yucca, huajillo brush, prickly pear cactus, ratama, comal, and a range of tough shrubs can be the mainstay of a whitetail's diet if it lives in a desert area. Diet Herbivore.

Why are white tail deer important?

White-tailed deer can have a great influence on plant communities as a result of their grazing, particularly where they are abundant. The deer are also an important prey animal for many large predators.

How far can a white tail deer jump?

White-tailed deer can jump vertically more than 2.5 m and horizontally 9 m, which is almost the length of a school bus. White-tailed deer swim well and can escape from predators through large streams and lakes.

How big are whitetail deer?

In 1926, Carl J. Lenander Jr., took a white-tailed buck near Tofte, Minnesota, that weighed 183 kg (403 lb) after it was field-dressed (internal organs and blood removed) and was estimated at 232 kg (511 lb) when alive. The female (doe) in North America usually weighs from 40 to 90 kg (88 to 198 lb). White-tailed deer from the tropics and the Florida Keys are markedly smaller-bodied than temperate populations, averaging 35 to 50 kg (77 to 110 lb), with an occasional adult female as small as 25 kg (55 lb). White-tailed deer from the Andes are larger than other tropical deer of this species, and have thick, slightly woolly looking fur. Length ranges from 95 to 220 cm (37 to 87 in), including a tail of 10 to 37 cm (3.9 to 14.6 in), and the shoulder height is 53 to 120 cm (21 to 47 in). Including all races, the average summer weight of adult males is 68 kg (150 lb) and is 45.3 kg (100 lb) in adult females. It is among the largest deer species in North America, and the largest in South America.

What is the white tailed deer?

White-tailed deer have long been hunted as game, for pure sport and for their commodities. In Mesoamerica, white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus) was hunted from very early times. Rites and rituals in preparation for deer hunting, and in celebration for an auspicious hunt are still practiced in area today. Modern hunters ask the underworld earth lords for permission to hunt, and some deer rites take place in caves.

How many white tail deer are there in the world?

The scientific name of white-tailed deer is Odocoileus virginianus (Zimmerman) (Cervidae) [458]. There are 26 subspecies in the world. Seventeen of these occur in North America, ordered alphabetically. (Numbers in parentheses are range map locations.)

What glands do deer have?

Four major glands are the preorbital, forehead, tarsal, and metatarsal glands. Secretions from the preorbital glands (in front of the eye) were thought to be rubbed on tree branches, but research suggests this is not so. Scent from the forehead or sudoriferous glands (found on the head, between the antlers and eyes) is used to deposit scent on branches that overhang "scrapes" (areas scraped by the deer's front hooves prior to rub-urination ). The tarsal glands are found on the upper inside of the hock (middle joint) on each hind leg. Scent is deposited from these glands when deer walk through and rub against vegetation. These scrapes are used by bucks as a sort of "sign-post" by which bucks know which other bucks are in the area, and to let does know a buck is regularly passing through the area—for breeding purposes. The scent from the metatarsal glands, found on the outside of each hind leg, between the ankle and hooves, may be used as an alarm scent. The scent from the interdigital glands, which are located between the hooves of each foot, emit a yellow waxy substance with an offensive odor. Deer can be seen stomping their hooves if they sense danger through sight, sound, or smell; this action leaves an excessive amount of odor for the purpose of warning other deer of possible danger.

What are the sounds of a white tail deer?

White-tailed deer have many forms of communication involving sounds, scent, body language, and marking . In addition to the aforementioned blowing in the presence of danger, all white-tailed deer are capable of producing audible noises unique to each animal. Fawns release a high-pitched squeal, known as a bleat, to call out to their mothers. This bleat deepens as the fawn grows until it becomes the grunt of the mature deer, a guttural sound that attracts the attention of any other deer in the area. A doe makes maternal grunts when searching for her bedded fawns. Bucks also grunt, at a pitch lower than that of the doe; this grunt deepens as the buck matures. In addition to grunting, both does and bucks also snort, a sound that often signals an imminent threat. Mature bucks also produce a grunt-snort-wheeze pattern, unique to each animal, that asserts its dominance, aggression, and hostility. Another way white-tailed deer communicate is through the use of their white tail. When spooked, it will raise its tail to warn the other deer in the immediate area.

What are the predators of deer?

There are several natural predators of white-tailed deer, with wolves, cougars, American alligators, jaguars (in the American southwest, Mexico, and Central and South America) and humans being the most effective natural predators. Aside from humans, these predators frequently pick out easily caught young or infirm deer (which is believed to improve the genetic stock of a population), but can and do take healthy adults of any size. Bobcats, Canada lynx, grizzly and American black bears, wolverines, and packs of coyotes usually prey mainly on fawns. Bears may sometimes attack adult deer, while lynxes, coyotes, and wolverines are most likely to take adult deer when the ungulates are weakened by harsh winter weather. Many scavengers rely on deer as carrion, including New World vultures, raptors, red and gray foxes, and corvids. Few wild predators can afford to be picky and any will readily consume deer as carrion. Records exist of American crows and common ravens attempting to prey on white-tailed deer fawns by pecking around their face and eyes, though no accounts of success are given. Occasionally, both golden and bald eagles may capture deer fawns with their talons. In one case, a golden eagle was filmed in Illinois unsuccessfully trying to prey on a large mature white-tailed deer.

What color is a deer's coat?

The deer's coat is a reddish-brown in the spring and summer and turns to a grey-brown throughout the fall and winter. The deer can be recognized by the characteristic white underside to its tail. It raises its tail when it is alarmed to warn the predator that it has been detected.

How big is a whitetail deer?

Two examples of size variance are the South American White-tailed Deer, Odocoileus virginianus cariacou, found in Peru and Brazil, that stands only 24–32 inches (61-81 cm) at the shoulder and the Dakota White-tailed Deer, Odocoileus virginianus dacotensis , of the US, which is 31 to 41 inches (79 to 104 cm). Deer skeleton.

How tall are deer?

Their shoulder height ranges from 21 to 47 inches (53 cm to 120 cm)–about the height of a six-year-old child. Males are taller than females. Body length runs from about 37 to 87 inches (94 to 221 cm), including a tail of about 3.9 to 14.6 inches (10 to 37 cm). As for weight, rarely a male might weigh up to 300 pounds or more (136 kg) but typically no more than 100 to 150 pounds (45 to 68 kg). Two examples of size variance are the South American White-tailed Deer, Odocoileus virginianus cariacou, found in Peru and Brazil, that stands only 24–32 inches (61-81 cm) at the shoulder and the Dakota White-tailed Deer, Odocoileus virginianus dacotensis , of the US, which is 31 to 41 inches (79 to 104 cm).

What is the difference between antlers and horns?

It’s commonly assumed that “antler” and “horn” are two names for the same thing, but there’s a difference. Antlers come in pairs, they’re branched, and protrude from the front of the deer’s skull. Horns project from the front, too, but they’re permanent and don’t branch.

How do deer communicate with each other?

The deer have several ways of communicating with each other. For example, males strip the bark off of small trees to mark their territory. Like nearly everything else, there’s a name for that mark, it’s called a “rub.” They also make scrape lines with their front hooves to expose bare ground in their territory.

How fast can a deer swim?

The deer are also exceptional swimmers and can paddle at 13 miles per hour (21 kph).

What is the family of white tail deer?

White-tailed Deer, Odocoileus virginianus, are mammals in the order Artiodactyla (ART-ee-oh-DACK-tuh-luh, which means even-toed animals) and the family Cervidae (SER-vuh-dee), which includes Moose, Elk, reindeer (known as Caribou in North America), and others. Their genus is Odocoileus, which is from the Greek for “hollow tooth.”.

When did whitetail deer evolve?

Some White-tailed Deer have moved into the city. (Mickey / Flickr; cc by-nc-sa 2.0) Whitetails evolved over millennia from small, antler-less, tropical herbivores to the graceful animals we see today. Fossil DNA shows they date back to the mid-Pliocene Epoch.

How big are deer?

Deer are cloven hooved even-toed ungulates which range in size from 1.25’-6.5’ (.4-1.9 m) with all species, except for one, having antlers. Male deer grow antlers (except for reindeer where both males and females grow antlers) which are covered in velvet until fully grown when the velvet dies and they rub it off on vegetation.

How tall are water deer?

Water Deer have standing shoulder heights between 1’6”-1’10” (46-56 cm), head-to-body lengths in the range of 2’6”-3’4” (76-102 cm), and overall weights of 20-30 lb (9-14 kg).

What is a deer with white hair?

The Barasingha (Rucervus duvaucelii), also known as the Swamp Deer, is a large deer with wooly and yellowish hair featuring white spots along the spine, the throat, the belly, the thighs, and the tail. Northern and Central India populations are scattered, and two groups in south-western Nepal.

How long does it take for deer to shed their antlers?

Deer shed their antlers once a year usually between January and April. The shedding process takes between 2 to 3 weeks and it can take from 24 to 48 hours for the antlers to fall off. Deer will grow new antlers throughout the summer.

How long do elk live?

The lifespan of a wild Elk is roughly 10-15 years. Elk (Cervus Canadensis), or Wapiti, are not only one of the world's largest game deer but also one of North America's and East Asia's largest mammals. They are attractive, and perhaps that is why they are hunted in different parts of the world for sport.

How long do water deer live?

The lifespan of a wild Water Deer is roughly 10-12 years. The Taruca (Hippocamelus antisensis), or northern Andean deer, is a deer species located in South America that dwells in the high altitude regions of Peru, Chile, Bolivia, and Argentina. The Taruca Deer is a medium-sized deer with a stocky body.

What do deer eat?

Deer are herbivores and generally eat grass, nuts, twigs, alfalfa, corn, fruit, and fungi. Their diet fluctuates all year to what is available each season. During the winter deer tend to eat buds, bark, and shoots, while in the spring and summer time they will generally eat corn, and acorns.

How much does a whitetail deer weigh?

The average weight of an adult male white-tailed deer is about 150 lbs., but in the northernmost end of their range the deer can exceed 250 lbs.! Substantial Subspecies – Scientists estimate that there may be between 30 and 40 sub species of whitetail deer across their range.

What color are whitetail deer?

Description of the Whitetail Deer. Whitetails range in color from reddish brown in warmer months, to grey in the winter and fall. The most recognizable characteristic is the deer’s white under-tail, which is visible when the tail is raised. The males, known as “bucks,” grow new antlers yearly. It is extremely rare for the does (female deer) ...

What is the cover on a deer's antlers called?

Velvet Cover – White-tailed deer bucks shed their antlers every year, and grow a new pair. The growing antlers take time to develop, and during this time a soft skin called “velvet” protects them. The velvet is filled with many veins, which supply blood to the antlers, allowing rapid growth to occur.

What do whitetails eat?

In desert habitats they will also feed on cactus. Whitetails have also been known to eat fruit, corn, acorns, mushrooms, and poison ivy.

How tall should a deer fence be?

The fence should be at least eight feet tall, as deer are extremely proficient jumpers. Their diet should also be supplemented with vitamins and minerals, as well as additional vegetation if their habitat does not provide enough for them to maintain their weight.

Why do humans hunt deer?

Humans hunt deer, both for sustenance, as trophies or sport, and to control deer populations. Overgrown deer populations can cause the spread of disease, and vulnerable plant species to be decimated. Deer are also kept as livestock in a number of countries for their meat, antlers, and fur.

Where do whitetail deer live?

They are commonly found in temperate forests, partially wooded lowlands, open prairies, savannahs, mountains, tropical forests, and wetlands.

How do whitetails hear?

Muscles attached to the whitetail’s ears allow it to rotate them and hear in multiple directions without having to move its head. This helps it to determine which direction the sound or is coming from and possibly even how far away the sound is. This part of a deer’s anatomy plays a critical role in its survival.

Where do whitetail bucks urinate?

These glands secrete a musky scent unique to that individual deer. The buck will urinate on the glands and leave the scent in areas that it paws out on the ground, called scrapes. Other male and female deer visit these scrapes to check scent.

Why do deer shoot with broadheads?

While a bullet can enter the lungs of a deer and exit, shooting its lungs with a broadhead will make it difficult for the deer to breathe. Usually, that difficulty breathing will keep it from being able to run too far after the shot. Sometimes, however, simply clipping a lung or not having a complete pass-through shot can result in poor blood trails, making the deer more difficult to track.

How do deer leave their scent behind?

Both male and female deer leave scent behind via urine and various scent glands. Among other things, a whitetail’s incredible sense of smell allows a buck to know when a doe is ready to breed, or when an intruder buck is in the area. A deer’s nose is its best defense mechanism.

How do deer eat?

That food is swallowed and passed to the first stomach, which is known as the rumen. The digestive bacteria in the rumen begins to break down the cellulose found in the plant life that the deer has consumed.

What happens when a deer chews its cud?

This is often referred to as the deer “chewing its cud.”. This allows the deer to further break down the food, so it can absorb the nutrients it needs. Once the food is chewed the second time, it moves to the reticulum, which serves as a strainer of sorts.

How long does it take for a deer to digest food?

After a period of about 16 hours , the food will pass from the reticulum to the omasum. In the omasum, the water from the food is absorbed. The food then passes to the abomasum, which produces acid that further breaks down the food that the deer has eaten.

Overview

Description

Taxonomy

Ecology

Behavior

Human interactions

Climate change

See also