White-Tailed Deer        

Introduction

White-Tailed Deer are 3-3 1.2 feet tall and can weigh up to 400 pounds. Their long legs give them the ability to jump and bound off with speed for a quick getaway. However, they tire easily and when chased over longer distances, can be killed. Adult bucks travel in groups of 2-5 while does travel in groups of 2-9. Each group has a dominant member. The deer shows its aggressiveness by dropping its ears back against its neck, lowering its head, and glaring at the other deer. If the situation intensifies, the deer moves sideways towards its opponent with the intention of making its opponent move away. If this does not work, the deer picks up a front foot, rises on its hind legs, and strikes the other deer. Actual contact is seldom made. In the fall, when bucks have full-grown antlers, they may have conflicts locking antlers. Deer shed their antlers after mating sometime around January-February. Deer molt twice a year in May-June losing their winter coat and September-October gaining their winter coat of longer hollow hairs that will insulate them in the cold.

Food Habits

At dusk and dawn, they eat large quantities of vegetation quickly so they can get back to cover as quickly as possible. They then regurgitate the food into their mouths in small quantities and rechew it. They bed during the day and feed during the night.

Family Life

Deer mate from October through January and then live in separate groups. Bucks start growing their antlers in May and if their diet is adequate, will have large antlers. If their food is sparse, they may only have stubs. By September, they scrape their antlers against trees to remove the velvety coating. Each tree is used only once and trees with aromatic bark are preferred. Males follow females and once they have mated moves on to another female. The female returns to her maternal group. In June, does move away from the group to give birth. First time mothers usually have one fawn. Later, they may have 2-3 fawns. For the first month of its life, the fawn lays hidden and is nursed by its mother. In August and September, the does and fawns rejoin the doe group. Yearlings leave and feed on their own but remain in the vicinity of their mother and winter with her.

Winter Habits

In the winter, deer winter browse on twigs and bark of woody plants such as maple, oak, sumac, dogwood, and willow, buds, and saplings. They also feed on evergreens such as yew, white cedar, hemlock, pine, arborvitae, and fir. To help them survive the winter, deer stay within a limited familiar area packing down a network of small trails. They stay in cedar swamps or deep woods where they are protected from wind and snow accumulation. Many deer starve or become too weak to defend themselves in deep snow.

Threats

Deer fawns suffer from many predators: foxes, domestic dogs, coyotes, and even ants. Adult Deer are afraid only of larger animals: black bears, bobcats, eagles and coyotes. Their only protection is their ability to bound away quickly and clear obstacles that impede predators.

Deer are also hunted and more conservation organizations are allowing deer herds to be "managed" by hunting because a high population can result in deer starvation and disease. Hunting is not allowed in Bedford, except for bow hunting on the Great Meadows National Wildlife Sanctuary.

Benefits

Oreintal physicians value deer antler velvet as a dietary supplement to improve immune system functioning and athletic performance strength.

Problems and Solutions

Since deer feed on tulips, yew, and arborvitae, they are often viewed as pests. Note that they eat tulips but not daffodils.

There are several deer deterrents on the market. One company advertises a product developed by a veterinarian. It is a wireless deer fence that is a metal fence post that has a sweet smelling attractant. Since deer are browsers and attracted to scent, they will touch it and receive a harmless shock which frightens them from the area and trains them not to return. There is other deer fencing available without shocks.

Another easy technique is to spray hot pepper spray, purchased at most garden centers, on the plant. You can also use a deer repellent, such as coyote urine.