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Home > Blogs > Birds and Butterflies > Archives > 2012 > January > 27
Friday, January 27, 2012
OH, DEER!!
While driving through Hill and Dales MetroPark this past Tuesday, we spotted this magnificent animal!
White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) have not always been so numerous. In the early 20th Century, this animal was extirpated (removed) from the state due to overhunting. They began to return in the 1920s and are now considered a nuisance because of their high numbers. Deer do not hibernate or sleep during the winter. They can be seen all year, grazing on woodland plants, the bark of young trees, and even in our flower beds! Their distinct footprint and scat makes them easy to identify and track.
Females will have one offspring per year but many will have twins. During the first month of a fawn’s life, the mother will hide them in a thicket and return to nurse two or three times a day. If you stumble upon a young fawn, keep in mind that Mom is probably very close by and watching every move you make! It is advised that you do not disturb them. After a month has passed, they will follow their mother around, rarely leaving her side.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has a wonderful printable life history on the White-tailed Deer that can be found on their website. I often turn to these life histories for information before programs. http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=hdF0IbvU%2f%2f8%3d&tabid=6791
So, when you are next out in Nature, or your own backyard see if you can find some signs that a White-tailed Deer has been there!
