White Tailed Deer Research Paper

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Austin D. West Mrs. Tracye Peden Seventh Grade ELA January 6, 2009 The White-Tailed Deer The White-Tailed deer are very beautiful and will always be one of the most popular animals to be hunted in North America. White-tailed deer have grown very much over time! The scientific name for the white-tailed deer is Odocoileus Virginianus. The first reason is because of the population. There are over 18 million deer in the United States. There are 1 million in South Carolina alone! In 1900, there were only 500,000 white-tailed deer. Today, about 18 million white-tailed deer roam the United States and Canada. The increase in population is due to the reduction of natural predators…show more content…
They are always swift and on the alert, aware of their surroundings! All deer rely on a keen sense of smell. Each individual deer has there own scent. White-tailed deer frequently sniff the air to detect the scent of a predator. Some hunters say that they can smell you from a mile away. Many hunters wear all kinds of cover scents while hunting, such as raccoon urine, fox urine, also buck and doe urine. Most hunters put the scent on their boots or on leaves around them. White-tailed deer are still a very shy and cautious animal. Running and sharp senses are their main defense (Zwaschka 11). One deer will signal another with sounds and actions when they sense danger. Deer try to avoid predators by being quiet while searching for food or water. White-tailed deer use speed to escape approaching predators, such as coyotes, lynx, and wolves (Zwaschka 18). They can also run up to speeds of 40 miles per hour. The white-tailed deer’s most significant attribute is the white hair on the bottom of their tails. The tail signals danger to other white-tailed deer. White-tailed deer do not see in color, they see in black and white. In black and white, an animal or person standing still blends into the background. White-tailed deer also can detect the slightest movement with their eyes. When the deer detects movement, they will stand still, look, and also…show more content…
The scent is a massive target for predators. Most all fawns will be able to stand within a half hour of birth. The fawn will soon drink its mother’s milk which is called colostrum. All of the milk has proteins which will make the fawn stronger. A doe will hide its fawn or fawns while she is gone to feed. The white spots on the young deer’s fur helps the deer blend in with its surroundings. A fawn bleats loudly, especially if a predator attacks it. They can respond in two different ways. The doe can fight the predator or get the predator to chase the mother instead of the fawn! White-tailed deer are born in May or on into early June. A young doe can mate her first year if she chooses, but she can only have one little deer her first year because her body can only support one. Since white-tailed deer can reproduce at such a young age population is very high. Many female deer like to be alone during birth so they find somewhere quiet. She will chase off any other yearlings that are around. Bucks are too busy eating to be interested. Bucks will never return to the family to help raise the deer. All does raise their young in the summer when there is plenty of food for the fawns to eat and grow. The fawns will learn to not rely on their mother’s milk anymore. Fawns play with each other and are very active which helps them to become strong. They horseplay, they kick, and leap, and

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