AGSC 381 Hunter Education Big Game Animals In

AGSC 381 Hunter Education Big Game Animals In Texas

Objectives n Identify game species in Texas – Elk, White-Tailed, & Mule Deer n Determine: • Description • Range • Habitat/Habits

Elk (WAPITI) n Description: – – Large, hoofed mammal Cream colored rump patch Small cream colored tail General reddish-brown body with chestnut brown neck (mane in males) – Huge spreading antlers on males in summer and autumn n Range: – In Texas, free roaming elk are limited to the trans -pecos region – Some private herds are not considered game animals located in Central and South Texas regions

Elk (WAPITI) n Habitat/Habits – Lives in semi-open forest, mountains, meadows, foothills plains, and valleys – Herbivorous- eats grasses, forbs, some brush, twigs/bark – Usually migrate to higher elevations in spring – Live 14 years and males are polygamous (breeds more than one female) – Ruts start in September – calves born in May-June – normally one calf per cow - spotted

Elk

White–Tailed Deer n Description: – Small to medium hoofed mammal with reddish brown to blue-gray or tan colorings – Underside of tail is white – Antlers on male consist mainly of main beam with tines growing from it n Range: – Texas has the most white-tailed deer of any state (over four million) – Texas hill country is most densely populated area in the country – West Texas and the Panhandle are the only spotty areas with whitetails

White-Tailed Deer n Habitat/Habits – Lives in forest, swamps, open brushy areas, foothills plains and river bottoms – Herbivorous- eats forbs, browse, wigs, shrubs, acorns, fungi and some grasses – Limited movement (rarely more than one to two miles) – Lives to 16 years in the wild – Male is polygamous (breeds more than one female) – Rut starts in October through December, spotted twin fawns are normal

White-Tailed Deer

Mule Deer n Description: – Medium to large hoofed mammal with reddish (summer) to blue-gray (winter) coloring – Rump patch is cream colored with black-tipped – Cream colored tail – Ears are larger than white-tailed deer – Antlers are dichotomous (branches equally---not all from one beam) n Range: – Located primarily in the High Plains and Trans. Pecos regions (west) – Some Mule Deer overlap with ranges of Whitetail deer

Mule Deer n Habitat/Habits: – Live in forest, desert shrubs, chaparral, grasslands, plains, foothills and river bottoms – Herbivorous- eats forbs, browse, shrubs, twigs, and some grasses – Migrate similar to elk, but in Texas limited movement may occur – Lives to 16 years in the wild – Male is polygamous (breeds more than female) – Rut starts in October through December – One to two fawns are typical - spotted

Mule Deer

Work Sheet Activity Use the work sheet provided and identify the specie. n List one or more physical descriptions n Name the range/area n Name habitat or habits n

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