THE WHITE TAILED DEER By Jonathan Hamm DESCRIPTION

THE WHITE TAILED DEER By Jonathan Hamm

DESCRIPTION • In Georgia, the adult white tailed deer’s weight averages from about 70 to 250 pounds. • The males, which are also called bucks are larger than the females, which are called does. • Newborns are called fawns. They are spotted and weighs between 4 to 8 pounds.

DIET • Feed on leaves, buds, and twigs of many plants. • White-tailed deer eat about 5 pounds of plants, fruits and nuts per day. • Some of their favorite foods include honeysuckle, acorns, grapes, apples, blackberry, maple, grasses, and corn

HABITAT • Can live in a variety of habitats: • Forests • Woodlots • Suburbs • Golf courses • Swamps • Coastal marshes

HOW THE WHITE TAILED DEER STAYS SAFE FROM PREDATORS………. .

During the spring and summer months, the white tailed deer’s fur is reddish brown because it can hide in the trees and grass.

FALL AND WINTER During winter and fall, there fur turns grayish brown to blend in with the trees and snow.

CAN RECOGNIZE DANGER v highly developed senses of sight, smell, and hearing. v When threatened with danger, they will try to quietly sneak away. v If seriously frightened , a whitetail deer will make a loud, snorting or blowing sound, and then quickly run away while raising their tail up like a flag, showing the white underneath as an alarm to other deer nearby.

INTERESTING FACTS v Deer were once nearly eliminated in the state of Georgia, but then restored by wildlife management efforts v Deer population exceeds 1. 2 million in Georgia v Deer are a valuable natural, recreational and economic resource in Georgia. v Deer bring in more than $800 million per year in hunting license fees, sporting equipment sales, food and leases.