81 Unbelievable White Tail Deer Facts You Must Know

The white-tailed deer, or simply Virginia deer, is one of the most abundantly found wildlife in the regions of North America, Ecuador and Central America.

The scientific name for this deer is Odocoileus virginianus. However, the white-tailed deer is not only restricted to these parts of America, these ungulate species have also been instigated in New Zealand and other European countries like Finland, France, Germany, Romania, Serbia, and the Czech Republic.

Since the white-tailed deer is a herbivore from the North American deer family, the deer's diet varies from other deer species depending upon the seasons and its habitat. It extensively consumes green plants during the hot summers and acorns, nuts, twigs, buds, and other plants are its main sources of food during the time of winter.

Needless to say, the animal, due to its large abundance, has been hunted for ages, especially in most parts of America. The white-tailed deer is widely scattered in the Rocky Mountains, Arizona, Mexico, and other parts of California in North America.

However, as simple-minded and typical as we think this animal with a four-chambered stomach is, let us explore some interesting facts on white-tailed deer to understand it a bit better.

The Importance Of White-Tail Deer

As previously stated, white-tailed deer are one of the most widely spread ungulate species in the entirety of North America. They have a significant impact on the wildlife ecosystem and the food chain. Here are some important facts related to the importance of white-tailed deer.

These graceful white-tailed deer are also regarded as being the keystone herbivore species since their impact on other organisms is vital. As a herbivore, they play a crucial role in the ecosystem, often acting as a meal to other large predators such as wolves, cougars, bobcats, and lions.

The white-tailed deer also help to sustain the forest floor by consuming the vegetation extensively.

Their large availability in these regions is one reason for the smooth functioning of the wildlife habitat that surrounds them. Since we all know the law of nature, the large carnivorous simply cannot survive without the existence of these animals. Another problem that would arise without deer, in general, would be overgrazing.

Some Typical Characteristics Of White-Tail Deer

Here are some of the most important characteristics of the white-tailed deer which will help you understand more about the white-tailed deer.

White-tailed deer basically possess two types of fur, brown during the summer and grayish-brown during the winter.

The white-tailed deer can be identified by their unique white imprint underside of their tail. Generally, these deer have a habit of raising their tail whenever they sense a predator is chasing them or is even just nearby or behind them.

Besides having the white color under its tail, the animal also has it on its throat, on the eyes, nose, and stomach area.

The males are called bucks and females are called does. A typical male deer weighs between 150-300 lb (68-136 kg), whereas a female is lighter than the male deer and might weigh somewhere between 90-200 lb (41-91 kg).

Did you know that white-tailed deer and mule deer are the only two deer species native to the United States?

However, there is one specific characteristic in all deer which is that they all strangely lack a gallbladder. White-tailed deer are also said to be opportunistic eaters, feeding on even man-made cultivations when the need arises.

The Typical Habitat Of White-Tail Deer

If you are looking for more information on the habitat of the white-tailed deer, then these facts will certainly offer you the details you desire.

Unlike many other ungulate species, the white-tailed deer thrive in a variety of environments and are not restricted to just a single habitat. However, some of the most suitable habitats for them are lands where there is the extensive ability of hardwoods, pastures, crops, and brush.

They are also found in the forests of temperate, savannah, mountains, and other tropical forests and wetlands.

However, to control the overexploited population of the white-tailed deer, humans have been hunting them for both sport and for sustenance over many years. Many of the deer who dwell in North America are also hunted because their overgrown population could have a possibility of spreading disease given the large volumes of deer.

Additionally, removing deer from areas where endangered plant species live can help protect the plant's given deer are herbivore and feed extensively from their surrounding environments.

The white-tailed animals are usually known to thrive in solitude, especially in the summer season. Bucks do not stay together except during the mating seasons.

However, deer do migrate as they move to warmer regions where food is available. These animals are not exclusively nocturnal but they are in fact, crepuscular as they start their day prior to dawn, and late in the afternoon before nightfall.

Another significant aspect of the white-tailed deer habitat is the extensive availability of flowering plants, woody plants, etc.

Other Facts About White-Tail Deer

The white-tailed deer generally live up to two to three years, although their lifespan is 20 years, due to the carnivore predators or hunting by humans. Their name white-tailed deer derives from the white undersides of the deer’s tail, which apart from being unique, helps provide a signal if it senses danger.

Here are some of the more facts on white-tail deer:

A young deer is termed a fawn. Male adult-grown deer are called bucks and female deer are known as does.

A special feature is that generally, male deer possess antlers, which surprisingly shed each year.

White-tailed deer are popular for having great eyesight and hearing.

As many as six million white-tailed deer are hunted and killed every year.

The white-tailed deer is one of the most common deer species in North America.

The grazing of white-tailed deer can have a significant impact on the biodiversity and ecosystem it inhabits.

These animals are mostly solitary, interacting only during the mating season.

These white-tailed deer possess more possibility of living in captivity than surviving in the wild because in the wild, being hunted poses more of a significant threat.

The white-tailed deer make up a significant part of the hunting industry in the United States, which is a popular pastime for many people.