Whitetail Deer
Odocoileus virginianus
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Cervidae
Subfamily: Capreolinae
Genus: Odocoileus
Species: virginianus
Whitetail deer have tremendous genetic variation and are extremely adaptable to several different environments. This is due in part to two key characteristics of whitetail deer. The first is their distinctive stomach which contains four chambers, allowing a them to feed in open, uncovered areas and store food inside their stomach before moving back into cover before digestion. Also, they are instinctively elusive creatures and have great senses to detect predators in plenty of time to safely avoid any problem.Deer go through a period of mating for roughly two weeks called "Rut." During rut, male deer, or bucks, increase testosterone levels while female deer, or does, increase estrogen levels. This causes a high number of mating deer and increased aggressiveness throughout the buck population in a certain territory. Scrapes, which are rubbed out circles in the ground, and Rubs, which are trees that have had the bark removed by the horns of a territorial buck, are both good signs of the rutting period. Also, fighting, like the video above shows, is a great indication that the mating season is officially taking place. These animals are fascinating mammals and I really enjoy learning more and more about these elusive creatures.
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McMillin, J. Michael. 1974. Annual Testosterone Level in Adult Whitetail Deer (Odocoileus virginianus). The Endocrine Society.
McMillin, J. Michael. 1974. Annual Testosterone Level in Adult Whitetail Deer (Odocoileus virginianus). The Endocrine Society.
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ReplyDeleteWhite Tailed Deer are interesting creatures that I often see when I am home in Tallahassee. It is always interesting to me that I only see does. I have always wondered if that is because if there is a buck that lives in a neighborhood, someone will kill it illegally. Anyway, learning how animals adapt to their environments is always something that can hold my interest, and I find it very interesting how the deer can “store” food in their stomach so that they do not have to be exposed too long.
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Your blog was very interesting. I never knew that white tailed deer’s fight during mating seasons. While driving down the highway back in forth to Orlando I see very many deer’s, but have never been able to differentiate them. Now that I have a great description from the video of what white tailed deer’s look like I can look out for them.
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I loved hearing your presentation in class, and I also really like your blog because I live out in an extremely rural area, and I see deer all the time. It was interesting to learn about animals that live a few feet outside my backyard. They do seem pretty elusive, because usually all we see during the day is their prints from their hoofs left in the dirt by our creek. However, when I’m driving home and one gets in front of my headlights, they seem the opposite of elusive! These animals are extremely beautiful creatures. Even though I don’t hunt these deer, I still see their beauty and what resources they have to offer. Good post!
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I agree with Kayla, great presentation, it almost made me want to go hunting. Until I realized how much I dislike firearms. On a serious note, if I could wish for one thing, it would be for 4 stomaches as well. I love eating, need I say more? The fact they can eat, store it, then digest it at a later time is fascinating. That would help tremendously when I run marathons, eat breakfast, start digesting it in the middle of my run. YES please. I'd have a great finishing time.
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One thing I do completely agree with, you cut at least 6 middle-men out of modern consumer consumption of meat. By the time people buy meat at the grocery store, millions of tons of CO2 have been injected into the atmosphere. So, I commend you on your hunts and wish you luck. Hopefully they're not all killed for game.
Growing up in Southern California we would travel to Utah to hang out with my Uncle that was a HUGE hunter. I used to love to go to his house and eat the venison jerkey, it was the best. He had about two or three 5 or 6 pointers that were over his stairwell. They are beautiful animals. Never knew about the stomach thing before your presentation last week, that would be pretty cool if we had that ability. Best of luck in the future.
ReplyDeleteI’m very familiar with Whitetail Deer, but I never knew they have four stomach chambers like cows or that they only go into rut for two weeks during the year. They are such amazing and elusive animals, it’s so interesting to learn more about what makes them the way they are. I feel like I know so much more about them just from reading your post.
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Cassidy Clark