Odocoileus virginiana

The Whitetail Deer is a browsing animal in Georgia woodlands, standing about as high as a kitchen table and rarely weighing over 200 pounds.Occasionally an individual exceeds this and draws a lot of attention, but by and large expect a georgia buck to weigh from 150 to 200 pounds. Mature does are smaller, usually under 150 pounds. these are creatures not of the deep inpenetrable forest, butrather ofthe glades, openings and edges of the woods. A careful scrutiny of the flora of woodlands shows very little browse in heavily canopied sections, and a wealth of available browse speies in places where sunlight reaches the forest floor. When mast becomes available, deer will frequent heavily forested regions until this treat is exploited, but feeding is a year-round experience, and by far the greatest amount of food is browse, which grows in profusion only in open spots.

Deer are like teenage kids in many respects. When choosing fod they will eat large amopunts of preferred items almost exclusively until the supply is exhausted, then proceed to the next most desirable and repeat the process. Further, they will eat just about anything, so long as it is the best they can find at the moment. When bucks go into rut they pursue sex to excess; the quest becomes an all engrossing obsession, even to the detriment of their health. When disturbed, deer panic quickly, and just as quickly seem to forget all about the emergency, resuming their normal routine. It is as though they have a zest for living which precludes any worry or concern for future problems. They live forthe moment, pursuing each activity with extreme intensity.

Whitetails portray a tenseness in their appearance akin to a piano wire stretched tothe point of breaking. Smooth, sleek, graceful and moving with effortless gliding motions, their very essence suggests a pending explosion of energy. the shoulders of deer are connected to their body with cushioning cartilage instead of bone sockets, this lends tremendous flexibility to their movements. A deer in full flight through a tangled forest is truly a wondrous sight. Sure-footedly leaping, leaning, and gliding through obstacles requiring split second responses, their uncanny body control is breathtaking.

Deer are not migrating animals, preferring to live quiet uneventful lives in a relatively small area. However, some innate curiosity seems to require them to explore for short distances, even when all the comforts of deer life are readily available. Most authorities believe a deer lives and dies within a mile of its birthplace, an area called its " Homerange". Rutting bucks break this rule somewhat, with reports of five mile treks in search of breeding does, and bucks in general spread more into adjacent territories supposedly because of the dominancy factor in breeding. These "rules of thumb" for areas and distances are to be taken with a grain of salt, since movements are influenced greatly by unique local considerations. Suffice it to say that does and yearlings do not travel great distances and bucks will venture further afield.

In Georgia the breeeding takes place in the fall which coincides with the hunting season. This is undoubtdly the maximum activity period of the year, and results in increassed visibility. More animals are seen in 90 days than the rest of the year. without the presssure of procreation, it would be difficult indeed to harvest enough animals to protect the environment. Deer are masters at living in close proximity to man and remaining undetected. Tracks indicate their presence, but sightings become rare with hunting pressure.

Fawns arrive in Spring, does bearing one, two or occasionally three offspring. In expanding herds on good range, two is the expected number. Fawns remain with the doe for the first year and begin separation following the birth of the next generation. These yearlings are 1 1/2 years old by hunting season, the bucks sporting their first antlers. These horns, depending on genetics and food, vary from small spikes to fully developed, narrow beamed 8 point racks. It is reported that under exceptionally good conditions it is possible for doe fawns to breed and trail fawns at 1 1/2 years of age. I can't verify this from experience.