Wildlife CDE Bio-facts

White tail scientific name

Odocoileus virginianus

Most abundant big game species in Texas

Whitetail Deer

White Tail state population

4 Million

White tail annual harvest

600,000

What are Whitetails

Ruminants

White tail top speed

30 to 35 mph

Antler material

Bone

When does white tail antler development start

April

When is white tail antler velvet shed

September

When do white tail shed antlers

february

What causes non-typical antler growth

Heredity or injury

Prime white tail antler development age

5 to 6 years old

How likely are whitetail to exceed the age of 5-6 in heavily hunted areas

Not very likely

Fawn age

Less than a year

Yearling deer age

1 to 1.5

Are male fawns born in May or July more likely to be a 6-8 point their second winter

Ones born in May

Whitetail become mature when

Their second fall/ winter

Is body growth rapid in the first two years for Whitetail

Yes

White tail rut length

October through January

Number of WT doe estrus cycles per year

3

Time WT doe is receptive

28 hours

Space between whitetail estrus cycles

28 days

Gestation period for white tail

200 days

Number of fawns of first Whitetail pregnancy

1

Number of fawns after the first whitetail pregnancy

2

Average fawns per doe per year

1 and a half fawns per doe per year

State avg for WT weaned fawns from does 2.5 years or older

0.2 to 0.3 fawns

When are WT fawns weaned

4 months

Percent of WT fawns taken by coyotes

20% to 60%

WT buck range

2 to 4 times greater than a doe

Age cap of most whitetails

10 years

WT diet

3 to 7 pounds of dry matter with 14 to 18% protein

Ideal WT cover

20 to 70%

WT water intake per day

.5 - 1 gallon

Most common limiting factor for Whitetail

Forage quaility

WT need water within

1 to 3 miles

Harvest % WT herds can withstand

30%

WT buck to doe ratio

1:1

Mule deer scientific name

Odocoileus hemionus

National Mule deer weight

125- 400

Texas Mule deer weight

125-300

Record MD antler spread

47.5 inches

MD back antler fork is called

Bifurcated

MD antlers shed

Mid-January to Mid- April

MD Rut

Mid November to Mid February

MD rut peak

Late December

MD Gestation

210 days (7 months)

Most MD fawns are born in

June and July

MD fawns wean at

60 -75 days in good conditions

Age bucks participate in rut

3-4 years old

MD fawn crops

45% Trans- Pecos, 35% Panhandle

MD Percent of fawn crops that increase population

50%

MD Percent of fawn crops that decrease population

25%

Home Range of MD

Avg. 2 to 4 square miles

Home range of MD in Panhandle

26 miles

When do MD bucks lose their antlers

Mid-January to Mid-April

Do mature bucks lose antlers before immature bucks

Yes

MD diet

70% browse, 25% forbs, 5% grasses

Water distance for MD

2.5-3 miles

Limiting factor for Mule deer

Quality of habitat

MD population density in Trans-Pecos

1 per 100 acres

MD population density in Panhandle

1 per 30-1,000 acres

MD harvest percent

10%

MD buck doe ratio

1:3

Use of key browse species for Mule deer

50%

Where should cover be located for Mule deer

Near Water

Time Mule deer antlers take to develop

150 days

Pronghorn scientific name

Antilocapra americana

Male Pronghorn Weight

90-125 pounds

Female PR weight

90 pounds

PR horns shed

Mid-October to Early November

When is PR horn growth visible

1st week of December

PR top speed

45 mph

Fence wire height PR will go under

14-16 inches

PR rangeland in Texas

Trans-Pecos and Panhandle

PR harem Size

2 to 14

PR rut length

August to Mid-October

PR gestation period

235 days

PR fawns are born

Mid- March to Early June

PR fawns born on first pregnancy

1

PR fawns born after first pregnancy

2

PR fawn per doe ratio

1.8 fawns per doe

Time PR fawns are hidden

7 to 10 days

age PR start grazing

1 month

PR fawn nursing length

4 months

PR diet

65% forbs, 30% browse, 5% grasses

Can PR ueat forbs that are toxic to Livestock

Yes

Percent that small grains can make up for PR winter diet

70%

PR landscape preference

Open plains

PR water intake

0.09 to 1.19 gallons per day

Water distance for PR

4-6 miles

Space needed for 8-12 PR

3 or 4 section pastures

PR best management practice

Proper grazing use of rangelands

Is reduction of livestock beneficial for PR

Yes

Livestock most competitive with PR

Goats and Sheep

Livestock least competitive with PR

Cattle

Scientific name for Javelina

Pecari tajacu

Common name for Javelina

Collared peccary

Height of JV

18 inches