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Project Noah Nature School
Odocoileus virginianus
he white-tailed deer is one of Minnesota's most popular big game animals. It is found in every Minnesota county and adapts well to most surroundings. Whitetails have an excellent sense of smell and hearing. Identification General description: The whitetail is a large brown or gray mammal that has a white tail it lifts and waves when alarmed and running. Length: Whitetails are 4 to 6 feet long, have a 6- to 12-inch tail and stand 2 to 3 feet tall. Weight: Males weigh 100 to 300 pounds; females weigh 85 to130 pounds. Color: Reddish brown in summer and grayish brown in winter. Sounds: Snorts, grunts and bleats.
Food White-tailed deer eat many foods, such as acorns, corn, soybeans, mushrooms, grasses, tree leaves, buds, twigs and bark, wild grapes, apples and assorted shrubs. Predators Wolves, coyotes, bears, and bobcats hunt and eat whitetails. Habitat and range White-tailed deer live in prairies, forests, swamps, wood lots and agricultural fields. They are common in both suburban and rural areas. Sometimes they are a traffic hazard. During harsh winters, deer may also become a nuisance to farmers by eating hay or corn that is stored for livestock.
These deer are by no means tame but the need for food during deep winter snows makes these deer tolerant of me photographing them. Always wary and ready to bolt into the woods.
Spotted on Feb 27, 2011
Submitted on Jun 27, 2013
2 Comments
Thanks! I would guess 50 feet or so. I was hiding from view in the garage at the cabin but had to move into view to get the shots. They are on alert!
How close did you get to them? nice shots!