Many humans see deer only as a game animal or as a nuisance for eating plants in their gardens or landscape. I hope this blog will help you understand, appreciate and see what remarkable beings deer are. As with all species on this planet, deer evolved as an indispensable thread in the intricate web of life that sustains and serves the needs of our planet. The first ungulates, (mammals with hooves), appeared in fossil records 50 million years ago. These animals subsequently evolved into two groups: those with an even number of toes (Artiodactyls – cattle, sheep, pigs, giraffes, hippopotamus, camels, elk, buffalo, moose, reindeer, antelope, and deer) and those with an uneven number of toes (Perrissodactyls - horses, donkeys, zebras, rhinoceroses and tapirs). The first deer appeared on the scene about 25 million years ago. In comparison, the first bi-pedal beings from which homo erectus evolved made their entrance around 4 to 5 million years ago with Homo sapiens emerging only 200 to 300 thousand years ago. I mention this to emphasize that deer evolved millions of years before humans to serve needs other than how humans see them. In the United States we have two types of deer. The most numerous is the White Tail deer (Odocoileus virginianus). The White tail deer is found in almost all 50 states except for Hawaii and Alaska. The Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), which gets its name from its very large ears, is slightly larger than its cousin and lives in the Rocky Mountains area, the western Great Plains and in southwest United States. This blog is about the White tail deer which is the number one hunted animal in our country. Short History of the Deer Deer were plentiful when the colonists first arrived in America. Their meat was eaten and their skins were made into clothes. The skins became so valuable that they could be sold for $1. The word ‘buckskin’ soon evolved into the word ‘buck’ meaning one dollar. By the beginning of the 1700s, because of intense hunting, the deer population had become quickly decimated. Some of the earliest laws imposed by the colonies were enacted to restrict the number of deer that could be killed and limit the seasons they could be hunted. By 1900 there were less than 500,000 deer left in the entire United States. In 1901 after becoming president, Teddy Roosevelt, a well know hunter, in order to protect the deer population as well as other game animal species, devised a plan to perpetuate and protect the game populations from being entirely wiped out by hunting. He established 150 national forests, 5 national parks, 51 federal bird reserves and 18 national monuments on over 230 million acres of public land. Roosevelt also created the United States Forest Service to further protect wildlife and public lands. Today the population of deer is over 50 million. This increase is due to many factors including: restricted use of firearms; fewer hunters- only 6% of our population today consider themselves hunters; tougher hunting laws including the need for a license; ‘Not on my property’ attitude and especially diminished number of natural predators such as wolves. We are much more aware of deer populations because human sprawl has taken over the deer’s natural habitat and deer have had to adapt to living where people now live. Interesting Deer Facts: Males are called bucks and weigh between 130 – 300 pounds. They are the only ones with antlers which are shed after the mating season that extends from October to the first part of December. Females are called does and weigh between 90 to 200 pounds. The gestation period is about 6 ½ months. Does will have between 1 and 3 fawns a year based on how plentiful food supplies are. Fawn is the name given to a baby deer. At birth, they have no smell for three days so they don’t attract predators. When their mother leaves them to forage, fawns instinctively lay flat on the ground with their neck outstretched and don’t move. Their spots offer added camouflage but disappear after 3 months. They are nursed by their mother for 8-10 weeks before they are completely weaned. Young males leave their mother after one year and females leave after two. Deer eat woody portions of leaves and stems, grass, acorns, apples and forbs (broad-leafed plants). Their diet changes over the four seasons according to what food is available. They have a four chambered stomach which is extremely efficient at extracting every drop of water and nutrition from their food. That’s why when you see deer droppings, pellets, they are very small. Deer are crepuscular (they forage mainly at dusk and dawn). Because deer are prey animals for so many predators, (wolves, coyote, bear, bobcats and mountain lions) they eat quickly in a hypervigilant state. Once they have had their fill, they will retreat to a safe place and regurgitate their food and then slowly chew and digest it thoroughly. Deer chew their cud just like other ruminants, (mammals that regurgitate their food), such as cattle, cows, goats, sheep and giraffes. Lifespan – In the wild, deer live on average to be 3 years old. In captivity they can live to be 20. The chief causes of their short lives in order of importance are: hunters, predators, starvation/weather, car collisions and Chronic Wasting Disease (a degenerative disease that causes brain cells to die). Deer skin is covered with dense hair. In warm months the color is a reddish brown. When the days turn shorter and colder, deer shed their summer coat and grow a gray coat with hairs that are hollow. This adaption provides for a better winter insulation. The gray color also offers a better camouflage in the bleak winter landscape. Purpose of the white tail – The underneath of the deer tail is white. Deer flash their white tails to signal each other especially when danger is present. Does use their tails to communicate with their fawns and keep them close. Senses – Deer have been equipped with extraordinary senses to help them navigate their environment while avoiding predators. Vision: Deer have eyes that protrude and are located on the sides of their heads for 360 degree vision. They have 9 times more rods, (photoreceptor cells in the eye that enable vision in low light), than humans which allow them to see well in black and white at night. Hearing: Deer have large 6” by 3” cupped ears that can independently rotate 180 degrees. This allows them to detect, direct and triangulate sounds from all directions. In other words, it’s hard to sneak up on a deer. Smelling ability: With 297 million olfactory receptors, (compare this to a hound dog who has 220 million and a human who has a mere 5 million), the sense of smell is the deer’s ultimate superpower. Deer can smell water, food and predators a mile away! Speed – Deer can run up to 35mph. This ability helps them out-run predators. Jumping – Deer can jump over obstacles that are 8 ½’ tall. Lesson, if building a fence around your garden to keep deer out, it needs to be at least 8’ tall. Deer can also jump over a space of 30’. Swimming - Deer are excellent swimmers and often use rivers or lakes to escape predators. Next Blog: Part II - ‘How to Garden and Landscape In Deer Country’
0 Comments
|
AuthorConsultant, designer and educator transforming commercial and residential landscapes sustainably Archives
March 2023
Categories |