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Minnesota Deer Hunters Association

2 www.mndeerhunters.com

H ello Forkhorns!!!Welcome to the Minnesota Deer

Hunters Association Exploring

White-tailed Deer Guide!

We hope you enjoy learning all the cool

things about white-tailed deer like how

they regrow their big antlers every year

on page 10 or how they eat without

chewing on page 11!

Also, don’t forget to take the quiz and do

the crossword puzzle on page 29!

What is the MDHA

Exploring White-tailed Deer

Guide?

The MDHA Exploring White-tailed Deer Guide is an educational

publication of the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association. It is used as a

tool to assist in educating youth about white-tailed deer, America’s #1 big game animal. Contributors

Created by: Mike Wock

Edited by: Margaret Burgess

Ryan Patin Tina Langness

Harriette Wock MDHA State Office

Photographs by: Thank you to those who

supplied photos for our use. Each photo is credited to the photographer.

MDHA

460 Peterson Road Grand Rapids, MN 55744 (218)327-1103

www.mndeerhunters.com

The Minnesota Deer Hunters Association is a 501C(3), non-profit organization

“Working for tomorrow’s Wildlife and hunters today”.

Issue III - 2014

Amazing Adaptations

22

32

4

26

29

13 A Brief History Of Hunting

18 Deer Talk...listen close!

Spring Arrivals...ahh cute!

30

Signs...Rubs & Scrapes

16 Predators & Prey...watch out!

Take the Quiz!

Membership information

Forkhorn Camps

www.mndeerhunters.com 3

FORKHORNSFORKHORNSIN THE FIELD IN THE FIELD MDHA Forkhorns are youth

members under the age of 17

Adaptations & Traits

The White-tailed deer belongs to the same family as the elk,

moose, caribou, and mule deer. We call this family: Cervidae (SERVE-ih-day)

What’s an

adaptation? It’s a big word

describing characteristics

or features of an animal or plant

that will help it survive. Many

adaptations are designed to help

protect an animal from

predators. For example, pronghorn antelope have adapted with bodies built for speed. Fleet-footed pronghorns are among the speediest animals in North

America. They can run at more than 55 miles per hour, leaving pursuing

coyotes and bobcats in the dust. Pronghorns are also great distance runners that can travel for miles at half of their top speed. It is often cited as the

second-fastest land animal, and second only to the cheetah.

Photo from USFWS

4 Did you know...white-tailed deer are named for the white hairs on the underside of their tails.

Photo by Steve Van Riper, USFWS

DD eer use speed and

agility to outrun predators, sprinting up to 35

miles per hour and leaping as high as 10 feet and as far

as 30 feet in a single bound. Deer are ungulates, or

hoofed animals that have four toes.

The two outer toes on the backs of their

legs are called dew claws, that deer use primarily for extra balance and grip.

They walk on the middle two toes that form the hoof, which is covered by a

tough, thick toenail. Deer use their hooves to dig through leaves and snow

to find nuts and acorns. A gland between the toes produces an odor.

Deer can smell this scent and determine if another deer has been

there.

www.

TT hose skinny legs don’t look very powerful, but they’ll propel a

big-bodied buck or doe up a steep hill with no problem. With long, lean muscles, a deer’s legs are well suited for running, whether

chasing during the rut (breeding season) or evading danger.

The strong muscles of a deer’s hind legs provide most of the power for running and jumping.

The front legs are ideal for pivoting, allowing a deer to make sharp

turns. Deer also possess a great leaping ability. They bound swiftly across a dense forest

or prairie, often jumping 10 feet into

the air. Deer use their

front lets in defense as well. By punching with

their front legs, the deer’s sharp hooves

have been known to severely wound their

enemy. Rare recorded evidence has even

shown wolves killed by a deer’s hoof piercing

their skull.

Photo by Mike Wock Photo by Mike Wock

Photo by Mike Wock

6 Did you know…deer can turn their ears in any direction without turning their head.

DD eer Defenses

Mother Nature has equipped all deer with survival techniques that enable them to stay alive and reproduce. Deer have a built in “flight” instinct.

When they detect danger they will flee. Humans and other predators will trigger a deer’s flight instinct. Deer survive in a world crowded with predators

by using their keen senses to detect danger. They are equipped with three primary defensive senses: SMELL, HEARING, and SIGHT.

HH earing

Smell is a deer’s primary defense mechanism against

predators and danger, but hearing and sight are important to their

survival as well. Oversize ears enable them to hear incredibly well. They

have learned to discern “natural” noises in the woods like squirrels

racing around from “unnatural” noises from a human hunter scrunch,

scrunch, scrunching through the leaves to get to his or her deer stand

or cocking of a hammer on a rifle.

Deer can rotate their ears like radar

to pick up sound. Because deer hear so well, it is difficult to sneak up on

them. A deer’s hearing is far superior

Photo by Steve Hillebrand, USFWS

Photo by Roger Hill


SS mell is a

deer’s most finely

developed sense; it is their best

defense. A whitetail’s sense

of smell is more than 100 times

better than humans. Human scent is detectable by deer for days after humans have left the woods. Wary bucks may avoid an area for weeks

when crossing human scent.

Photo by Roger Hill

SS cent and Communication

Deer leave scent and smell to communicate with each other. White-tailed deer possess four major glands that allow them to produce

scents, some of which are so potent

they can be detected by the human nose.

Does sniff fawns to identify their own.

Deer keep track of each other by sniff-

ing rubbed trees and scrapes (bare spots

on the ground).

Deer sniff out the best foods. Bucks

sniff a doe’s urine to tell if she’s in estrus

(heat) and ready to breed.

Photo by Craig Lewis, USFWS

SS ight

Big side-mounted eyeballs

allow deer to see ahead and behind without having

to move their heads. Deer have an uncanny ability to

spot motion. Movement is what causes most hunters

to fail. Deer see very well in low light conditions

because they can open their pupil three times

wider than humans.

DD eer Lack Visual Acuity

Deer are unable to focus on only one spot. Humans can focus on one spot and things in their outermost boundary are blurred. Researchers at the

University of Georgia found that deer have 80 percent less visual acuity than humans. This explains why a deer can stare right at a motionless human and

not be able to determine what it is. This gives hunters an edge over deer.

8 Did you know… deer can live up to 20 years.

Photo by Mike Wock

Photo by Roger Hill


WW ith eyes placed on the sides of their

heads, deer can see in almost every direction except right behind them. That’s a

great advantage because they have to worry about predators sneaking up on them.

Predators, on the other hand, have eyes centered on the front of their faces so they can

use precise, focused vision to track their prey.

How well do deer see at night? The short answer is: better than you do. Way better!

They also have a special mirror in the back of their eyes that reflects captured light back

through the retina. This mirror, which

humans lack, is what creates "eye shine" when you point a flashlight at a deer, raccoon,

or bear. It also allows them to make better use of what light is present, be it moonlight or

just starlight.

CC oats—Twice a year deer shed every hair on their bodies. But you’ve

never seen a bald deer, have you? That’s because they lose their old coat and grow a new one at

the same time. In the summer, deer keep cool with

just one layer of hair. But as winter approaches and the

temperatures drop, deer need a warmer coat to survive. So

in the fall of the year, deer grow two layers of hair; - a

warm woolly layer against their bodies and longer guard

hair on the outside to keep

them dry. The thick winter coat really stands out compared with the summer coat. The buck (above on

the left) has replaced his winter coat with a reddish brown summer coat. The buck (above on the right) is in process of shedding his dull grayish brown

winter coat.

Photo by Mike Wock

Photo from ForestWonder.com

Photo from ForestWonder.com

AA ntler Development

Some cows have horns and some deer have antlers. There's a difference. Horns stay with cows their entire lives. Male deer shed their

antlers every winter and grow new ones after the weather warms. Antlers begin to grow in late spring, covered in fuzzy skin that is known as

velvet. Not all antler growth is the same from deer to deer or year to year. Disease, nutrition, injury, genetics, and other things factor into

antler development. All the bucks pictured below still have velvet on their antlers.

Photo by Mike Wock

Photo by Mike Wock

Photo by Roger Hill

Photo by Roger Hill

10 Did you know…deer are the only living animal on the earth that shed their antlers every year.

HH erbivores

Deer are herbivores, which means they eat plants. In spring and summer, they graze

on clover, alfalfa, grasses, tree buds, and leaves. In the fall, they switch to high-energy

food such as acorns, corn, soybeans, and other crops. During the winter, they nibble the

tender shoots and twigs of trees and shrubs. Deer love apples. Deer munch on flowers and

shrubs in people’s yards. Most gardeners enjoy seeing deer, but not in the garden!

RR uminants

Deer are ruminants, which means they have a

four-chambered stomach. Each chamber has a different and specific function that allows the deer to quickly eat a variety of different food,

digesting it at a later time in a safe area of cover. Deer gulp down their food without chewing. Later, after acids in its stomach break up leaves,

stems and other large items, deer throw the food back up its throat and chew it. Like a cow, a deer “chews its cud.” Imagine what the cud tastes

like! By eating this way, deer can gobble up a lot of food quickly and then go to a safer place to chew it. In this way, a deer’s stomach helps to

protect it from predators.

Photo by Mike Wock


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruminant

SS trrretch!

That long neck helps a deer reach to the ground for delicious

grasses and up high for tasty leaves and buds. It also allows deer to lift

their heads high to spot predators.

Photo by Mike Wock

CC oats—Twice a

year deer shed every hair on their

bodies. But you’ve never seen a bald

deer, have you? That’s because they lose

their old coat and grow a new one at the

same time. In the summer, deer keep

cool with just one layer of hair. But as winter approaches and the temperatures drop, deer

need a warmer coat to survive. So in the fall of the year, deer grow two

layers of hair; - a warm woolly layer against their bodies and longer guard hair on the outside to keep them dry. The thick winter coat really stands

out compared with the summer coat. The buck (above on the left) has replaced his winter coat with a reddish brown summer coat. The buck

(above on the right) is in process of shedding his dull grayish brown winter coat.

Photo by Mike Wock

12 Did you know…most deer are born with white spots but lose them within a year.

Hunting has been a very important part of human survival all through history. To provide food, clothing, weapons, tools and for sport. Just as hunting is important for physical survival it has been important for socialization. Many times, hunting groups participate in festive parties celebrating the hunt and showing their thankfulness for the animals. Hunting skills were originally developed from early hunters observing predator animals during their hunts. Techniques were also developed from trial and error with many skills having been passed down from generation to generation. Just as in the past, many hunters today enjoy the success as well as the fellowship of hunting in groups or parties. Often hunting parties are made up of friends and relatives including: parents, grandparents, and their children. Lifetime bonds are formed from the experience and stories shared around a campfire. Early man depended on hunting to provide food for their survival. Successful hunts helped to ensure that they would not only survive but also thrive. Meat obtained from hunting was preserved for storage by drying, canning and freezing. The meat can be fried, roasted, baked and used in casseroles. The meat can also be made into sausages, lunch Meat and jerky. This helped to ensure that they would have meat if later hunts were not successful . Hunting is still important for food today as many people supplement their food supply with wild game. Many people also find wild game to be a delicacy. Hides and fur from animals provided early man and woman with clothing such as leather coats, moccasins, shirts, gloves, mittens and hats. Clothing made from hides provide needed warmth and have become quite fashionable.

Surprisingly, weapons can be created from the hides taken from the animals including: archery quivers, straps, harnesses, and arm guards. Hides and furs have also been used for trade. Today deer hides can be turned into “Hides for Habitat” program to help preserve and ensure habitat for the future. Early Hunters took pride in the sport of hunting and trophy animals. Hunters showed their enchantment in the prized animals by using taxidermy, the art of mounting or reproducing animals to preserve the animal for display. Successful hunters were held in high esteem by their fellow hunters and often taught their peers the skills that they acquired. This tradition is carried on by camps and organizations that teach children the important skills and safe techniques that are so important for the future of the great sport of hunting. It is very important to honor the great tradition of hunting by valuing the sport and the animals that have been provided for enjoyment and for necessity of human survival. Most important is to enjoy this natural gift and remember to share you experiences in hunting with you family and friends. Your experiences will become your very own history of hunting.

Photo by Mark Johnson


WW ater

Deer likely drink daily when water is available. Deer get their water from three sources: free water such as ponds, streams, and the dew on plants; preformed water, or

that contained in plants; and metabolic water, which is produced in the animal's cells as part of metabolism.

There is no standard water requirement for deer because their needs vary by sex, age, reproductive status, and

season. Deer are believed to need about 3 to 6 quarts of water a day, depending on the outside temperature.

However, during winter, water requirements for deer are reduced and mostly come from food and digestion. Deer that are producing milk for their fawns need more water than

deer that are not. It is possible, but we are not sure, that with lush forage available, deer may not need free water at

all.

PP arasitesarasites

Deer attract ticks (deer and wood) that are looking for a host.

Adult female deer ticks are about as big as a sesame seed and have reddish bodies with black

markings. Males are slightly smaller than females and are solid dark brown.

Deer ticks are parasites. Female ticks latch onto a host and then drink its

blood for 4 or 5 days. After the tick is full of blood, it drops off and spends

winter in the leaf litter on the forest floor. The following spring, the female tick lays several hundred to a few

thousand eggs in clusters, and then dies.

These blood-suckers were vaulted into

the public eye when it was discovered that they are the primary transmitters for Lyme disease.

14 Did you know...newborn fawns weigh about 4 - 6 pounds.

Photo from turtlecreekoutfitters.com

How many

“deer” are in this? Photo by Mike Wock

Photo by Mike Wock

AA ccording to a Western Transportation Institute calculation that includes the

costs of emergency response, injuries to driver and passengers, and damages to vehicles, the 2009 average cost of hitting a deer is $6,600. The total public cost is $9.9 billion per year. Now consider that, nationwide, for every deer hit

by a motorist, hunters take 6. Imagine the human casualties and costs if hunting ended. Hunting helps control highway accidents involving deer.


Photo by Nancy Saxhaug

DD eer Mortality - Motor Vehicle Collisions

Cars, trucks, motorcycles and trains kill thousands of deer every year. Motor

vehicle collisions with deer are a serious problem in many parts of the animals range, especially at night and during the rutting season.

In Minnesota there are about 35,000 deer vehicle collisions per year. Other states report similar numbers of incidents. Deer senses are confused when they

cross highways or railroads in search of food, water, or a mate.

Wolves are a lot like us! They are powerful,

aggressive, territorial, and predatory. They are smart, curious, cooperative with other

members of the pack, loyal, and adaptable. They exert a profound influence on the ecosystems they inhabit. Because humans

have hunted deer and wolves for hundreds of years, they instinctively register mankind as a

threat to their survival. Wolves love venison. In fact an adult wolf will eat the equivalent of 18 - 20 adult deer each year.

16 Did you know…deer are actually aged by checking their teeth, not by counting points on antlers.

Photo by wolfgangartgallery.com

Photo from ForestWander.com

Predators and Prey

Animals like deer are near the bottom of the food chain; that

is, they are killed and eaten by predators. Deer are on the alert 24 hours a day 7 days a week, forever in “danger

detection mode.” They face many dangers posed by predators like human hunters and natural predators like wolves, coyotes, bears, cougars, and bobcats. Wolves and

cougars are the most effective natural predators of adult deer. Coyotes, bobcats, lynx, and bear will prey on deer

fawns. Deer are well equipped to avoid predators most of the time.

Photo by Roger Hill

Photo by Fijetland, Conrad—USFWS Photo by Steve Hillebrand USFWS

Photo by Mike Wock

HH unters are the Major Deer Predator

White-tailed deer were once on the verge of extinction, but rebounded as a result of massive conservation efforts. Conservation practices have

proved so successful that, in parts of their range, the white-tailed deer populations currently far exceed their

carrying capacity and they are considered a nuisance. At high-deer population densities, farmers can suffer economic damage to cash crops, especially in orchards

and corn fields. Recent estimates put the deer population in the United States at about 30 million. The

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources estimates there are about 1,000,000 whitetails in Minnesota. Approximately 20% of the Minnesota deer herd is

harvested annually by human hunters.

DD epartments of natural resources across the United States determine what

the deer carrying capacity of the land is and then they try to manage the deer herd size to that capacity. If there are too many deer in an area, the deer will over-browse and

could eventually starve. Deer hunters play a large role in maintaining a healthy deer herd size by thinning the ranks.

Hunting is part of the culture in Minnesota and it is big business. Almost 600,000 people hunt in Minnesota each year and hunters spend more than $482 million on

items such as guns, bows, ammunition, and clothing. Hunters support more than 14,000 jobs in Minnesota that generate $365 million in salaries and wages. The

total ripple effect from hunting in Minnesota is $1.47 billion into the Minnesota economy each year.


18 Did you know...about half of all fawns die in their first 12 weeks.

DD EER TALKEER TALK If you’ve ever ridden a horse, you

know to watch out when it lays its ears back. It’s their way of saying,

“I’m not in a good mood!” Deer use body language to communicate too.

Photo by Mike Wock

AA lert

In order to survive, deer must stay alert to unusual sounds, sights, or smells. When deer

detect a potential threat, all of their senses are directed toward that area of concern. The deer

assumes an alert posture that includes cocking its ears forward, remaining motionless, and staring in

the direction of potential danger. If a deer is unsure as to the actual presence of danger, it will

stomp a front foot to try and evoke a response from the unknown object. Other deer in the

immediate area are then warned of the possibility of danger.

Probably the most commonly heard vocalization made by deer is the alert snort. The foot stomp

almost always comes before the snort. Deer of both sexes use the alert snort when danger is

detected. Many times deer will escape to the edge of what

they consider the danger area and give repeated

warning snorts to alert other deer. This vocalization is made with the mouth closed

while the deer forcefully expels a single blast of air primarily through the nostrils.

AA larmed

When the threat is identified as danger, deer will erect their tails, providing

another cue to other deer of the imminent danger. Mature does will flee the area of

danger waving their enormous white flags as they depart. This highly visible flag waving

provides a ready reference for her young fawns as they attempt to follow her. Bucks

aren’t as obvious but give the tail-up warning.


Photo by Roger Hill

Photo by Roger Hill

BB ody Language—Just because animals can’t talk like a person doesn’t mean that

they don’t communicate. Deer communicate too—in lots of ways. Communication helps deer learn how to live together peacefully and teaches them how

to survive in their habitat. They communicate to let each other know who's the boss and to warn each other of danger.

SS ubmissive—Deer communicate with their whole bodies. Tails, ears, eyes, and

postures tell other deer about potential dangers and communicate family relationships. Deer also “talk” to each other with grunts, bleats, and snorts. Sometimes

a submissive deer makes a rapid chewing motion with its jaws like the fawn shown to the left.

VV ocalization between does and fawns is common. Both the fawns and their

mothers make vocalizations to find each other when separated. This is one of the sounds commercial deer call manufacturers attempt to emulate. The call can best

be described as a low bleat. Bleating intensity by the fawn appears to be related to the response generated from the bleat. If parental care is not acquired after repeated

bleating, intensity greatly increases, but a mothered fawn rarely bleats.

Undeniably, the most talked about sound during recent years is the grunt of bucks made while trailing a doe that is in heat. Commercial calls imitating this grunt, seem to

dominate hunter conversation during the rut each year. A dominant buck is challenged by the possibility of another buck "grunting" a doe in his territory and, in many cases,

responds accordingly.

20 Did you know…deer take their first steps within half an hour of their birth.

Photo by Roger Hill

AA ggressive,

Ears Laid Back When a deer looks like the doe on the left, stay out of its way-or else! The most common signs of aggression are ears folded back and ruffled fur.

The deer on the left is sending a warning. When a deer lays its ears back, it means business and is ready to get physical.

The Strike—A dominant deer may strike at a subordinate deer with a forefoot one or

more times. If it gets mad enough, the deer will stand up on its back legs and flail its front legs, using its hooves as weapons.

Photo by Tony Wenzel


Photo by Roger Hill

SS ign Postsign Posts The mystery involving rubs and scrapes made by deer will undoubtedly

continue for years to come. The following is a summary of what we "think" we know about rubs and scrapes.

RR ubs—A rub is a bush or tree from which

some of the bark has been scraped away by a vigorous rubbing action. The bark is

removed by a buck repeatedly pushing and scraping his antlers and forehead against the

rub object. Rubs are made for several purposes at varying times. In the late summer

and early fall, bucks begin rub activity to remove the dried velvet from their antlers. As

the breeding season approaches, bucks begin to vigorously debark the trees and shrubs on

which the rubs are made. A greater amount of the bark is removed as the bucks "spar" with

the resilient saplings and trees. Bucks making

these high visibility rubs leave secretions from the glands on their foreheads.

22 Did you know...predators of deer include: wolves, bear, coyotes, bobcats, cougars and humans.

Photo by Roger Hill

Photo by Roger Hill

SS crapes—To mark areas they regularly pass through, bucks will make

scrapes that often occur in patterns known as scrape lines. Scrapes are areas where a buck has used its front hooves to expose bare earth. They

often urinate into these scrapes to leave their scent. Scraping activity by dominant bucks markedly increases just before and during the breeding

season or rut. Scrapes are oval-shaped patches of bare dirt that range in size from 2 feet by 2 feet up to 4 feet by 6 feet. Does visit these scrapes during

their heat cycle. Olfactory (scent) messages are left at the site of the scrape by the doe as she urinates into the scrape and then departs. A buck will

routinely check the scrape and when the doe is ready to breed, he will trail her until he finds her.

LL icking Branch—Bucks chew and rub

branches 4 to 5 feet above scrape sites to leave their scent. Many hunters refer

to these branches as “licking branches.”


Photo by Roger Hill

Photo by Mike Wock

24 Did you know…male deer may be called bucks, bulls, stags, or harts.

TT he Ruthe Rut

In deer hunt camp, the rut refers to all behaviors and activities

associated with the deer breeding season.

Rutting behavior typically begins around late summer when velvet is

shed from the antlers and ends when antlers are shed (usually in early

spring). The first sign of rutting behavior is often sparring among

bucks. Sparring may take place between bucks of equal stature or

between a dominant and subordinate buck. Initially, these are usually

short-lived, low-intensity, pushing and shoving matches. These

sparring matches may help establish the dominance hierarchy among

males. As the peak of the breeding season approaches, sparring

matches may give way to full-blown antler fights. These generally take

place between bucks of similar hierarchal status.

Photo by Roger Hill


RR ut Crazy—When does are receptive to be bred, they communicate this

to bucks through pheromones (scent) contained in their urine.

Pheromones arouse a buck’s breeding instincts, and attract the buck

to the doe. More than one buck may respond to the doe's calling

card. If multiple bucks respond and one of the bucks doesn't back down,

fights will erupt. These aren't school yard scuffles. This isn’t sparring. This is

war! Bucks will fight until one of the bucks is either dead or gives up the

fight. The winning dominant buck gets the right to pass on his genes.

It's been said that rutting bucks become so focused on chasing and breeding

does that they become less cautious. You would be correct to proclaim that

"during the rut, does lead the bucks around by their noses." In fact, they do!

Many hunters believe that "rut crazy," "less cautious" bucks are easier to

harvest. This explains why there is so much interest in hunting during the

rut, and why many hunters use doe urine or estrus (doe in heat) attractant

scents.

Photo by Roger Hill

HH ider Strategy Because fawns can’t run very

fast or far right after they are born,

they must hide for a few weeks. This method of avoiding predators is called

the “hider strategy.” This strategy is also used by elk and pronghorn antelope.

One part of the hider strategy is

camouflage. Fawns have spots to help them blend into their environment and they emit very little scent. They

lay curled motionless and quiet in tall grass or on the forest floor. The parenting doe leaves her fawns to forage regularly and returns

periodically to nurse her hiding fawns. So, it is not unusual to see fawns unaccompanied by an adult deer in late May or June. At about 1 month old, fawns start traveling with their parents.

26 Did you know...deer breed in November so most fawns are born in May or June.

SS pring Arrivalspring Arrivals Does, give birth to 1 to 3 young at a time usually in May or June and after a gestation period of 7 months. Young deer, called fawns, wear a reddish brown coat with white spots that helps them blend in with the forest.

PP eople who care about wildlife can

best help fawns and other young animals by leaving them alone. If they appear out of nowhere, distance yourself

from them immediately. Reassure yourself that they'll be fine without your assistance.

And then stay away from the area—pets included—for a few weeks to allow nature to run its course.

Fawns grow quickly. Within 2 months, they'll

be traveling with adult deer, eating and nibbling from nature's smorgasbord and learning life's lessons. Their increased size

and mobility provide that edge they need to mature. And most do mature, as long as they weren't removed from the wild by someone who

wants to mother nature.

Photo by Roger Hill

Photo by W.J. Berg, USFWS

WW hite and albino deer—There are

all-white and albino deer. These deer have no spots, just white hair. White

deer are generally not as healthy or strong as a normally colored whitetail. White deer are easily mistaken for albinos, but they are not albinos. The

true albino, besides having all-white hair, also has pink eyes and pink hooves, something the white

deer do not have. Both the white deer and the albino deer, and perhaps to a lesser extent the piebald deer, are at a disadvantage in the wild

because they are easily spotted except in conditions of heavy snow. This lack of visual

protection, combined with somewhat poorer health, no doubt serves to keep the population of

these abnormally colored deer low.


SS potted potted a piebald, white, albino, a piebald, white, albino,

or black whitetail deer lately?or black whitetail deer lately? Most whitetail deer, like the ones who like to dart in front of speeding automobiles, are either reddish brown or gray in color or somewhere in between. There are rare instances where deer have been observed that are piebald, completely white, or nearly black.

PP iebald deer—Most, if not all, piebald deer have

white legs and a white underbelly, although the rest of the body may be either completely or partially covered with patches or spots that are usually reddish

brown or gray on white. A few piebald deer are mostly, although usually, not completely white and

may be mistaken at times for albino deer.

Photo by USFWS

Photo from boulderjct.org

Photo from michiganwaterfowl.com

MM elanistic (black) deer

Melanistic whitetails are very rare, even more rare than piebald or albino deer. Melanistic deer’s bodies produce far too much

of the pigment known as melanin, which makes them much darker than the average whitetail.

Of the millions of deer taken each year only a few with melanism have been reported. Most people don’t know they exist due to the

extreme rarity making a melanistic deer a true trophy. Photo from michanwaterfowl.com

28 Did you know...a major food source for bald eagles is road kill deer and hunter harvested deer gut piles.

CC an you spot the cleverly camouflaged deer?an you spot the cleverly camouflaged deer? You can stare right at them and still not see them. You’ve probably done this more times than you realize. That’s because deer’s colorization allows them to

blend in just about perfectly with their surroundings.

MM ost whitetails are brown in

color. This is the "normal" whitetail deer. Depending on

the season, deer will have either reddish brown hair (summer coat) or

grayish brown hair (winter coat). This brown coloring allows the whitetail

deer to blend in with the surrounding vegetation. If a deer is lying or

standing perfectly still in underbrush, it is almost impossible to detect

because its coat blends with the color of the woods. Its rack, if it has one,

will just look like limbs or branches. All this serves to give it some

protection from hunters and other

predators.

Test your visual Sherlock Holmes skills

against these hide-and-seek champions.

Photo by Mike Wock

Photo by Mike Wock

Photo by Mike Wock Photo by Roger Hill

Photo by Mike Wock


Find and circle these “deer”

words in the puzzle.

Deer Cud Albino Piebald Antler

Buck Velvet Whitetail Doe Trophy

Fawn Hoof Grunt Bleat Scent

Rubs Rut crazy Scrapes Camouflage Wildlife

Are deer herbivores or carnivores?

What are the three defenses that deer have?

How fast can a deer run?

How many times a year does a deer shed its hair?

What are the most common signs of deer aggression?

How many vehicle deer collisions are there in Minnesota per year?

What is the fuzzy skin that grows on deer antlers in the spring?

How much of the Minnesota deer herd is harvested annually by human hunters?

Deer are unable to focus on one spot (true or false)?

What are the two outer toes on the backs of deer's legs called?

QUIZ Now that you’ve learned all about the

white-tailed deer, take the quiz to test your knowledge! You can find the answers at

www.mndeerhunters.com under the education tab!

Good luck!

Membership Payment Information:

$15 Forkhorn Membership (ages 17 and under)

$25 Adult Membership

Check Visa/MasterCard/Discover

Card #:

Exp: Signature:

Please sign me up!

Name:

Address:

City: State: Zip:

Phone: Email:

Chapter Preference:

Do you want to continue exploring deer and deer hunting?

Become a member of the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association

You will have the opportunity to hang with your local chapter where you will be in the

company of deer and hunting fans like you!!!

Members receive 4 quarterly issues of Whitetales Magazine where you can read articles about deer and hunting in Minnesota. You will also receive an

MDHA Membership Card and Decals!

MDHA 460 Peterson Road

Grand Rapids, MN 55744 800-450-3337

Be sure to check out:

MDHA’s website www.mndeerhunters.com & our Minnesota Deer Hunters Association Page on Facebook

Exploring White-Tailed Deer Guide Donors

We would also like to thank our anonymous donors for their generous support!!

DONORS : up to $99

Faribault Moose Lodge #2098

Loyal Order of Moose, Grand Rapids #2023

Maxson Van Eps American Legion Post #368

Jenkins VFW Northern Post 3839

John B Heimkes

Bagley American Legion Post 16

Charlie Giesler

Gary Garlick

Richard Schneider

William Johnson

Mike Williams

Art Beckman

Walter A. Benson

Dennis & Nancy Hebrink

William R Baumann

Keith Peterson

John Young

Jim Humeniuk

Lon Seeger

Jack Miller

Peter Smude

Michael Kreitz

Henry Schreifels

DONORS : $100 to $499

Gordon Dentinger

Grand Rapids Fraternal Order of the Eagles

David Oistad

St. Cloud Moose Lodge #1400

Dale Weick

Aldrich Lions Club

Starbuck VFW Post #4582

Crookston VFW Post #1902

Rockville Lions Club

Monticello Dorchester VFW Post #8731

Albert Lea Fraternal Order of Eagles

Austin American Legion Post 91

International Falls VFW Post #2948

Orr American Legion Post #480

Walker American Legion

Lion Club of Carlos, MN

East Grand Forks American Legion Post #157

Nicollet charitable gaming Account

Zimmerman American Legion Post #560

Holloway Rod & Gun Club

Lake Country Power

Brad Nelson

Ben Weerts

East Central Energy

Gordon Kotila

Thrivent for Lutherans

Rodney J. Sather

Joe Roessler

Jeffrey& Kimberly Washburn

Mark Abendroth

City of Burlington

Hill City Lions Club

DONORS: $500 up to $999

Baudette American Legion

BRD Aerie #287 of the Fraternal Order of Eagles

Great River Energy

Sauk Rapids Sportsman's Club

DONORS: $1000 and MORE

Thomas & Jane Arth

Daniel Peterson

Thank you again to all of the donors that made this

educational deer guide possible. If you are interested

in donating to help fund the Exploring White-Tailed

Deer Guide please contact MDHA’s state office at:

MDHA

460 Peterson Road

Grand Rapids, MN 55744

www.mndeerhunters.com/ 218.327.1103

A special thank you to the Hampe Family

Foundation for matching $10,000 of the donations to

MDHA’s endowment for youth education.


Forkhorn camps are designed for

beginning, intermediate and advanced

Firearm and Bow Hunter safety

training, using hands on techniques

that youth are sure to love!

Firearms Safety Certification for Youth

For further information contact your local DNR or visit the Minnesota DNR

website at www.dnr.state.mn.us

For more information on

our unique Forkhorn Camp

experience please visit

MDHA’s website at

www.mndeerhuters.com

To be eligible to receive your Firearms Safety Certification, you must be

11 years of age or older.

DNR Firearms Certification is required of anyone born after December 31, 1979 to purchase a hunting license in Minnesota.


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