Wing Watchers.net

This story is about the Whitetail Deer. Seeing one of these great animals at the zoo or some kind of animal farm, it is quite a pleasant event especially if you get to feed them or touch them. Some never get the experience of seeing them in the wild as God made them. It is quite a different event, exciting!

That's why Judy and I had the thrill of our lives when this big, to the left, showed up in the yard. He was a gorgeous ten pointer [that's the amount of spikes on his rack of antlers]. He knew we were watching, too, as you can see by the photo. We were inside at the time or he would have never been there. Just click on him for a larger view.

What was this big buck looking for? Well, click on this little thumbnail and you will see for yourself. He was hungry. He stayed there until the birdseed was gone, keeping an eye on us the whole time. Doesn't he look like he is enjoying it.

Here are some facts about Whitetail Deer that I would like to share with you. My reference for this information is from: The Roger Tory Peterson Field Guides - Mammals, by Burt and Grossenheider.

Whitetail Deer average 3 to 3.5 feet high and can range to 400 pounds for males and 250 pounds for females. They have a tail that is the same color as the deer but underneath is all white. During an alert or excitement, it will wag its flag back and forth and then you won't see him or her , again. These deer are vegetarians that live around forests, swamps, thickets, and just may come to your backyard, as seen above. They will eat twigs, acorns, shrubs, grasses and herbs, plus birdseeds. Their young are called "fawns" and retain the spotted look for their first season. It serves as a protection or camouflage against predators. See pic at left.