White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) populations dwindled in the late 1800’s due to habitat loss and unrestricted hunting, leaving only 300,000 –500,000 deer in the entire United States. Today, however, there are more white-tailed deer than prior to European settlement of North America due primarily to a decline in predators (wolves, mountain lions, coyotes and bobcats) and rapid development, pushing deer into smaller areas. The population of white-tailed deer in North Carolina is now estimated at 1.1 million animals and approximately 14-20 million in the United States.

Whitetails are found over most of southern Canada, the entire United States, excluding a few western states, south to Panama. Locally, these deer tend to use the same range year after year, which is typically less than a square mile in area. Deer can often times be found in large groups – this usually consists of a mother deer and her fawns. Does without offspring are generally solitary. Males will generally live in small groups of 3 or 4, unless it is mating season, at which time they are solitary.

The adult White-tailed Deer has a bright, reddish brown summer coat and a duller grayish brown winter coat. Their belly is white, as is the underside of the tail, hence the name. The tail is flipped erect when alarmed and fleeing, flashing that bright white underside. It is also thought that this flash of white helps fawns to follow their mother should they become spooked and be forced to flee through the woods. White-tailed deer stand approximately three feet tall at the shoulder and are about six feet long. They range from 90 to 300 lbs., with an average of 125 lbs with males larger than females. The young, called fawns, exhibit white spots on their fur, which disappear after three to four months. Whitetails in the wild have a life span of about 10 years. Males grow and shed antlers each year; the antler size is dependent upon age, genetics, and the nutritional value of the deer’s diet. They have skinny legs and hooves, but don’t let this fool you. Deer are able to run up to 40 miles per hour, jump to heights of 9 feet, and swim 13 miles per hour! Often times they will cross large streams and lakes to escape predators.

Mating season typically begins in November, at which time males will engage in battles using their antlers; the winner of these head-on clashes wins the privilege of mating with does in the vicinity. Bucks will shed their antlers between January and March and begin to grow a new pair in April and May. After a 6-month gestation period, females will give birth to between 1 and 3 fawns. Fawns weigh 3-6 pounds at birth and have white spots which help them to blend in with their surroundings. White-tail does go to extreme lengths to keep their offspring hidden from predators. When foraging, females leave their offspring in dense vegetation for about four hours at a time. While waiting for the female to return, fawns lay flat on the ground with their necks outstretched, well camouflaged against the forest floor.

White-tailed deer live in both forested and non-forested habitats. They flourish in habitats that provide new vegetative growth. You will most often see them feeding at dusk and dawn on a variety of fruits, herbs, grasses, twigs, leaves and fungi. In the coastal plain, acorns, blackberry, Japanese honeysuckle, holly, greenbrier, willow and American beauty berry are a few important foods for deer. Thanks to humans, deer also flourish on tasty ornamentals such as pansies, roses, daylilies, hibiscus, hydrangea and hosta. The quality and abundance of summer and fall food greatly affects the reproductive efficiency of deer.

To age a deer, biologists will check the type of teeth, as well as how worn down they are, rather than counting points on their antlers. Deer are born with four teeth and in the next few months develop baby incisors and premolars. By the time they are about 18 months old, permanent teeth will have replaced the baby teeth. An adult will have six incisors and two canines in the lower front, six premolars and six molars in the lower back and the same in the upper back. A quick glance at the premolars tells a biologist whether the animal is a fawn, youth or an adult.

After all of the white-tail's permanent teeth have come in, biologists look for the amount of wear on the molars, which lose about 1 millimeter of height each year. The height of the tooth above the gum line on all three molars is used to determine deer age.

If you’re out taking a walk in the woods, you are likely to come upon various signs that deer have been in the area. You’ve probably walked right past them, but read on for clues as to what to look for the next time you go exploring on Bald Head:

· Tracks - Deer tracks are heart-shaped. The track is made by a deer's hooves, also called toenails. The pointed end of the track points to where the deer was going. Deer tracks can often be found, perfectly formed, on the beach and in the marsh mud.

· Trails - Deer travel in narrow paths called trails. Trails usually connect where the deer eats and where it rests. Can you find a deer trail? Take a look out in the marsh during your visit, and you’ll probably see a narrow trail cutting through the grass; also, walking along the maritime forest you are likely to see deer trails that are offshoots from our man-made trail. Just be sure to stay on the man-made trail, as the deer trail is likely to lead you astray.

· Deer beds - Deer have places on the ground where they lay down to rest, and are aptly named deer beds. These beds are typically surrounded by plants or shrubs to protect the deer from rain or snow (in colder climates). Generally deer beds are 3-4 feet long and 1 ½ feet wide.

· Buck rubs - Bucks mark their territory by removing bark from trees with their antlers. This is called a "buck rub." Look for buck rubs on trees starting in September and into the early winter. Buck rubs are usually one to two feet high off the ground and will usually be found on trees that are small in diameter.

· Feeding signs - A deer does not have upper teeth in the front of its mouth. The deer uses its back teeth to twist off twigs to eat, leaving a noticeable mark on the tree. Take a look around as you explore the island and see if you can find any trees that look like they have been nibbled! Remember, you don’t have to look too high off the ground, since deer only stand a few feet tall!

· Scat – Deer scat (droppings) can come in two forms, pellet or cluster. The form of scat is dependant on what the deer has been eating. Scat helps us determine what areas the deer frequent.

The BHI-Conservancy hires summer and fall interns to assist in surveying the deer population on the island. Spotlight counts are conducted throughout these seasons to help determine the population and ratio of bucks:does:fawns. This information is crucial in helping to determine if the population can be sustained based on island resources. We are closely monitoring the potential effect deer browsing has on the maritime forest with the research assistance of Dr. Steven Brewer, a Plant Ecologist at The University of North Carolina-Wilmington.