At moderate to high densities, selective feeding by white-tailed deer may alter the species composition of regenerating forests by eliminating some trees and shrubs such a yellow birch, sugar maple, mountain ash and scarlet alder. The effects of deer browsing are not limited to influencing the physical appearance of woody plants. This manner of feeding creates a noticeable browse line in white cedar swamps and where white cedar fringes lakes and rivers almost all foliage and twigs are removed to a height of 6 ft. White-tailed deer may stand on their hind limbs to reach desirable plants. Repeated browsing may create witches'-broom This feeding behavior causes ragged or frayed edges on the remaining portions The six lower incisors and two canines workĪgainst the pad to crush and strip woody stems and twigs from their moorings. Protozoans that aid in digesting cellulose, and a tough cartilaginous pad Residents, too, are appreciative of the presence of white-tailed deer as part of their ordinary routines.įood and Feeding Behavior: The white-tailed deer, an adaptableīut selective herbivore, grazes and browses the most nutritious plants available.įeeding specialization include a four-part stomach containing bacteria and For many visitors, the view of a white-tailed in the Adirondacks is the highlight of the their experience in the Park, overshadowing previous exposure to the same animal in the more mundane contexts of rural pastures and corn fields. Nor should the importance of the species be overlooked in contributing to the wilderness experience of visiting campers, nature photographers, and hikers. The white-tailed deer is, economically the most important wild mammal in the Adirondack Park, because of the approximately 150,000 hunters who participate in the annual season (average yearly harvest, 10,286). Timber harvest on private lands continues to foster the Adirondack deer herd the maturation of the public forest discourages it. The primary change increasing the Adirondack deer herd was the conversion of large tracts of mature forest with its poorly developed understory into area of more diverse, low-growing, young vegetation which increased the food supply. Pristine Adirondack forests, which were less suited for deer, into more favorable Disturbance (logging, theįires that followed, and finally, the hurricane of 1950) transformed the Stands of conifers that provide winter shelter. These forests, brushy fields, and wooded farmlands, together with mature The current density reflect the availability of preferred habitat: The openingsĪnd edges of deciduous and mixed forests, the early successional stages of The historical change in relative abundance and Than in the central Adirondacks, especially the higher elevations (spruce-firįorests, above 2500 ft). Park, and is generally more numerous in the lowlands of the Park's periphery This species resides in all terrestrial communities throughout the Adirondack The white-tailedĭeer was uncommon in the Adirondacks prior to the mid 19th century. Panama except for parts of the western and southwestern U.S. Range and Habitat: The range is from southern Canada to The average weight of a female is about 155 lb (maximum, The average weight of an adult male is 203 Adults are about 71 inches in total length,Īnd 39 in in shoulder height. The nose, a small area on the chin, and the upper Of the legs and ears, eye rings, a narrow band across the muzzle, and part In all seasons, the lower parts of the body, inner areas The winter pelt is grayishīrown, the hairs long, dense, and, because each hair contains insulatingĪir spaces, brittle. Reddish brown, the hairs short, sparse, and wiry. Molting produces marked seasonal changes in coat color which in summer is Long, slender legs -Įach bearing two narrow, pointed hooves that support the weight - prominentĮars, and in males, bony antlers (developed annually from pedicals of frontalīones in April-May and usually shed by February) are other characteristics. The white hairs of the outer edge and under surface. The 6-11 inches, bushy tail which the animal erects when disturbed, displaying The first part of the common name refers to State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry. White-tailed Deer ( Odocoileus virginianus Miller) From Saunders, D.
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