When it comes to white-tailed deer, we all know how they are supposed to look. But ocassionally we get genetic abnormalities and end up with something totally different — which is usually white (albino) or even more rare, black. All mammals, including white-tailed deer, can have black fur and these animals are referred to as melanistic. They are called melanistic because their body produces too much melanin, a dark pigment that causes their hair to be very dark brown or black.

Melanistic whitetails are the most rare color abnormality that deer can have – even more rare than piebald or albino deer. The photos seen here were sent to me and they allegedly came from somewhere around Austin, Texas. The photos are that of a melanistic white-tailed buck. The pictures where taken in a residential area so this rare buck may have lucked out. 

In the US, white-tailed deer were originally transported to restore populations that were “shot out” during the early 20th century.  Today, land managers continue to move deer from one area to another, but not just to restore populations. The driving force behind today’s deer translocations is primarily twofold: to augment low-density deer populations and to promote genetic improvement. However, a third option for translocation is an alternative to harvest — to manage overabundant populations; remove deer found in high deer-density urban areas, transport them, and release them elsewhere.

But regardless of why deer are moved, how do they cope? What is the survival rate and performance of transported deer after they are “liberated” at their release site? These are good questions and a study out of Texas A&M University-Kingsville hopes to answer them. We know that for a translocation program to be successful we need two things, a high survival of released deer and for the animals to remain in the area where they were released. Without achieving these two objectives, the overall goal will not be met. Read the rest »

Well, it’s not a white-tailed deer and it’s not located in the US, but a yearling (1 1/2-year old) Roe Deer was spotted in Italy with only a single antler protruding from the center of it’s head! The director of the Center of Natural Sciences in Prato told the press:

“This is fantasy becoming reality. The unicorn has always been a mythological animal.”

The 1-year-old buck, who not coincidentally is nicknamed “Unicorn,” was born in captivity in the research center’s park in the Tuscan town of Prato, near Florence. Obviously, the buck was born with a genetic flaw because his twin, like other Roe bucks, has two horns.

Single-horned deer are rare but not unheard of — but even more unusual is the central positioning of the horn. The location of the horn is probably the result of trauma early in the animal’s life, but the scientific director of Rome’s zoo said:

“Generally, the horn is on one side (of the head) rather than being at the center. This looks like a complex case. This shows that even in past times, there could have been animals with this anomaly. It’s not like they dreamed it up.”

Photos of a Normal Roe Buck and Doe:

Scoring deer antlers can a be a bit confusing, especially since most hunters score only a single set of antlers each year. If one is not well-versed in antler scoring terminology, then it requires the hunter to get reacquainted with the lingo (and what it’s referring to) each year. I’ll admit, it’s not an easy process/concept to wrap your mind around because the words “typical” and “normal” (and “non-typical” and “abnormal”) mean very different things when scoring a buck, but people commonly use them interchangeably in daily conversation when talking about other subjects.  

I would now like to address the following questions I received via email:

“What determines whether a buck is scored typical or non-typical? Is there a maximum amount of deductions allowed for typicals?”

There is no set rule that says a white-tailed buck must be scored typical or non-typical. The choice really is up to the hunter and which classification makes the most sense. As I go through the following discussion, it will become obvious how a particular buck should be scored.

First, when scoring deer antlers, all normal and abnormal points are measured. The scores of both typical and non-typical sets of antlers are based off the symmetry (after deductions) of the main frame. Yes, even non-typical bucks get deductions for not having a symmetrical main 8-point, 10-point, 12-point, etc frame with matched points of the same length.

But — since the measurements of all normal and abnormal points are taken, it’s easy to calculate both the typical and non-typical scores. Abnormal points add into the gross score of a buck scored non-typical and are subtracted from the gross score of a buck scored typical. If a set of antlers has many abnormal points, the set is most accurately classified as non-typical and would be best scored as non-typical (but it is not a requirement). Read the rest »

Television seems to glamorize keeping wild animals as pets, but the reality is really is far less pleasant — especially for the wildlife involved. Would-be rescuers are usually not aware of what it takes to properly care for wildlife and this means nothing but bad news. Most hunters are familiar with the following concept: Bringing a wild animal home is effectively kidnapping it from the environment to which it is best adapted.

We talked about the abandoned fawn I saw on the road last week, and if an unknowing person had picked up that deer fawn, they would have been condemning it to an unnatural and probably short life. Of course, that same deer fawn could have died on the road had it ran out in front of me or some other vehicle, but the best assumption was that she was going to make it. Sure, white-tailed deer can be “tamed” to an extent, but they are born to survive in the wild.

And a critical part of their life is making it through the first few months as a fawn, particularly their first few weeks. It comes as no surprise that deer do quite well in close proximity to people and suburban areas, so that means they really do not need our help. If we want to help deer in our area, let’s convince hunters to cut back on the harvest of young bucks! Fawns aren’t just dropped in rural areas. People often find deer fawns in tall grass, areas of shrubs and brush, and in wooded areas within towns and cities. They are almost too well adapted to suburban areas.  

This, however, was not the case last Friday when I stumbled (not literally) across this young doe fawn. She was tucked away in a safe haven of mid-sized grass, within a semi-barbed-wire cage, and miles from the nearest town. She was sleepy, so I snapped a couple photos and was on my way. As easy as it looks, this is the safest thing she can do right now!

Much of the deer habitat in Texas and the rest of the southern US is in fair to good condition as we head into the summer period. Central Texas’ spring forbs and wildflowers are taking a hit with the heat, but that’s a given once the typical spring rains fall off. Much of the south has been relatively dry since winter, but vegetation still looks good, thanks to sporadic precipitation, as white-tailed fawns hit the ground.

And speaking of fawns – I was driving through Burnet County this afternoon and spotted something running on the road about 1/4 mile ahead. As I approached, I slowed down and realized that it was indeed what I suspected it was — a fawn! Once my truck was within about 40-yards, the fawn dropped to the road (as in the photo above) and remained motionless. I grabbed my camera and snapped a photo to mark the occassion since this was only the third (second of the day) fawn I’ve seen this fawning season, all of which were spotted over the last 5 days.

I then jumped out of the truck to get a close-up, but the doe fawn jumped up and ran towards me as I approached, then she realized I was not mamma and ran towards the roadside grass, where she hunkered down. The wobbly-legged critter hit the grass, dropped down on her stomach, and didn’t budge. I then snapped the photos seen below. She couldn’t walk very well and probably wasn’t more than 48-ours old, but her natural instincts took over and she did only what her genes told her to do — be still!

Read the rest »

As hunters, we know how expensive it’s becoming to hunt white-tailed deer. Not only are the prices of guided hunts and hunting leases going up, but the price of raw land is rapidly rising, as well. To make matters worse, deer managers are being hit with the climbing costs of food plot seeds, supplemental feeds, and vehicle and tractor fuels.    

And as much money as the hunting industry may bring in to the US economy, it’s only a portion of the total economic impact white-tailed deer have in this country. A recent and conservative estimate put a $12.5 million price tag on deer-vehicle collisions in the state of Texas alone!

But what about crop damage? And damage to ornamental plants? And loss of human life? I understand that in many cases problems arise as people move into areas inhabited by deer. However, many suburbs create their own problems through feeding and the prohibition of hunting. But problems are problems regardless of how they come about.

We talk a lot about deer hunting and management, but let’s look at some economic aspects concerning white-tailed deer that are not related to hunting. Read the rest »

Game cameras are commonly used by hunters to inventory and pattern white-tailed deer. And although deer are typically the animal of primary interest, a lot of other critters get captured in the photos taken by trail cameras. In addition, motion-triggered cameras work 24-7, so a number of interesting wildlife photos get downloaded each year. 

I’ve published photos of some very strange wildlife camera photos in the past and those were a big hit. Then I put together a group of some neat game camera photos to follow along that line, but I figured it’s time I started publishing great game camera photos on a regular basis. With that said, these photos may not be life-changing, but by posting them it allows hunters to see some of the things others were lucky enough to see.

In addition, everyone gets to enjoy wildlife a little bit more, because none of us gets to be outdoors as much as we’d like! And I find that last photo just a little bit scary!

Also, if you have taken or come across a unique game camera photos, send them in and I will publish them after I get a few. Thanks!