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White-tailed Deer
(Odocoileus virginianus)
The
white-tailed deer is native to the eastern United States, also known as the
Virginia deer. In summer the deer has red-brown fur that changes to
gray-brown in winter. The tail is characteristically long and is white
underneath. The white underside of their tail gives them their name. The
white-tailed deer is one of the largest American deer, the buck reaching
about 183 cm (about 72 in) in length and about 91 cm (about 36 in) in height
at the shoulder and weighing close to 136 kg (300 lb).
It is one of the most
popular targets of American big-game hunters. Where Jeremiah lives, the
deer had almost disappeared by the early 20th century. Because
of strict conservation laws, the deer have made a comeback. Scientists
estimate that there are more deer in the Midwest now than there were when
the settlers came.
The animals are very
swift and canter with their heads and tails erect.
White-tailed deer
typically produce two fawns in the spring. The young have red-brown fur
flecked with white spots that disappear during their first winter. |
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