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Photo by: D. Robert Franz

 White-tailed Deer
 Odocoileus virginianus

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Habitat: In our area, white-tailed deer occupy a variety of habitats, but they are typically associated with riparian woodlands and the associated irrigated agricultural lands of the eastern plains. They do not occupy dense coniferous forests or open prairie.

Diet: The species has a catholic diet, selecting the most nutritious plant matter available at any particular time. In agricultural areas, white-tailed deer often favor crops such as corn and wheat to native browse, forbs, or grasses. No detailed studies have been made on the diet of these deer in Colorado, but studies in the East (Hesselton and Hesselton 1982) have shown that browse provides only 3 to 17 percent of the diet and that grasses and forbs are much more important than in the diet of the mule deer. Mushrooms have been reported as important foods, as have a variety of fruits, acorns (mast), and other nuts.

Description: White-tailed deer are medium-sized cervids with moderately long ears and wide, flat, bushy tails. The coat is coarse and not very long. Males are larger than females and may weigh over 150 kg although the average is closer to 40-180 kg. Adult white-tailed deer stand about 1 m at the shoulder. The predominant color is bright reddish in the summer and grayish in the winter. The ventral color is white. The face is not contrastingly marked but there may be a whitish spot on the throat, white eye rings, and a white ring around the muzzle. The tail is reddish brown on the dorsal surface and white ventrally. It is typically held high while running.

Range in Colorado: In Colorado, white-tailed deer are rather common in river bottoms of the eastern plains, particularly in the South Platte, Arkansas, and Republican river drainages. Individuals are also known from several isolated locations in the mountains including above timberline in Rocky Mountain National Park, Middle Park, the White River drainage in Rio Blanco County, and the San Luis Valley in Rio Grande County.

Status: CDOW Big Game, CDOW WRIS Species

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