by Bee Harris, PWL Member
White-tailed deer live in diverse environments, from the deep woods to river bottoms, and are often seen foraging for food in overgrown fields.
Due to good habitat management (providing supplemental plots for foraging) and conservation practices (control of population) they grow to healthy numbers. Their diet includes six hundred different types of vegetation –mostly forbs and shrubs, although sometimes they will forage on grasses and mast (forest nuts).
White-tailed are non-migratory. Meaning, they remain within a small area; anywhere from 60 to almost 900 acres. Bucks generally have a wider range than does. Males group together (5 or more) during the summer. During the fall bucks disband and become increasingly mobile as they prepare for the rut (a time when male deer are sexually active). To attract females, the bucks will rub and scrape trees and saplings in areas where does pass. They will also urinate on these scrapes. After the intensity of the seasonal rut, the bucks’ bodies are weak. Weakness and harsh weather conditions cause higher mortality. In good habitat, a mature doe and buck can produce 22 offspring within 5 years. In Texas, the population of white-tailed deer is estimated at four million. However, because the East Texas deer population is at or near capacity, the reproduction level is lower.
White-tailed deer interact with other deer in Texas. At times, when white-tailed and mule deer ranges overlap, cross breeding can occur, but this is rare. The resulting hybrid deer can reproduce, but not much is known of the consequences of this.
You are more likely to encounter deer during increased activity of rutting and cool temperatures especially at dusk and dawn. This is a resourceful time for quietly observing deer in their natural habitat. Never try to feed or tame them, particularly during this time. Although deer are typically docile, they can see humans and pets as threats, especially during rutting. Rutting causes unpredictable and aggressive behavior. If a deer appears aggressive (signs of aggression: stomping hooves, making loud sounds, raising tail) remain calm and back off slowly. Contact local wildlife authorities if necessary.
“Zombie deer disease” is a nickname for an ominous fatal disease that has been on notice in Texas. Its true name is Chronic Waste Disease (CWD). Originating in Canada, it began to spread from breeding facility to breeding facility throughout the states –a highly transmissible disease. CWD was first discovered in a free-ranging mule deer in 2012, near the Texas-New Mexico border. Since then, it has been detected in captive and free-ranging Texas cervids (deer, elk, moose). In 2023, it was detected in free-range deer in Polk County.
CDW affects the brain and proves fatal. It is a neurodegenerative disease affecting cervids –deer, moose, elk. Infected cervids have shown almost no symptoms for years. In the latter stages, cervids drool, become listless, lose weight, and stumble about. The disease spreads through direct contact or contaminated environment. Fire does not kill this disease. To remove it, infected topsoil and all plant material must be removed –a costly and time-consuming endeavor. Currently, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) studying CWD are focusing on controlling animal movement and biosecurity (methods used to stop a disease from spreading).
As of now, there is no threat to humans. Human consumption is deemed safe. Hunters should avoid animals that appear abnormal. They have the option to take their game to CWD zones. These are TPWD testing stations for the purpose of checking to see if harvested deer are infected. CWD zones help document the spread of CWD in Texas and will assist hunters in properly disposing of infected carcasses.
Bibliography and further reading:
Conservation and Management of the White-tailed Deer: An East Texas Perspective. B. Higginbotham. https://gregg.agrilife.org/files/2011/09/conservationmanagementwhitetaileddeer_1.pdf
Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept., White-tailed Deer.
https://tpwd.texas.gov/landwater/land/habitats/trans_pecos/big_game/wtd/
Impact of Predators on Deer in the Southeast. D.A.Osborn, M.D.McConnell. 2/2021.
https://bugwoodcloud.org/resource/files/25254.pdf
Predators of the Whitetail. USGS Pub. Warehouse. D.B. Fagre. 1994.
https://www.usgs.gov/publications/predators-whitetail
Where CWD Occurs. Aug. 2024. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
https://www.cdc.gov/chronic-wasting/data-research/index.html
DNR Confirms CWD in Wild Deer in Polk County. Nov. 2023. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/newsroom/release/84676