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Native Whitetail

The most abundant big game animal in North America, the whitetail deer is named for its signature tail and white underparts. According to scientists, there are actually 38 sub-species of whitetail deer. A favorite with hunters for the trophy racks, whitetail can be elusive, running up to 40 miles per hour and able to clear an 8 foot hurdle. Whitetail antler growth is usually complete by the end of August, and the speed at which their antlers grow makes them the fastest growing structures in the animal kingdom. A whitetail buck sheds his antlers every year, usually between late December and February. The members of the deer family are ruminants, having a four-compartmented stomach, which allows the deer to feed very rapidly. Not having a gall bladder allows them to eat vegetation that would kill domestic animals.