White-tailed Deer

Odocoileus virginianus

In the United States, I have lived in California, Arizona, and Colorado, states where Mule Deer live. I helped raise rescued Mule Deer in Arizona, rehabilitate and release Mule Deer in California, and watch Mule Deer roaming through my mother’s yard in Colorado.

Now I live in Kansas, and we have White-Tailed Deer. Despite them being the most common deer species in North America, it has taken me some time to get used to them. At first, I thought they looked weird, like Mule Deer, but off somehow.

Luckily, I’ve had a few encounters with them. Twice while walking on the Konza Prairie, I turned a corner and there one was. Once it was a pair of does, the next time it was a single doe. I was much closer to them than I was comfortable, but I still had to walk by them. I talked to them the whole time to let them know I was not a threat, and none of them cared! I expected them to bolt off, white fluffy tail in the air at full alert. I doubt all of them are this mellow, but it was unexpected.

A little research revealed White-Tails are more likely to graze than Mule Deer, who prefer to browse on leaves. White-Tails will even raid fields of their crops!

I’m looking forward to becoming more familiar with this species of deer.

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