FACTS ABOUT THE WHITETAIL DEER

The Whitetail Deer

One of the things we strongly believe in here at Pennsylvania White Tail Hunt, is that you need to know as many facts about the whitetail deer as possible. The more you know, the better your chances for a successful hunt. So we've taken some time to put together some facts on white tail deer. It's not inclusive of everything about the whitetail here in Pennsylvania, but it's a decent start. When you get into the woods, you'll start filling in the gaps. That's one of the great things about the sport of hunting, learning how to do it.



Senses

Any hunter will tell you that hearing, sight, and smell of the whitetail is highly developed. The deer use their hearing to alert them to predators, including you, that are nearby. Sight, obviously suits the same purpose as well as keeping them in the know about where they are going. And smell caps the list. The sense of smell of the whitetail deer is among the most highly developed. While sight may not be as high on the list of survival tools the whitetail has, smell and hearing definitely are.

Food sources

Pennsylvania whitetail eat from a variety of sources. And knowing what your local herd is feeding off of will come in handy. Look for corn, wild crab apple, honeysuckle, acorns, jewel-weed, green-briar and other solid stands of miscellaneous woody plants. The area you hunt is going to dictate the food source for the heard, so scouting your area thoroughly and knowing what's abundant and what's not will help you set up or stalk. Remember, food varies with plenty of conditions, so you have to study your local area and watch closely to see what the feed source is.

Reproduction

The reproductive cycle of the whitetail in Pennsylvania starts during the rut in late fall. Typically the rut starts in mid October and runs through mid to late November. But a second rut sometimes occurs in December. Bucks will chase does for up to a week prior to mating with them. The buck and the doe will mate several times during this process and remain with her for a few days. But after the mating is complete, the buck leaves the doe in search of more mates. This is why when you see a doe, look closely for the buck. More often than not, he's standing off in the distance watching to see what's going on.

When the doe gives birth, she will typically have twins. The fawns are quickly born and adapt quickly to the surroundings. Fawn weight depends on sex, with bucks weighing in around four to fourteen pounds and does weighing in at three to eight pounds. The family group of the doe and fawns will remain together until the following spring at which time the fawns move out on their own and the doe returns to her favorite breeding area.

The Bottom Line

You need to scout your hunting area well to get the details of the herd in your area. Knowing what is feeding, where common trails are, and where rubs are located allow you to set your stand or know were to stalk. But remember this, studying the habits and life of the whitetail is part of the journey of hunting, and your knowledge will increase each year you get out in the woods.

We've been hunting Pennsylvania white tail since 1959. If you want more information about hunting white tail contact us here. And don't forget to stop by our store to check out the great deals on Game Trail Cameras and other high tech hunting gear. www.mountaintrailcams.com

The Pennsylvania White Tail Hunt Team