Whitetail Deer
(Adopted 1990)

Widespread in woodlands, swamps, and brush over most of the U.S. and southern Canada. A glimpse of this deer's "white flag" tail disappearing into a forest, or of a doe with its white-spotted fawn are high points of any day's outing. Although the Whitetail is reddish most of the year, its coat becomes grayish in winter. It eats twigs, grasses, fungi, and acorns. Its excellent sense of smell enables it to pick up scent of humans and move off without being seen. It is the most important big game mammal in the East, but it can become a nuisance in crop fields and orchards. Because its major predators (wolves and cougars) are extinct over much of its range, the Whitetail sometimes becomes overpopulated. Whitetails are excellent swimmers and often are found on islands in lakes. They are also common in woody suburbs. Active day or night, they can run up to 35 mph, jump over obstacles 8 ft. high, and cover 30 ft. in one bound. Males can weigh up to 400 pounds.