Whitetail Deer (Odocoileus virginianus)
This
Whitetail doe frequently visits the campground, usually
just at dusk. In 2001, she had one baby, and in the summer
of 2002, she raised twin fawns! While she is easily
startled, quiet, non-threatening movement allows close-up
photos like this one. I've copied some great information
for you to read, from the web site I've quoted at the
bottom of this page.
"The
deer's sense of smell, hearing and eyesight are all highly
developed - thus allowing the animal to be warned early of
approaching danger. Deer are extremely agile and can move
with great speed through forested areas, bounding over
obstacles. The whitetail intersperses its loping gallop
with occasional high and long leaps and has been known to
clear an 8-foot fence with a single bound. When alarmed,
whitetail deer, will generally run for at least 1/4-mile
before stopping. This characteristic makes the whitetail a
more difficult quarry. Whitetail will also 'double back' to
escape hunters and natural predators, and can 'sneak' past
a hunter in quite a limited space."
An
excellent web site about Whitetail deer can be found
at:
http://wlapwww.gov.bc.ca/wld/pub/deer.htm#whitetail
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