What Defines A Whitetail?
by: buckman
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Word Count: 510
ANTLERS
Almost without exception, members of the deer family have at least one trait in common; the males support a deciduous set of antlers on their heads.
Whitetail antlers distinguish this species from others in the deer family primarily by the way the bone develops. All points of the whitetail antler generally protrude off one main beam on each side of the head with a single, noticeable brow tine at the antler base. In most cases the typical antler begins growth out of the head in a backward motion, then quickly changes direction and sweeps forward. Mule and black-tailed deer found mostly in the western United States; unlike the whitetail, exhibit branched antlers that fork, rather than come off a main beam. The antler also rises off the head more to the sides of the skull, without the forward sweep.
TEETH
Mature whitetails have a total of 32 teeth, consisting of 12 molars, 12 premolars, 6 incisors and 2 canines. With a basic diet consisting of plants, the lower front incisors and canines clip food off, while the rear molars and premolars grind and break down the food. Front teeth in the upper jaw are absent, replaced with a tough pad that aids the incisors by securing food. Biologists can determine the age of the deer quite closely by examining the wear on the molars and premolars. As deer age, their teeth generally wear down, losing the sharp cutting edges. As the teeth wear, feeding can become very difficult for the deer.
OTHER PHYSICAL TRAITS
Unless you,ve had the opportunity to see a deer close up, most assume the size of the animal to be larger than it actually is. On the average, a mature deer stands about 38 inches at the shoulder, somewhere around the belt line height of a man. Northern subspecies of the whitetail are typically larger animals than their southern relatives. The length of a deer can range from under 60 inches, to more than 70 inches, again depending on the subspecies.
The weight of a deer also varies. For example, one of the smallest subspecies, the Key deer of Florida, doesn't reach over 100 pounds full grown. Deer of the northern range can tip the scale at over 300 pounds.
The stomach of a deer is a very complicated system. Whitetails are classified as ruminants, possessing a four chambered stomach. They include the rumen, reticulum, omasum, and abomasum. Similar to the milk cow, but developed for different reasons, deer generally feed quickly and store food first in the rumen. Quick feeding allows deer to expose themselves for only brief periods, avoiding the perils of predation. After eating the food, deer will generally retreat to a more confined resting area for not only safety, but to finish digesting their food. Food stored in the rumen regurgitates up in a partially digested form to be rechewed before entering the other stomach chambers. This process of "cud chewing" is characteristic of many herbivores, better known as plant eaters.
About the Author
My name is Mike and I live and hunt in ohio. I enjoy deer hunting and sharing my knowledge of hunting to all Hunters. I hope you find my articles usfull.
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