Mule Deer

The Mule Deer are closely related to the Whitetailed Deer but have some different characteristics. They have thin, black tipped tails that are usually pointed down and have large ears that move constantly. They have a distinctive gait and usually land with all 4 feet landing together. They have an acute sense of hearing and are extremely sensitive to moving objects.

They rely largely on their sense of smell. Mule Deer migrate from forest edges at higher elevations to lower elevations, depending on the season. In the Southwest, they will migrate according to rainfall patterns.

Although they occupy most of the areas in their range, they seem to prefer arid areas and rocky hillsides. Mule Deer enjoy a great variety of vegetation including fresh green leaves, twigs, lower branches of trees, and some grasses. They also enjoy raspberry and blackberry vines, grapes, mistletoe, mushrooms, and ferns. The mating season is late November and early December. The males shed their antlers after the breeding season. The males and females mix freely and travel together in the winter months.

Moose

The moose is the largest antlered animal in the world. Their antlers can span as much as 6 feet from tip to tip. The male can easily reach weights of 1000 lbs.

The female is usually around 800 lbs. The moose can be found in marshy areas and meadows. Their diet is mainly underwater vegetation. They are also very good swimmers.

The males are very aggressive animals and the female is very protective of her young. They are not as timid as other animals, which makes them very dangerous.

Deer

Whitetail deer vary in size. They usually range somewhere between 100 – 350 pounds with the male being larger than the female. The deer’s upper body is reddish brown in the warmer months and turns a dark grayish brown in the winter. Their under bodies and tail are generally white.

The buck grows antlers starting in March – April and by late August, early September their antlers are fully grown. Bucks rub their antlers on saplings to mark their territory and also use them to fight off other bucks during the breeding season, called the rut. In January – February, after the breeding season, the buck sheds his antlers.

Bucks are solitary animals except in the breeding season. Does often travel together, mostly in the winter months. The does give birth in the late summer and their young will travel with them until the following spring. In late spring, the young will start to drift away from their mothers.

The deer occupy a variety of habitats including forests, fields, and swamps. They are herbivores and eat mostly young leaves, stems and shoots. They also enjoy wild mushrooms and many wild fruits.

Fox

The fox is not naturally hunted and nature regulates their numbers by the availability of food in their territory. They are omnivores and will eat whatever they come across such as some small animals, roots, plants and berries. They even dine on caterpillars, grasshoppers, beetles and crayfish.

The fox hunts alone and can travel as much as 5 miles in one night. The fox communicates mainly by scent. They use their tails to spread the scent.

The fox can be found in prairies, wooded areas, and farmland.

Elk

The elk is basically a large deer. It can grow to be 4 to 5 feet tall, and the males can reach 1000 lbs. while the females can reach 600 lbs. It is reddish-brown, but its neck is a little darker. It has a cream-colored “rump patch.”

Male elk grow huge antlers that increase in size as they age. Their antlers are covered in velvet, and they shed it in August. Between February and March, their antlers are shed.

Elk live in somewhat open forest areas, foothills, plains, valleys. During the summer, they live in mountain meadows. They are usually seen in groups and are most active during dawn and dusk. They feed from early morning to mid-morning and chew their cud until mid-afternoon.

Males and females are seen together in fall and winter, but in spring and summer old bulls are in separate groups. Young elk are born in May or June and are able to walk only minutes after being born. In a week they are able to run. Occasionally they are left in hidden groups.

Raccoon

The raccoon is reddish brown and has a black or brown ringed bushy tail and a black mask outlined in white. The raccoon can be found in most parts of the United States and some southern provinces of Canada.

They are usually seen around streams, open forests and coastal marsh areas. Raccoons live in hollow logs or trees and sometimes in burrows of other animals. They are omnivorous and will eat just about anything. They eat fruits, nuts, plants, birds, frogs, mice and some other small mammals.

Raccoons find much of their food in water. Raccoons have an average of 4-5 young born in April – May. They are weaned by late summer.

Wild Boar / Wild Hog / Feral Hog

A Wild Boar is a wild ancestor of the domesticated pig. They were first introduced to America by the early settlers. They were allowed to run free and quickly adapted to living in the wild. The largest populations of them are in the south where food is readily available and there is always a good water supply. They prefer living in marshes or near water. They have no sweat glands and like to wallow in the mud to keep cool. The Wild Hog is an omnivore, meaning they eat everything from grains to carrion. They will eat just about anything they come across but particularly like acorns. They gather in oak forests when acorns begin falling. They also like to eat roots and when they are in search of roots it causes a lot of damage to the land. They are quite a nuisance, causing damage to livestock watering holes and pasture land. They are usually nocturnal, preferring to search for food at night when they are less likely to encounter hunters. The adult male can grow as large as 6 feet long and reach 440 lbs sometimes reaching sizes as large as 660 lbs. Their coats are short and bristly and range from brown to black and grey. The “razorback” in the southern states is known by the prominent ridge of hair running along their spine. Wild hogs live in groups called sounders. Generally, a sounder contains 2 or 3 sows and their offspring. Males are only a part of the group during breeding season in autumn and are usually found alone. Birth, called farrowing, typically occurs in the spring. The litters are usually up to 5 piglets but as many as 13 piglets have been known. Feral hogs are quite aggressive if cornered or surprised and can cause injury with their large tusks. This is not a common occurrence however. It is usually the female when she feels her family is in danger.

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