AGSC 381 Hunter Education

1. AGSC 381 Hunter Education Big Game Animals In Texas

2. Objectives • Identify game species in Texas • Elk, White-Tailed, & Mule Deer • Determine: • Description • Range • Habitat/Habits

3. Description: Large, hoofed mammal Cream colored rump patch Small cream colored tail General reddish-brown body with chestnut brown neck (mane in males) Huge spreading antlers on males in summer and autumn Range: In Texas, free roaming elk are limited to the trans-pecos region Some private herds are not considered game animals located in Central and South Texas regions Elk (WAPITI)

4. Habitat/Habits Lives in semi-open forest, mountains, meadows, foothills plains, and valleys Herbivorous- eats grasses, forbs, some brush, twigs/bark Usually migrate to higher elevations in spring Live 14 years and males are polygamous (breeds more than one female) Ruts start in September – calves born in May-June – normally one calf per cow - spotted Elk (WAPITI)

5. Elk

6. White–Tailed Deer • Description: • Small to medium hoofed mammal with reddish brown to blue-gray or tan colorings • Underside of tail is white • Antlers on male consist mainly of main beam with tines growing from it • Range: • Texas has the most white-tailed deer of any state (over four million) • Texas hill country is most densely populated area in the country • West Texas and the Panhandle are the only spotty areas with whitetails

7. White-Tailed Deer • Habitat/Habits • Lives in forest, swamps, open brushy areas, foothills plains and river bottoms • Herbivorous- eats forbs, browse, wigs, shrubs, acorns, fungi and some grasses • Limited movement (rarely more than one to two miles) • Lives to 16 years in the wild • Male is polygamous (breeds more than one female) • Rut starts in October through December, spotted twin fawns are normal

8. White-Tailed Deer

9. Mule Deer • Description: • Medium to large hoofed mammal with reddish (summer) to blue-gray (winter) coloring • Rump patch is cream colored with black-tipped • Cream colored tail • Ears are larger than white-tailed deer • Antlers are dichotomous (branches equally---not all from one beam) • Range: • Located primarily in the High Plains and Trans-Pecos regions (west) • Some Mule Deer overlap with ranges of Whitetail deer

10. Mule Deer • Habitat/Habits: • Live in forest, desert shrubs, chaparral, grasslands, plains, foothills and river bottoms • Herbivorous- eats forbs, browse, shrubs, twigs, and some grasses • Migrate similar to elk, but in Texas limited movement may occur • Lives to 16 years in the wild • Male is polygamous (breeds more than female) • Rut starts in October through December • One to two fawns are typical - spotted

11. Mule Deer

12. Work Sheet Activity • Use the work sheet provided and identify the specie. • List one or more physical descriptions • Name the range/area • Name habitat or habits

20. Happy Hunting