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When the first settlers arrived in North America and discovered the whitetail and its benefits for sustainability – clothing, food, cover, rugs, fishnets – deer hunting for the market boomed.
Up until the early 20th century, deer in the Southeast were excessively pursued. Settlers bought, sold and traded deer parts with Europe and other communities for profit.
Subsistence hunting followed by a commercial trade in deer hides peaked around Market hunting, over-harvest, subsistence hunting, and lack of effective law enforcement were the main causes that drove the whitetail deer populations in the Southeast to become nearly extirpated. Venison was in high-demand, and with little regulations of deer harvest, the species was facing havoc. During the early s, nearly every southeastern state reached its lowest deer population level. There were very few, if any, deer that were spotted in the southeastern United States during the early 20th century, and most remnant deer were seen on privately owned land.
In addition to over-hunting, habitat change due to timber management, and agricultural purposes throughout the late 19th and 20th centuries dwindled the habitat that deer thrive in. Timber and agriculture for the market was heightened shortly after the market hunting phenomenon. Deer were losing their habitat and had no where to thrive, causing an even bigger downward spiral of the population throughout the region. Hunters, foresters and other outdoor enthusiasts were beginning to recognize the decline of deer, which prompted the implementation of game laws and establishment of state wildlife agencies.
Shortly after , wildlife agencies existed in almost every southeastern state, and the replenishing of whitetail deer began to unfold. When wildlife agencies and game laws were established, southeastern states began their restocking efforts. It is estimated that many southeastern states had roughly 50, deer around the ss, but the exact population levels are unknown.
Today, states in the Southeast have anywhere between roughly , to 1. Most restocking occurred west of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Little to no restocking was performed along the eastern portion and tidewater region of the state, only protection of the remnant herds took place. Virginia has unique hunting-season opportunities for hunters compared to other states. There is no daily deer limit, and hunters can take any deer they want. Knox concludes that because of the rapidly growing human population in this area, it was vital to set this season to control a healthy environment for deer, humans, and all other wildlife and habitat.
For the most part, the state naturally restored deer and the residual deer populations took advantage of it. Most states in the southeast restocked using deer from remnant herds dispersed across the state. Though North Carolina additionally purchased deer from Wisconsin, the primary source of deer were from Pisgah National Forest. He says that law-abiding hunters and landowners that worked cooperatively with the state agency by permitting access to their properties for restocking are the primary contributions to the rebound of North Carolina deer herds.
The first stocking occurred in , when a U. Forest Service Ranger took the lead and bought five to six deer from a traveling carnival owner and turned them loose on Blue Ridge Wildlife Management Area. Since restocking in Georgia, the deer population has fluctuated, but has seen overall success from the restocking and strict regulations on deer hunting during the ss. There is an incredible level of influence.
The first restocking occurred during the s. Most deer came from remnant deer herds in Alabama, while a few were obtained from North Carolina. Today, the deer population in Alabama stands at about 1. Season regulations vary by region and county in the state. The Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission began spending the allocated money on restoration efforts and Wildlife Management Areas to benefit the restored wildlife with better habitat to thrive.
By the s, the deer population was assumed to be between 45, and 50, Since then, deer populations increased rapidly annually. The Kentucky Division of Game and Fish began a white-tailed deer project in to restore the species. The project included refuge establishment, trapping and translocation of live deer, and habitat improvement. The agency’s white-tailed deer program began in the s with restoration efforts.
From to , more than 9, deer were released into various areas of Tennessee. With the increase of deer, harvest rates have also increased significantly. Restoration efforts began in with the establishment of the state game commission. Don’t Miss: State of the Whitetail. State wildlife agencies are the primary source of deer research and population success. Without regulations prompted by analyzation of annual data collected on deer and other wildlife, deer populations would not thrive. But the primary source of funding to state wildlife agencies to conduct wildlife work is through dedicated hunters and sportsmen.
Hunters are the main source of funding for deer research. Deer hunting generates the most license dollars in all southeastern states — more than any other type of hunting.
These dollars not only benefit the whitetail deer species but the management of all wildlife in the state. In addition to license sales, the Federal Pittman-Robertson Act aids in the work of state agencies by collecting funding from federal excise taxes on hunting, ammunition and archery equipment and allocating it to state wildlife agencies to fund wildlife management efforts.
Hunters contribute to the management of wildlife for all outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy. But hunters support deer management through state agencies in more ways than one. Compliance from hunters for annual surveys that state agencies send out are a large factor to management of the species.
Today, deer management in the Southeast remains healthy. Regulations will occasionally fluctuate throughout the years based on research and data that shapes management practices year-to-year. As the largest group of hunters in the United States, deer hunters have an obligation to ensure deer hunting does not see a decline in the coming decades. Hunting is a vital management tool for managing whitetail populations that ultimately affects all other wildlife and their habitat in the ecosystem.
Deer hunting also contributes to the acquiring of land for public hunting and recreational purposes, the maintenance of land, and the maintenance of species for hunting or wildlife viewing. Deer hunters are the backbone of conservation and serve both hunters and non-hunters. It is up to us as deer hunters to ensure that deer and other wildlife continue to thrive into the future and provide all of the benefits they did centuries ago.
Though deer hunting is a heritage in the Southeast, it still continues to die as an ancestral tradition. As society moves forward, the popularity of hunting in general is seeing a decline and minimal interest from rising generations. Are you a deer hunter wanting to learn how to accomplish your goals?
Check out our stories, videos and hard-hitting how-to’s on deer hunting. Follow us on Facebook. Realtree is committed to providing an inclusive and accessible experience to everyone, including those with disabilities. All rights reserved. Site by Gray Loon. Skip to main content. Camo Patterns.
Age of Restocking Hunters, foresters and other outdoor enthusiasts were beginning to recognize the decline of deer, which prompted the implementation of game laws and establishment of state wildlife agencies. Future of Southeastern Whitetails Today, deer management in the Southeast remains healthy. Presidential Blades October 6, From Articles.
White tailed deer population in south carolina – white tailed deer population in south carolina
Publications Menu. Authors: Kilgo, John C. Citation: Kilgo, John C. Predation by coyotes on white-tailed deer neonates in South Carolina. The Journal of Wildlife Management. DOI: Moore, G. Natural history. In: J. Culler ed. Carolina’s hunting heritage.
Verme, L. Progeny sex ratio relationships in deer: Theoretical vs. Journal of Wildlife Management 49 1 Webster, W. Parnell, and W. Mammals of the Carolinas, Virginia, and Maryland. Whitaker, J. The Audubon Society field guide to North American mammals.
Alfred A. Knopf, New York, NY. Wildlife – Species. White-tailed Deer Odocolleus virginianus Description White-tailed deer are easily identified by the white underside of their tail, which is visible as the animal flees.
Preferred Habitat and Biology White-tailed deer range from southern Canada throughout all of the continental United States except for portions of the far West. Species Significance White-tailed deer are eagerly sought-after by hunters throughout their range. References Golley, F. Newborn deer, or fawns, have white spots on their coats that help camouflage them in the forest.
They will lose these spots after a few months. The top of their tail is brown, but the underside is very fluffy and white. When alarmed, white-tailed deer will raise their tail straight up, flashing the white. If you ever see a deer in the woods and they spot you, you might catch them flagging as they run away. The male white-tailed deer will grow a new set of antlers every year.
The overall size, length, and branches on antlers depends on how well-fed the deer is, how old it is, and some is just genetics. The antlers grow in late spring, and are covered with tissue called velvet during this growth period. The antlers are used during the breeding season to compete for breeding females.
After the breeding season is over males will shed their antlers during the winter. Their size can vary greatly dependent on their location. On average in North America, males weigh pounds and females weigh 88 — pounds. The largest deer are often found along the northern portions of their range, while the tiny Key Deer of Florida barely make it to pounds. One of the things that makes white-tailed deer so widespread is their ability to adapt to many environments.
Many white-tailed deer live in forests and prefer habitat with young growth and forest edge. However in parts of their range, populations have adapted to prairie and savanna land such as Texas, Arizona and Mexico , tropical or subtropical forests in Central America, and mountain grassland in the Andes of South America.
These deer are ruminants , which means they have a four-chambered stomach. This not only allows them to digest a wide variety of foods, but they can eat and wait until later to digest.
A useful trick if they are grazing and need to quickly flee from a predator. White-tailed deer are mainly herbivores and will eat what they can find during each season. This includes plant shoots, legumes, cacti, leaves, grasses, fruit , corn, acorns and mushrooms. Deer eat a lot, about 2, pounds of plant matter each year. When too many deer are in one environment, they can be a detriment by not allowing plants to grow to maturity or even completely wiping out a species of plant from an ecosystem.
The majority of the North American population lives east of the Rocky Mountains. White-tailed deer are classified as the species Odocoileus virginianus , the Virginia white-tailed deer.
However world-wide there are 26 known subspecies, with 17 of those occurring in the U. The main noticeable difference between the mule deer and the white-tailed deer are ear size, tails, and antlers. Their tail is thinner than the white-tailed deer, with a distinctive black tip at the bottom. This means they fork as they grow. Like other deer species they grow new antlers each spring and shed them during the winter.
The rut, which is their mating season, occurs in the fall and the fawns are born in the spring. On average in North America, males weigh — pounds and females weigh 95 — pounds. Unlike white-tailed deer, some mule deer are migratory. They will spend the summer in higher elevations, then travel down to lower elevations during the winter. This helps them avoid the harsher high elevation winter conditions such as deeper snow that covers up food. The longest known mule deer migration occurs in Wyoming where deer travel miles from the Red Desert to the mountain slopes around the Hoback Basin.
The mule deer is a generalist and will forage on whatever is available. Studies of mule deer populations have shown that they have been recorded as eating nearly different plant species. This includes flowers, grass, tree and shrub fruits, nuts, acorns, berries and lichen.
While the white-tailed deer more or less stop east of the Rocky Mountains, the mule deer take over west of the Rockies. They are most populous on the western Great Plains, in the Rocky Mountains, the southwestern states, and on the west coast of North America. Mule deer are classified as the species Odocoileus hemionus , the Rocky-Mountain mule deer.
There are eight accepted subspecies in the U. Even though black-tailed deer are considered subspecies of mule deer, there is still some debate on their origins and they are often counted separately.
Coat color tends to be more reddish-brown in the spring and grayish-brown during winter. Sitka overall have a darker coat than the Columbian.
Black-tailed deer have a white patch on rump, which their tail mostly covers. The tail is straight and black on top with white underneath. Sitka are the smaller subspecies weighing between 80 — pounds.
Columbian weigh between 88 — pounds. For both species females are smaller than the males. Black-tailed deer in their native Pacific northwest range live in dense coastal rainforest and semi-open habitats including riparian forest along river banks and areas of tangled shrubs and thicket.
It is important they have access to both the cover provided by the forest and the grazing in open areas and along the forest edge. Like most deer, black-tail browse on what vegetation is available in each season.
This includes during the winter and early spring, they feed on Douglas fir, western red cedar, red huckleberry, salal, deer fern, and lichens growing on trees. Late spring to fall, they consume grasses, blackberries, apples, fireweed, pearly everlasting, forbs, salmonberry, salal, and maple. While their historic range expanded further east, today you can find them in western Oregon, northern California, Washington, the Alaskan panhandle and areas of British Columbia.
A small population has also been introduced on the island of Kaui, Hawaii. Which came first, the black-tailed deer or the mule deer? I have seen some debate on this but at the time of writing this article the consensus is that black-tailed deer are a subspecies of the mule deer. When Europeans first came to America, they found deer a plentiful resource in most states. During this time anyone could hunt deer and they were often a life line, providing meat and skin to the early settlers.
As the population grew, the demand for market hunting increased and deer were hunted in greater and greater numbers. Animal husbandry and agriculture also grew, removing forested land in favor of farming.
Over time this heavy hunting and habitat loss took a real toll. Hunting seasons, bag limits, deer restocking and habitat restoration are just a few of the management practices that sprung up. Also the growth of suburbs that broke up large swaths of forested land into smaller chunks actually benefited the deer. Deer rely on young forest and forest edge habitat.
All this brings us to today. Deer populations are actually higher than they were historically in many areas, or they are at the point of exceeding the carrying capacity of their local environment. So what are the problems that come with too many deer? While there is no one fail safe solution to keep them away, here are a few top tips. We also share helpful tips and guides on a variety of topics related to animals and nature.
Deer population in 50 U. New Hampshire. New Jersey. New Mexico. New York. For the most part, the state naturally restored deer and the residual deer populations took advantage of it.
Most states in the southeast restocked using deer from remnant herds dispersed across the state. Though North Carolina additionally purchased deer from Wisconsin, the primary source of deer were from Pisgah National Forest. He says that law-abiding hunters and landowners that worked cooperatively with the state agency by permitting access to their properties for restocking are the primary contributions to the rebound of North Carolina deer herds.
The first stocking occurred in , when a U. Forest Service Ranger took the lead and bought five to six deer from a traveling carnival owner and turned them loose on Blue Ridge Wildlife Management Area. Since restocking in Georgia, the deer population has fluctuated, but has seen overall success from the restocking and strict regulations on deer hunting during the ss. There is an incredible level of influence. The first restocking occurred during the s.
Most deer came from remnant deer herds in Alabama, while a few were obtained from North Carolina. Today, the deer population in Alabama stands at about 1. Season regulations vary by region and county in the state. The Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission began spending the allocated money on restoration efforts and Wildlife Management Areas to benefit the restored wildlife with better habitat to thrive.
By the s, the deer population was assumed to be between 45, and 50, Since then, deer populations increased rapidly annually.
The Kentucky Division of Game and Fish began a white-tailed deer project in to restore the species. The project included refuge establishment, trapping and translocation of live deer, and habitat improvement.
The agency’s white-tailed deer program began in the s with restoration efforts.
White tailed deer population in south carolina – white tailed deer population in south carolina
Limits: Limits vary according to game zones please check Rules and Regulations for Limits. Complete hunting regulations. Description The white-tailed deer has two seasonal coats. The winter coat is more grayish or even bluish tan with heavy, long guard hairs and a thick undercoat that provides excellent insulation.
White patches are found around the eyes, on the throat, belly, tail underside , and insides of the legs. When in flight, the large white tail or flag, flipped up in the air can be the easiest way to spot the deer.
Preferred Habitat Quality deer habitat includes a mixture of trees, shrubs, vines, forbs, grasses and other plants such as fungi and sedges. Certain plants within each of these categories benefit deer more than others. Desirable plants should be well interspersed throughout an area, so that the whole area functions as deer habitat. Some type of water source should be available every mile or so. Enough area with appropriate plants should be available to support a viable population.
Range Statewide. Deer population by county is not comparable among counties because counties vary in size and are, therefore, not directly comparable. If a deer fawn is found alone in the woods, leave it there.
Its mother has not abandoned it; she is probably nearby. Many people who come upon a solitary spotted fawn in the woods or along a roadway mistakenly assume the animal has been deserted by its mother. Young fawns like this have not been abandoned, but are still in the care of a doe. The apparently “helpless” deer fawns born during April, May and June in South Carolina will begin daily movements with their mothers in about three or four weeks.
Human handling and disturbance of fawns can cause a doe to shy away or even desert her offspring. Wildlife – Species. SC Hunters and Landowners for the Hungry. White-Tailed Deer Odocoileus virginianus White-tailed deer tracks. Food Habits White-tailed deer are extremely adaptable in their food habits.
Deer consume primarily wild herbs, fruits and agricultural crops; however, they can survive on the leaves, buds and twigs of woody trees and shrubs when other foods are scare. When abundant, acorns are the mainstay of the fall and winter diet. Bucks will chase does over a period of five or six days prior to mating.
The buck will mate with a doe several times and remain with her for a few days keeping other males away. Eventually the two will separate and the male will go on to breed more does before the breeding or rutting period ends. Gestation days; average days. Miscellaneous If a deer fawn is found alone in the woods, leave it there.
Publications and Literature.