AGSC 381 Hunter Education

Big Game Animals In Texas

Objectives

Identify game species in Texas– Elk, White-Tailed, & Mule Deer

Determine:• Description• Range• Habitat/Habits

Elk (WAPITI) 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) 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

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

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

White-Tailed Deer

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

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

Mule Deer

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

Happy Hunting