Odocoileus virginianus
White-tailed deer cause extensive damage to gardens, orchards, and landscapes. Browse on foliage, rub antlers on trees, and trample plants.
Large mammals with brown coat (gray in winter). Males have antlers. Tracks are split hooves. Droppings are oval pellets. Torn, ragged browse marks on plants.
Ragged, torn edges on leaves (deer lack upper incisors). Browse line on trees and shrubs. Trampled plants. Antler rub damage on tree bark. Missing flowers and vegetables.
Year-round presence. Most active at dawn and dusk. Breeding in fall, fawns born in spring. Feeding pressure highest in winter and early spring.
Fence gardens with 8-foot fence or double 4-foot fences. Plant deer-resistant species. Remove attractants. Use repellents before damage starts.