The History Of White-tailed Deer In Kentucky :: essays research papers

The History of White-Tailed Deer in KentuckyWhen our ancestors first reached Kentucky they found a great teemingnessof game, including cervid. wee settlers utilized deer for fare and clothing.Due to all the killing of the white-tail deer, around 1925 they were virtuallyeliminated in Kentucky. A few survived in areas such as, between the Cumberlandand Tennessee rivers in western Kentucky, and a few survived in eastern Kentucky.In most places, though deer simply no longer occurred.When the deer was on the brink of extension in Kentucky, the KentuckyDepartment of Fish and Wildlife Resources stepped in. They tried to save thedeer in Kentucky and they succeeded. They regulated the hunting seasons and theamount of game allowed to kill. Today we have an abundance of deer in Kentucky,we have about 450,000 deer.The white-tailed deer breeding season in Kentucky runs from Octoberthrough mid January, reaching its peak in November. Most fawns are innate(p) in June,following a seven month ges tation period. Newborn fawns will weigh about fourpounds at birth.Deer materialization are cared for and may remain with the mother until thenext spring. Fawns retain their spots until mid September and nurse until midOctober. About 40 percent of womanly fawns breed during their first autumn, butusually bear only one fawn. Does breeding at age 1 1/2 or old(a) generally havetwins, and sometimes triplets. By November, Kentuckys deer population typicalincreases slightly more than one fawn per doe. Although many more fawns areborn than one per doe, some will die before the hunting season arrives.A deers home melt down averages about 500 acres. In mountains, the homerange may exceed 1,000 acres. Even though this size area can support about 40deer, these animals will not always stay on the nose within their home range. Manywill travel on and off that amount of land different times of the year lookingfor the best food and cover available.One important key in improving deer numbers is h elping provide ampleamounts of the right foods. Healthier deer assign more offspring. White-tailseat a variety of vegetation, depending on what is available during differentseasons.In late winter, deer live mainly on woody get it ends and buds calledbrowse. They will also eat acorns, corn and winter wheat if available. Springfoods include tender grasses, clovers and leaves of woody plants such as ragweed,native and cultivated grasses and clovers. During the fall, deer will usefruits and nuts such as acorns, persimmons, dogwood berries, corn and browse fora food supply.Protection from severe weather, predators and illegal hunting is