What the sources say
White-Tailed DeerOdocoileus virginianus
Every figure, record and mechanism on the White-Tailed Deer profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 50 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.
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Source
01
Dewey 2003
Dewey (2003). Odocoileus virginianus (white-tailed deer). Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.
- The page saysA fawn holds in its waste until its mother returns, and she swallows whatever it passes so predators find no sign of it
- The source says
Fawns withhold their feces and urine until the mother arrives, at which point she ingests whatever the fawn voids to deny predators any sign of the fawn.
Note: tagline - The page saysWoods, farmland, swamps and desert scrub from southern Canada to Bolivia
- The source says
from the big woods of northern Maine to the deep saw grass and hammock swamps of Florida. They also inhabit farmlands, brushy areas and such desolate areas of the west such as the cactus and thornbrush deserts of southern Texas and Mexico.
Note: stats.habitat; Bolivia and Canada from the Geographic Range paragraph (claim below) - The page saysWoods, farmland, swamps and desert scrub from southern Canada to Bolivia
- The source says
Whitetail deer inhabit most of southern Canada and all of the mainland United States except two or three states in the west. Their range reaches throughout Central America to Bolivia.
Note: stats.habitat, range half - The page saysA newborn white-tailed deer weighs 1.5 to 2.5 kg
- The source says
At birth, fawns are spotted with white in coloration and weight between 1.5 and 2.5 kg.
- The page saysIts mother leaves it in dense vegetation while she feeds
- The source says
When foraging, females leave their offspring in dense vegetation for about four hours at a time.
Note: duration left out of the page - The page saysThe fawn lies flat with its neck outstretched
- The source says
fawns lay flat on the ground with their necks outstretched, well camouflaged against the forest floor.
- The page saysholds in its feces and urine until she returns
- The source says
Fawns withhold their feces and urine until the mother arrives
- The page saysThen she eats whatever the fawn passes, to deny predators any sign of it
- The source says
at which point she ingests whatever the fawn voids to deny predators any sign of the fawn.
- The page saysAdults stand 80 to 100 cm at the shoulder
- The source says
height at the shoulders is between 80 and 100 cm.
- The page saysweigh 57 to 137 kg
- The source says
Range mass 57.0 to 137.0 kg
- The page saysbucks are bigger than does
- The source says
Sexual Dimorphism male larger
- The page saysThey also swim well
- The source says
Whitetail deer are also good swimmers
- The page saysThey depend mainly on smell to detect danger
- The source says
depend mainly on their sense of smell to detect danger.
- The page saysThe range covers most of southern Canada and the mainland United States except two or three western states, then reaches through Central America to Bolivia
- The source says
Whitetail deer inhabit most of southern Canada and all of the mainland United States except two or three states in the west. Their range reaches throughout Central America to Bolivia.
- The page saysDeer live in the big woods of northern Maine, the swamps of Florida, farmland, and the cactus and thornbrush deserts of southern Texas and Mexico
- The source says
from the big woods of northern Maine to the deep saw grass and hammock swamps of Florida. They also inhabit farmlands, brushy areas and such desolate areas of the west such as the cactus and thornbrush deserts of southern Texas and Mexico.
- The page saysa startled deer waves its tail from side to side as it flees
- The source says
They wave their tails characteristically from side to side when they are startled and fleeing.
Source
02
Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
White-tailed Deer. Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.
- The page saysGrasses, leaves, acorns, fruits, grains, and twigs and buds of woody plants
- The source says
Deer consume grasses, sedges, ferns, lichens, mushrooms, weeds, aquatics, leaves (green and fallen), fruits, hard mast (acorns, beech nuts, etc.), grains, and twigs and buds of woody plants.
Note: stats.diet - The page saysA white tail raised as a danger signal
- The source says
Their trademark white tail, when erected, flashes a danger signal to other deer in the vicinity.
Note: stats.superpower - The page saysIts reddish-brown coat is dappled with white spots, which give it excellent camouflage against detection by predators in the summer
- The source says
Fawns are born with a reddish-brown coat dappled with white spots. This affords excellent camouflage against detection by predators in the summer.
- The page saysearly fawn losses tend to be high
- The source says
However, early fawn losses tend to be high; only 65 to 90 of these young deer typically survive their first five months of life.
Note: "typically" in the quote belongs to the survival figure; "tend to be high" is the source hedge, kept - The page saysIn Maine, about 130 fawns are born for every 100 does, but only 65 to 90 of them usually survive their first five months
- The source says
In a typical year, each 100 Maine does will give birth to about 130 fawns. However, early fawn losses tend to be high; only 65 to 90 of these young deer typically survive their first five months of life.
- The page saysTheir long legs let them leap, bound, turn and run at up to 40 miles per hour
- The source says
They have long graceful legs, enabling them to cover ground quickly by leaping, bounding, turning and outright running at speeds up to 40 miles per hour.
- The page saysWide-set eyes help them pick out subtle movement
- The source says
They have wide-set eyes, enabling them to focus on subtle movements while maintaining an excellent sense of depth perception.
- The page sayslarge ears rotate toward suspicious sounds
- The source says
Whitetails have keen hearing, made possible by large ears that can rotate toward suspicious sounds.
- The page saysWhen a deer raises its white tail, it flashes a danger signal to other deer nearby
- The source says
Their trademark white tail, when erected, flashes a danger signal to other deer in the vicinity.
- The page saysBucks grow new antlers every year
- The source says
Bucks annually produce antlers, which are made of bone.
Note: "annually" paraphrased as "every year" - The page saysAntlers are made of bone
- The source says
Bucks annually produce antlers, which are made of bone.
- The page saysthey start to grow in April, wrapped in velvet, a network of skin tissue and blood vessels
- The source says
antlers begin growing in April, and are nurtured by a velvety outer network of skin tissue and blood vessels.
- The page saysThe velvet is shed in late August or September
- The source says
Velvet is shed when growth is complete in late August and September.
- The page saysthe hard antlers drop off between late December and early March
- The source says
The hardened, polished antlers remain until they are shed in late December to early March.
- The page saysA deer also grows two coats a year
- The source says
Each year, deer produce two coats of hair, each adapted to seasonal climate.
- The page saysA short reddish one keeps it cool in summer
- The source says
In late spring, deer grow a coat of fine, short reddish hair. This pelage allows ample air circulation and helps the deer to stay cool in summer's heat.
- The page saysIn September it molts into a winter coat with a woolly layer underneath and long hollow guard hairs on top, which the deer can raise to thicken the coat against winter winds
- The source says
During September, deer molt to a highly insulative coat which consists of a dense layer of fine woolly hair under a layer of long hollow brown, gray, and white guard hairs. The guard hairs can be erected to form a very thick insulative coat, which protects against the cold winds of winter.
- The page saysIn autumn it also packs fat under the skin, between the muscles and inside the hollow bones of its legs
- The source says
In autumn, deer accumulate fat under the skin, in the viscera, between the muscles, and in the hollow bones of the legs.
- The page saysThat fat can be 10 to 25% of its body weight by late fall
- The source says
This fat layer can comprise 10 to 25% of a deer's body weight by late fall.
- The page saysThey eat grasses, ferns, mushrooms, leaves, fruits, acorns, grains, and twigs and buds of woody plants
- The source says
Deer consume grasses, sedges, ferns, lichens, mushrooms, weeds, aquatics, leaves (green and fallen), fruits, hard mast (acorns, beech nuts, etc.), grains, and twigs and buds of woody plants.
- The page saysthey take more twigs and buds when better food is short
- The source says
Deer consume more twigs and buds of dormant trees and shrubs when more nutritious foods are unavailable.
- The page saysA deer can live to 20 years, though few in the wild last that long
- The source says
White-tailed deer can live to 20 years, but few deer in the wild live that long.
- The page saysRaised, the white tail is a danger signal to any other deer in the area
- The source says
Their trademark white tail, when erected, flashes a danger signal to other deer in the vicinity.
- The page saysUp to 20 years, and rarely that long in the wild
- The source says
White-tailed deer can live to 20 years, but few deer in the wild live that long.
- The page saysDoes typically outlive bucks
- The source says
Does typically live longer than bucks
- The page saysSometimes, though it is rare
- The source says
White-tailed does sometimes produce antlers, but this is rare.
- The page saysThe does that do are usually older, between 5 and 15 years, and they grow spikes covered in velvet
- The source says
Does that do sprout antlers typically are older (5 to 15 years old); their antlers are usually velvet-covered spikes.
- The page saysMost of them remain fertile
- The source says
Most antlered does remain fertile.
- The page saysantlers start in April
- The source says
antlers begin growing in April, and are nurtured by a velvety outer network of skin tissue and blood vessels.
Note: vibe.reason; same quote as the body claim "they start to grow in April, wrapped in velvet, a network of" - The page saysa thick winter coat comes in September
- The source says
During September, deer molt to a highly insulative coat which consists of a dense layer of fine woolly hair under a layer of long hollow brown, gray, and white guard hairs. The guard hairs can be erected to form a very thick insulative coat, which protects against the cold winds of winter.
Note: vibe.reason; same quote as the body claim "The velvet is shed in late August or September" - The page saysfat is packed on in autumn
- The source says
In autumn, deer accumulate fat under the skin, in the viscera, between the muscles, and in the hollow bones of the legs.
Note: vibe.reason; same quote as the body claim "In autumn it also packs fat under the skin, between the musc"
Source
03
Gallina & Lopez Arevalo 2016
Gallina & Lopez Arevalo (2016). Odocoileus virginianus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T42394A22162580.
- The page saysLeast Concern
- The source says
IUCN Red List category: Least Concern (LC).
Note: stats.conservationStatus - The page saysThe IUCN Red List rates the species Least Concern
- The source says
IUCN Red List category: Least Concern (LC).
Source
04
Hubbard & Nielsen 2009
Hubbard & Nielsen (2009). White-Tailed Deer Attacking Humans During the Fawning Season: A Unique Human-Wildlife Conflict on a University Campus. Human–Wildlife Interactions.
- The page saysdangerLevel: Medium
- The source says
The attacks occurred at multiple locations on campus, with injuries to humans, including minor scrapes, bruises, broken bones, and skin lacerations requiring stitches.
Note: task #1009; Medium is 'Can injure, but rarely seriously': 13 attacks by does in two fawning seasons, and the authors knew of no earlier report of free-ranging does attacking people
How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.