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