White-Tailed Woes

White-tailed deer are an exciting sight - how can we help them flourish for future generations to enjoy?

An alarmed white-tailed deer bounding across the trail

Fall is here, and with it some exciting changes. Colorful leaves and wildflowers abound, and sometimes there’s even a little nip in the air (or is that just wishful thinking?). Along with pleasant hikes and shorter days comes another exciting autumn development: lots of deer along the trail! This is one of the best times of year to spot white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) – look for the white flash of a tail through the trees or an antler-crowned head peeking over the palmetto as you hike the Lower Green Swamp Nature Preserve in Plant City or Alafia River Corridor Nature Preserve in Lithia.

In the greater Hillsborough County area, white-tailed deer biological physiology differs from that of deer in the rest of the state; antler growth, breeding, and birthing all occur significantly later than in other areas of Florida. In mid-summer and early fall, bucks with still-developing antlers are often found in bachelor groups, making for a stunning sight for hikers and nature lovers. If you’re looking for amazing deer photos, this is the time to bring your camera out on the trail! From June through October assemblies of magnificently antlered bucks are found together before mating season begins locally in late December. Later in the year bucks will begin to split off and find mates, often posturing for dominance or even sparring one another with their antlers over desirable does. 

A group of bucks foraging together

White-tailed deer are relatively common in Hillsborough County, but that wasn’t always the case. At the turn of the 20th century, these beautiful creatures were almost eradicated from Florida by unregulated over-hunting and farming depredation campaigns. Repopulation efforts beginning in the 1930’s and the Wildlife Restoration Act of 1937 finally began to bolster the declining white-tailed deer population and have led to an amazing recovery with an estimated 700,000 deer statewide today! Land managers across Florida continue to improve and preserve native habitats, keeping deer healthy and preventing another decline in population.

It's difficult for white-tailed deer to get good nutrition in the summer and early fall. Forage quality is low and does are usually nursing one or two fawns, while bucks need plenty of minerals to grow healthy antlers and gain weight in preparation for the breeding season. Luckily, Hillsborough County’s prescribed fire team is here to help. Florida’s ecosystems have evolved alongside lightning-caused wildfires for thousands of years, and prescribed fire is a safe way to apply that natural process to benefit the land. During a prescribed fire the soil gains an influx of nutrients, propagating new plant growth that deer use to supplement proteins and minerals needed during this time of year. Burning also helps  minimize the understory and reduce overgrown woody shrubs, allowing sunlight to hit the forest floor, which improves the growth of forbs and other plants that many other wildlife species (including the threatened gopher tortoise) require. Prescribed fire is one of the best ways to help Florida’s favorite wildlife species thrive, and it also reduces the risk of nearby wildfires by getting rid of dead plant matter and other fuel!

A buck reaching up to nibble on the tender new leaves of muscadine grapevine

As you hike along the shady trails this fall, keep your eyes peeled for white-tailed deer, turkeys, bobwhite quail, and gopher tortoises – and remember that the careful and well-planned application of prescribed fire helps these amazing creatures survive and thrive. Visit HCFLGov.net/RxFire to learn more about prescribed fire in Hillsborough County.