1. Big Game Animals In Texas
AGSC 381 Hunter Education
Big Game Animals In Texas
Original Power Point Created by Manuel Morro
Modified by Georgia Agricultural Education Curriculum Office
June 2002

2. Objectives Identify game species in Texas Determine:
Elk, White-Tailed, & Mule Deer
Determine:
Description
Range
Habitat/Habits

3. Elk (WAPITI) Description: Range: 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

4. 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

5. Elk

6. White–Tailed Deer Description: Range:
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

7. 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

8. White-Tailed Deer

9. Mule Deer Description: Range:
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

10. 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

11. Mule Deer

12. 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

20. Happy Hunting