Physical Characteristics Of White-Tailed Deer Fawns In Southwestern Oklahoma

Eighty-three white-tailed deer fawns (Odocoileus virginianus texanus) were captured in the Wichita Mountains of southwestern Oklahoma between 1974 and 1977. General physical appearance was documented and 10 body measurements were taken from each fawn. The calculated age of captured fawns ranged from I to 21 days. Three measurements (total weight, total body length, and hind foot length) appeared to be those most descriptive of skeletal and body mass changes with increasing age. Regression models indicated that males were larger and grew faster than females. The rates ofweight gain for male (0.28 kg/ day) and female (0.24 kg/ day) fawns were higher than previously reported.