Deer, Coue's White-tail

Physical Features

The Coues White-tailed Deer is a subspecies of the White-tailed Deer. In contrast to a Mule Deer's equally branching antlers, those of the Coue's White-tail Deer consist of a number of tines arising from a main beam, which curves forward. Mature bucks generally have three to four tines per side. Coue's White-tailed Deer have a grayish-brown, alt-and-pepper colored coat with white underparts. Their face is marked with white 'halos' around their eyes and a white band across their muzzle. The most distinguishing characteristic of the Coue's White-tail Deer is its long, broad tail. Its tail is all white on the underside, gray to reddish-black on top, and it is often carried high as an alarm signal. The Coue's White-tail Deer is much smaller than most of its eastern cousins. Bucks stand just over 30 inches at the shoulder and rarely weigh over 100 pounds. Does average 65 pounds. The fawns have spots on their coats for about the first two months of their lives.

Habitat

Coue's White-tail Deer are most abundant in areas of predictable summer precipitation. They prefer woodlands of chaparral, oak, and pine, with interspersed clearings and range in terrain elevations from 3,000 to 10,000 feet, with the greatest densities of deer concentrated within the 3,500 to 5,500 feet elevation. Coue's White-tailed Deer are most common in Arizona's Southeastern to South-central mountains, but range up to the edge of the Arizona's Mogollon Rim and eastward into the White Mountains / Southwestern New Mexico. They also range south of Arizona and New Mexico, into northern portions of Mexico.

Diet

Coue's White-tail Deer feed predominantly on weeds, shrubs, mast, grass, mistletoe, and cacti fruits in season.

Meat

Coue's White-tail Deer meat is low in fat, low in calories and low in cholesterol. Venison is darker red and more richly flavored than beef with a distinct gamey taste. For Native Americans and early European settlers, deer meat (venison) provided one of the most important sources of protein. Deer hides were used to make buckskin jackets, moccasins and other leather articles. The Coue's White-tailed Deer is a sought-after game animal. Wary, and expert at using cover, it rarely offers the hunter a standing shot once it has jumped.

Behavior

Female Coue's White-tail Deer give birth to either one or two fawns after a gestation period of 180-200 days. Yearlings tend to give birth to single fawns while older does generally give birth to twins. Most fawns are born in July and August. Fawns weigh between 4-6 pounds at birth and nurse for two to three months. Fawns can eat some vegetation even while still dependent on the mother's milk during the first month. The most common predators of the Coue's White-tail Deer include mountain lion, bobcat, eagle, and coyote.

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