New Hampshire’s State Animal: white tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

In 1983 New Hampshire officially named the white-tailed deer (also known as the Virginia

White Tailed Deer. Photograph Courtesy: Pennsylvania Game Commission Photo/Hal Korber. Used with Permission.

deer) as its official state animal.

This lovely animal has played a significant part in New Hampshire’s history.When Europeans first settled in New Hampshire, the white-tailed deer was in great supply. It was already an important food for the Native Peoples, along with providing clothing, and tools (from their antlers).

The white-tailed deer has a specific diet of leaves, grass, buds, berries, wild grapes, bark, acorns, soft twigs, fungi, apples, clover, and farm crops.  Adult deer need six to eight pounds of food per 100/lbs of body weight DAILY.

Adult males are called bucks, stags, harts or bulls; females are called does, hinds and cows.  The young members are called fawns or calves.

P.S. In addition to New Hampshire, the White-tailed deer is the state animal of Arkansas, Illinois, Mississippi, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, South Carolina, and Wisconsin, as well as the provincial animal of Saskatchewan

–NH Fish & Game: Wildlife in NH–

–Deer Hunting in New Hampshire–

–Wikipedia: White-tailed Deer–

– Illustrations of White Tailed Deer, Elk, Mule Deer, and Moose, from U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services

Photograph Courtesy: Pennsylvania Game Commission Photo/Hal Korber