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Mating season in Minnesota for white-tailed deer can start as early as late October and can <br />continue as late as early December. Female deer (doe) come to sexual maturity between one and <br />two years of age. Each doe can produce one to three offspring usually in May or June of the <br />following year. The gestation period for white-tailed deer is seven months. Fawns have white- <br />spotted coats and nurse for three to four months. Female offspring will stay with the doe for up <br />to two years, whereas male offspring typically leave after one year. Male deer grow and shed <br />their antlers annually. Antlers are used in fights over mating territories (Minnesota Department <br />of Natural Resources, 2012). <br />White-tailed deer are herbivores equipped with a four-chambered stomach that allow them to eat <br />a wide variety of vegetation. Deer are known to graze on grasses, leaves, twigs, fruits, nuts, corn, <br />alfalfa, lichens, fungi, and many other commonly <br />, ; ,�a' , ,. . � planted ornamental plants (National Geographic, <br />2012). In Minnesota, white-tailed deer are known <br />�^ � to favor white pine seedlings and northern white <br />» <br />��� � �� � cedar or arborvitae. <br />��� :,'� White-tailed deer can be seen during daylight <br />` �;: �''y �.. hours, but are most active during dusk and dawn <br />_ y,, i R � ..' . . <br />2� `�`�" ' '� after feeding during the night. Natural deer <br />.�. ;��..� , . .. .. � �� - � ���� <br />predators include bobcats, mountain lions, <br />l�i�urc 2 Cnra�ing dcco- <br />coyotes, and lynx. Deer can sprint at speeds of up <br />to 30 miles per hour, are capable of leaping 10 feet vertically, and horizontally jumping over 30 <br />feet. Their lifespan is 6 to 14 years or age (National Geographic, 2012). <br />Carrying capacity is the maximum species population that can be <br />supported indefmitely in a specific environment. Carrying capacities <br />vary greatly not only by species, but aLso by the environment the <br />species inhabits. The biological carrying capacity for white-tailed <br />deer will vary based on available food sources and shelter. Some <br />carrying capacity estimates are 1 deer for every 20 acres, habitat <br />permitting. There are currently estimated between 900,000 and <br />Carryin� <br />Capacity: <br />1 deer per every <br />20 acres <br />1,000,000 deer m the state of Mmnesota (USDA APHIS, 2012). <br />However, in an urban area the carrying capacity will be considerably less. <br />3�F'�i`}c <br />