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White-tailed Deer

Odocoileus virginianus

Mammal · family Cervidae · order Artiodactyla

  1. G1
    Critically imperiled
  2. G2
    Imperiled
  3. G3
    Vulnerable
  4. G4
    Apparently secure
  5. G5
    Secure

NatureServe global rank G5: secure[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

White-tailed Deer
Photo: USDA photo by Scott Bauer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G5 Secure[2]
Native in
47 states[3]
Longest recorded life
23 years[4]

The White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) is a hoofed mammal in the deer family, Cervidae[5]. NatureServe ranks it G5 (Secure) worldwide, and it is native in 47 US states and territories[2][3].

Conservation status

NatureServe gives White-tailed Deer a global rank of G5 (Secure) and a national rank of N5 (Secure) for the United States[2][6]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Least concern[7]. The species is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS data checked on 2026-10-30[1]. NatureServe estimates the global adult population at more than 1,000,000 animals[8].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G5 (Secure)
NatureServe US rank[6] N5 (Secure)
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[7] Least concern
Total population (NatureServe estimate)[8] >1,000,000 individuals

Where White-tailed Deer lives

NatureServe lists White-tailed Deer as native in 47 US states and territories, including the District of Columbia[3]. That covers states from Maine and New York to Florida and Texas, and west to Montana, Utah, Arizona and Washington[3]. The state table on this page shows the NatureServe rank for each state[9]. NatureServe notes that the range has spread north into Canada because of habitat changes caused by people[10]. A state list shows where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see one there[3].

Alaska: not recordedAKMaine: native, state rank S5MEWisconsin: native, state rank S5WIVermont: native, state rank S5VTNew Hampshire: native, state rank S5NHWashington: native, state rank S5WAIdaho: native, state rank S5IDMontana: native, state rank S5MTNorth Dakota: native, state rank SNRNDMinnesota: native, state rank SNRMNIllinois: native, state rank S5ILMichigan: native, state rank S5MINew York: native, state rank S5NYMassachusetts: native, state rank S5MAOregon: native, state rank S3ORNevada: not recordedNVWyoming: native, state rank S5WYSouth Dakota: native, state rank S5SDIowa: native, state rank S5IAIndiana: native, state rank S5INOhio: native, state rank SNROHPennsylvania: native, state rank S5PANew Jersey: native, state rank S5NJConnecticut: native, state rank S5CTRhode Island: native, state rank S5RICalifornia: not recordedCAUtah: native, state rank S1UTColorado: native, state rank S5CONebraska: native, state rank S5NEMissouri: native, state rank S5MOKentucky: native, state rank S5KYWest Virginia: native, state rank S5WVVirginia: native, state rank S5VAMaryland: native, state rank S5MDDelaware: native, state rank S5DEArizona: native, state rank S5AZNew Mexico: native, state rank S4NMKansas: native, state rank S5KSArkansas: native, state rank S5ARTennessee: native, state rank S5TNNorth Carolina: native, state rank S5NCSouth Carolina: native, state rank S5SCDistrict of Columbia: native, state rank S5DCOklahoma: native, state rank SNROKLouisiana: native, state rank S5LAMississippi: native, state rank S5MSAlabama: native, state rank S5ALGeorgia: native, state rank S5GAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: native, state rank S5TXFlorida: native, state rank S5FLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[9].
Show state ranks (47 states)
StateRankMeaning
AlabamaS5Secure
ArizonaS5Secure
ArkansasS5Secure
ColoradoS5Secure
ConnecticutS5Secure
DelawareS5Secure
District of ColumbiaS5Secure
FloridaS5Secure
GeorgiaS5Secure
IdahoS5Secure
IllinoisS5Secure
IndianaS5Secure
IowaS5Secure
KansasS5Secure
KentuckyS5Secure
LouisianaS5Secure
MaineS5Secure
MarylandS5Secure
MassachusettsS5Secure
MichiganS5Secure
MinnesotaSNRNot Ranked
MississippiS5Secure
MissouriS5Secure
MontanaS5Secure
NebraskaS5Secure
New HampshireS5Secure
New JerseyS5Secure
New MexicoS4Apparently Secure
New YorkS5Secure
North CarolinaS5Secure
North DakotaSNRNot Ranked
OhioSNRNot Ranked
OklahomaSNRNot Ranked
OregonS3Vulnerable
PennsylvaniaS5Secure
Rhode IslandS5Secure
South CarolinaS5Secure
South DakotaS5Secure
TennesseeS5Secure
TexasS5Secure
UtahS1Critically Imperiled
VermontS5Secure
VirginiaS5Secure
WashingtonS5Secure
West VirginiaS5Secure
WisconsinS5Secure
WyomingS5Secure

Habitat

White-tailed Deer live in many kinds of places, from mountains to lowlands[11]. NatureServe records forests, woodlands, shrublands, savanna, grassland, old fields, cropland and hedgerows, suburban areas and orchards, riparian areas and forested wetlands[12]. It also lists desert[12]. They often live near young, regrowing plants, especially close to farmland[11]. Where winters are cold, they look for spots with little snow and often shelter among conifers[11]. In dry regions, they prefer damper places such as streamside areas and mountain woodlands[11].

Habitat types recorded by NatureServe[12]

Size, diet and lifespan

NatureServe records the deer as a plant eater that takes grasses, young plants, leaves, acorns and other fruits, and also mushrooms[13][14]. In the north, the menu changes with the seasons, and deer fatten up in autumn, often on acorns, to prepare for winter[13]. They tend to lose weight through the winter on woody browse[13]. NatureServe gives a typical length of 206 cm (81 in) and a typical adult weight of 135 kg (298 lb)[15][16]. Litters are usually 1 to 2 young, born in May to June, and the young stay hidden for 1 to 2 weeks[17]. The longest recorded lifespan is 23 years, in captivity, and this is a record, not a typical lifespan[4].

Trait Value
Typical length[15] 206 cm (81 in)
Typical adult weight[16] 135 kg (298 lb)
Longest recorded lifespan (AnAge)[4] 23 years (captivity)
Litter or clutch size[18] 2
Gestation or incubation[19] 198 days
Female maturity[20] 309 days (about 0.8 years)
Food habits[14] Herbivore, Granivore, Frugivore
Active[21] nocturnal, crepuscular
Migration[22] non-migrant, local migrant

Estimated diet composition (EltonTraits 1.0)[23]

  • 90% other plant material
  • 10% seeds

When to look for it

White-tailed Deer are mainly crepuscular, which means most active around dawn and dusk[24][25]. Daily activity can shift with the season[24]. Breeding runs from late October to December, with a peak in November[17]. Some deer migrate short distances of 16 to 23 km on average in northern and mountain regions, while others stay put[26][22]. Observation records on GBIF are highest in June, July and August, but this shows when people look and report, not how many deer there are[27].

January: 15,940 recordsJanFebruary: 15,657 recordsFebMarch: 18,329 recordsMarApril: 25,058 recordsAprMay: 24,954 recordsMayJune: 30,344 recordsJunJuly: 29,130 recordsJulAugust: 26,209 recordsAugSeptember: 24,960 recordsSepOctober: 22,608 recordsOctNovember: 23,618 recordsNovDecember: 16,500 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[27].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January15,940
February15,657
March18,329
April25,058
May24,954
June30,344
July29,130
August26,209
September24,960
October22,608
November23,618
December16,500

Where to see it

National Park Service species lists record White-tailed Deer as present in 162 park units[28]. Present means the park has a confirmed record, not that sightings are common.

And 138 more park units.

States with the most GBIF observation records: Texas, Virginia, New York, Florida, Pennsylvania[29]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the White-tailed Deer endangered?
No. It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. NatureServe ranks it G5 (Secure) globally and N5 (Secure) in the United States[2][6].
Where does the White-tailed Deer live?
NatureServe lists it as native in 47 US states and territories, including the District of Columbia[3]. It lives in forests, woodlands, shrublands, grasslands and suburban areas[12][11].
What does the White-tailed Deer eat?
It eats plants. NatureServe notes grasses, young plants, leaves, acorns, other fruits and mushrooms, plus farm crops in some regions[13][14].
How big is a White-tailed Deer?
NatureServe records a typical length of 206 cm (81 in) and a typical adult weight of 135 kg (298 lb)[15][16].
How long does a White-tailed Deer live?
The longest recorded lifespan is 23 years, in captivity[4]. This is a record, not a typical lifespan[4].

Facts and sources

  1. White-tailed Deer is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for White-tailed Deer: G5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists White-tailed Deer as native in 47 US states and territories: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana,... NatureServe Explorer
  4. Maximum recorded lifespan in AnAge: 23 years in captivity. This is a record, not a typical lifespan. AnAge
  5. White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) is a mammal in the family Cervidae, order Artiodactyla. NatureServe Explorer
  6. NatureServe national rank in the United States: N5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  7. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Least concern. NatureServe Explorer
  8. NatureServe estimate of total adult population (global, as a range): >1,000,000 individuals. NatureServe Explorer
  9. NatureServe state ranks for White-tailed Deer (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  10. NatureServe notes on trend for White-tailed Deer. NatureServe Explorer
  11. NatureServe notes on habitat for White-tailed Deer. NatureServe Explorer
  12. Habitat types NatureServe records for White-tailed Deer: Forest - hardwood, Forest - conifer, Forest - mixed, Woodland - hardwood, Woodland - conifer, Woodland - mixed, Shrubland/chaparral, Savanna, Grassland/herbaceous, Old field, Desert,... NatureServe Explorer
  13. NatureServe notes on food for White-tailed Deer. NatureServe Explorer
  14. Adult food habits recorded by NatureServe: Herbivore, Granivore, Frugivore. NatureServe Explorer
  15. Typical length recorded by NatureServe: 206 cm (81 in). NatureServe Explorer
  16. Typical adult weight recorded by NatureServe: 135 kg (298 lb). NatureServe Explorer
  17. NatureServe notes on reproduction for White-tailed Deer. NatureServe Explorer
  18. Typical litter or clutch size in AnAge: 2. AnAge
  19. Gestation or incubation period in AnAge: 198 days. AnAge
  20. Age at female sexual maturity in AnAge: 309 days (about 0.8 years). AnAge
  21. Activity time in EltonTraits 1.0: nocturnal, crepuscular. EltonTraits 1.0
  22. NatureServe migration category for White-tailed Deer: non-migrant, local migrant (populations can differ). NatureServe Explorer
  23. Estimated diet composition in EltonTraits 1.0: 90% other plant material, 10% seeds. EltonTraits 1.0
  24. NatureServe notes on phenology for White-tailed Deer. NatureServe Explorer
  25. Adult activity patterns recorded by NatureServe: Circadian, Crepuscular. NatureServe Explorer
  26. NatureServe notes on migration for White-tailed Deer. NatureServe Explorer
  27. GBIF observation records of White-tailed Deer in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF
  28. NPSpecies park lists recording White-tailed Deer as present (list on this page). NPS NPSpecies
  29. US states with the most GBIF observation records of White-tailed Deer: Texas, Virginia, New York, Florida, Pennsylvania. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.

Photo: USDA photo by Scott Bauer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.