White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) is in the Deer family (Cervidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 320,799 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in June.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: year-round resident. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
When to photograph White-tailed Deer: observations by month (U.S.)
About White-tailed Deer
The white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), also known as the whitetail or Virginia deer, is a medium-sized deer native to the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru and Bolivia. It has also been introduced to New Zealand, Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, Bahamas, Lesser Antilles, and some countries in Europe, such as Finland, the Czech Republic, and Serbia. In the Americas, it is the most widely distributed wild ungulate.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
White-tailed Deer by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 54,650 | November | Oct–Sep |
| Pennsylvania | 21,253 | June | May–Apr |
| Virginia | 20,855 | June | May–Apr |
| Maryland | 17,277 | June | May–Apr |
| Ohio | 16,800 | June | May–Apr |
| New York | 16,697 | June | May–Apr |
| North Carolina | 15,688 | June | May–Apr |
| Michigan | 12,032 | July | Mar–Dec |
| Florida | 10,521 | May | Apr–Mar |
| Illinois | 10,425 | April | Mar–Feb |
| Minnesota | 10,283 | June | May–Apr |
| New Jersey | 9,911 | September | Aug–Jul |
| Massachusetts | 9,447 | April | Mar–Feb |
| Wisconsin | 8,668 | June | Jan–Nov |
| Tennessee | 8,253 | July | Jun–May |
| Georgia | 7,333 | July | Jan–Nov |
| Vermont | 5,998 | June | May–Apr |
| Missouri | 5,449 | July | Jan–Nov |
| West Virginia | 4,919 | August | Jul–Jun |
| New Hampshire | 4,882 | June | Mar–Dec |
| Connecticut | 3,739 | July | Jun–May |
| Indiana | 3,476 | July | Jun–May |
| Kentucky | 3,405 | June | May–Apr |
| Alabama | 3,260 | September | Jul–May |
| Oklahoma | 3,058 | April | Mar–Feb |
| Maine | 3,017 | July | Apr–Oct |
| South Carolina | 2,890 | June | May–Apr |
| Montana | 2,854 | July | May–Sep |
| Iowa | 2,796 | June | May–Apr |
| Arizona | 2,739 | August | Jul–Jun |
| Arkansas | 2,614 | June | May–Apr |
| Colorado | 2,209 | November | Oct–Sep |
| Rhode Island | 2,050 | July | Mar–Jan |
| Kansas | 1,623 | June | Feb–Dec |
| Delaware | 1,593 | June | May–Apr |
| District of Columbia | 1,488 | June | Feb–Nov |
| Nebraska | 1,087 | June | Mar–Nov |
| Louisiana | 1,080 | April | Mar–Feb |
| Mississippi | 1,068 | October | Sep–Aug |
| South Dakota | 969 | June | Apr–Sep |
| Idaho | 692 | July | Mar–Nov |
| Washington | 691 | June | Mar–Nov |
| Wyoming | 391 | July | Jun–Sep |
| North Dakota | 358 | June | May–Sep |
| Oregon | 178 | July | Feb–Sep |
| New Mexico | 132 | July | Jun–Dec |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related mammals (Deer)
Photography tips
- Keep a legal and safe distance: 100 yards from bears and wolves and 25 yards from other large animals in national parks.
- Dawn and dusk are peak activity times for most mammals.
- Use your car as a blind on wildlife drives.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph White-tailed Deer?
Nationally, June has the most observations, with the main season from May to April.
Where is White-tailed Deer most often seen?
The most observations come from Texas, Pennsylvania, Virginia.