Hunting Facts - Common Game Species

Understanding the characteristics and habits of game species is essential for ethical and successful hunting. This guide provides an overview of some common game animals.

The white-tailed deer is one of the most widely distributed and popular game animals.

• Habitat: Diverse, including forests, fields, and suburban areas.
• Diet: Herbivores, primarily browsing on leaves, twigs, fruits, and nuts.
• Behavior: Most active during dawn and dusk (crepuscular). Bucks grow and shed antlers annually.
• Key Identification: A distinguishing feature is the white underside of its tail, which is raised when the animal is alarmed.

Wild turkeys are known for their distinctive calls and challenging hunt.

• Habitat: Open woodlands with scattered clearings, preferring areas with mature trees for roosting.
• Diet: Omnivores, feeding on acorns, seeds, insects, and small vertebrates.
• Behavior: Highly social and often travel in flocks. Males (toms) perform elaborate strutting displays during the breeding season.
• Key Identification: Males have a fleshy wattle and snood on their heads, and a "beard" of modified feathers on their chest.

The ring-necked pheasant is a colorful upland game bird, often found in agricultural settings.

• Habitat: Croplands, grasslands, and marshes with dense cover for nesting and protection.
• Diet: Seeds, grains, roots, and insects.
• Behavior: Known for a strong, explosive burst of flight when flushed. They primarily walk or run.
• Key Identification: Males are brightly colored with iridescent plumage and a white ring around the neck.

Cottontail rabbits are small, fast-reproducing game animals found across North America.

• Habitat: Brushy areas, thickets, and field edges, preferring dense cover.
• Diet: Herbivores, feeding on grasses, clover, and bark, especially in winter.
• Behavior: Largely nocturnal or crepuscular. They use their strong hind legs to evade predators.
• Key Identification: Recognized by the fluffy, white "cotton" ball appearance of their tail.