"Whitetail - Silence in the Ferns"

24" x 48" x 1.5"

Oil on wood

Unframed

Whitetail deer are the olympians of the forest with the ability to jump vertically 8' and horizontally 30'. They are a highly successful species whose habitat is expanding into the North and Northwest overlapping with mule deer habitat. Their adaptability allows them to thrive in human dominated landscapes, leading to high densities in residential areas. The reasons for the explosion in whitetail numbers include removal of apex predators, reforestation of abandoned farmland, suburban sprawl creating edge habitat , milder winters, laws regulating hunting, and the decline in the interest in hunting.