I was in central PA this past week for the start of their Rifle season. Our group was lucky enough to get several bucks and a few does. But what struck me in the two days I was there was the significant size difference in their body size compared to those out here in Nebraska. The Nebraska deer are 9"-12" taller at the shoulder than similarly aged PA deer, and likely 40-60 lbs heavier, at least.

I know the predominant answer is going to be nutrition, that NE deer are corn fed, etc., but the PA deer we were shooting were farmland deer also, and had a mess of corn in their stomachs, have much more available water, white oaks, red oaks (Nebraska only has red), many more pine saplings (do they eat pine saplings?), etc.

Is it the winter forage? The nutrients in the soil, genetics, or what?

Thanks.

I'm sure genetics have something to do with it. Years upon years of enduring long tough winters will ensure only the strongest animals survive. This is what Darwin was preaching. Unfit deer don't survive to reproduce

Nebraska has alot of farmland-corn-fed deer will always be bigger than mast-fed deer.

Athough there is debate on the issue, there is some evidence that the deer from the two areas you mention are a different sub-species. However, it is a fact that the further north you go, animal body sizes get larger (for heat conservation in the winter). But since Neb. and Pa. are about the same latitude, this doesn't apply. Winters in northern PA can be just as nasty as anything in Nebraska.

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I once read that the same species of animals tend to be larger the further from the equator you get. I believe this is referred to as Bergmans Rule. I don't know if Nebraska and Pa. are that much different in distance from the equator. The rule has to do with more mass to withstand the colder weather. Maybe in some points of equal distance from the equator, the animals tend to evolve a little bigger if that area has colder climates over an extended time period.
Just my 2 cents
Dan

There are approximately 30 subspecies of whitetail deer in North America.

Yeah, this is true, when you get way away from the equater those dang deer turn white and get all fluffy and grow big teeth and claws!

although they may be amoung the same latitude.. the differences in vegetation, genes, habitat, geographical boundaries, mountains, and interaction with eachother could make their size vary greatly from place to place...

N American Whitetail SubSpecies