Saskatchewan Deer

[jci63]

Why are saskatchewan breed of whitetail deer so much larger than the ones in Michigan. I heard they were a differnet breed, anybody know the name?

thanks

[wtnhunt]

Why are saskatchewan breed of whitetail deer so much larger than the ones in Michigan. I heard they were a differnet breed, anybody know the name?

thanks

Borealis subspecies is the largest subspecies of whitetail deer. Think there are like 17 different subspecies of whitetailed deer. Dakota and Kansas deer are close behind the borealis, all three of those subspecies of deer have the potential for huge bodies compared to the Virginia subspecies that are around here. The deer in Michigan I think should be either in the borealis or the dakota subspecies.

Largest recorded deer unofficially were two different deer that weighed 512 lbs killed in Minnesota if I remember right.

[Tominator]

Lousy picture, but this is the only pic I've been able to find on the distribution of the whitetail distributions. Saskatchecantspellit deer are the "dakotensis" subspecies, and as William said, they are one of the biggest subspecies.

As to the why, I'll have to look up the reason, as I can't remember the theory some scientist came up with way back when. Starts with a B, but I have class, so I have to go.

[wtnhunt]

Starts with a B, but I have class, so I have to go

Maybe Bergmann's rule Chris?

Bergmann's rule I think says something along the lines that so long as preferred food is available a subspecies will reach its full size, as where if there is not an abundance of food to meet the nutritional needs, the general size of that subspecies will decrease in those areas.

[Tim Andrus]

You guys hit it right. The Bergman theory, the farther you get from the equator the bigger the animal will be

[toddyboman]

Great info fellas.

[SaskSniper]

i didnt know that, interesting

[Tominator]

Maybe Bergmann's rule Chris?

Bergmann's rule I think says something along the lines that so long as preferred food is available a subspecies will reach its full size, as where if there is not an abundance of food to meet the nutritional needs, the general size of that subspecies will decrease in those areas.

Yep, that's the one I was thinking of William. Thanks for the backup.

http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9078765/Bergmanns-Rule

Learned that in an anthropology class a few years back.

[Guest Hunter36]

I believe it has to do alot with climate also. The deer up north are so much bigger to conserve body heat while the southern deer are smaller because of the warm climate.

[MichiganHunter]

Enviromentally there forced to be a bigger deer....look at the enviroment they live in...more snow and colder so they naturally have to bulk up more

Same as deer from michigan are bigger than the deer in texas and u can shoot big deer in michigan...my buck i shot last year dressed out at 215

[wtnhunt]

Same as deer from michigan are bigger than the deer in texas and u can shoot big deer in michigan...

Michigan deer and Texas deer are entirely different subspecies of whitetailed deer. Michigan subspecies of deer(borealis) do have the potential to go over 400lbs, while the deer in Texas (Texanus) subspecies do not.

[elkoholic]

I believe that the larger the body size, the smaller the surface area in relation to mass. Thus, northern species have a less surface area to mass ratio which exposes a lower percentage of their body to the elements. Nutrition is the controlling factor when it comes to maximum size attained and given that the winter months can be brutal in the northern climates (or drought in southern or northern climates) it is amazing the size some of these deer grow to. As to species, well, the names seem to echo where they a living and not any specific body characteristics.

[PAstringking]

thats some good information

[blacktailslayer]

I have heard of a guy that took Roosevelt and Rocky Mtn. elk and fenced them in the same area. Give them a couple of years and you couldn't tell the difference between the species. This would probably be true for whitetail deer also.

[Randyman]

I believe it has to do alot with climate also. The deer up north are so much bigger to conserve body heat while the southern deer are smaller because of the warm climate.

This is the gist of Bergman's rule. It's about conserving or shedding body heat, not food availability.

[wtnhunt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hunter36

I believe it has to do alot with climate also. The deer up north are so much bigger to conserve body heat while the southern deer are smaller because of the warm climate.

This is the gist of Bergman's rule. It's about conserving or shedding body heat, not food availability.

Did a little checking, and you are right. I got them confused a bit, but was not too far off. It is Rue's rule(Leonard Lee RueIII) or theory as an ammendment to the Bergmann rule that refers to the availability of food pertaining to the proportion of size in animals in cooler climates.