White-tailed Deer

Q: What are the chances of seeing a White-tailed Deer in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

Likely. About 60% of wildlife watchers report a White-tailed Deer sighting in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a given day, based on 794 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 3rd most-seen of the 27 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 90%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

Q: When is the best time to see a White-tailed Deer in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

November and December. In those months about 80% of wildlife watchers report a White-tailed Deer in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a given day, against about 40% in September, the lowest month.

Q: What time of day is best to see a White-tailed Deer?

Between 3 and 6 pm. Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most White-tailed Deer sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Q: Is Great Smoky Mountains National Park the best place to see a White-tailed Deer?

5th of 38. Of the 38 parks where we can rate White-tailed Deer sightings, Great Smoky Mountains National Park ranks 5th at about 60%. The best odds are in Chingaza National Natural Park (Colombia, about 90%), Shenandoah National Park (United States, about 80%) and Santa Rosa National Park (Costa Rica, about 70%). All parks ranked.

Q: Where does the White-tailed Deer sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records. It is estimated from how often the White-tailed Deer is recorded against all the mammals logged in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (794 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

Odocoileus virginianus

Silhouette: Tracy A. Heath · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassMammalia (Mammals)
OrderArtiodactyla (Even-toed Ungulates and Cetaceans)
FamilyCervidae (Deer)
GenusOdocoileus (White-tailed and Mule Deer)
SpeciesOdocoileus virginianus (White-tailed Deer)

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

at Great Smoky Mountains National Park

In 3 days ~90% in a week >90%

794 Verified sightings at Great Smoky Mountains National Park From 2019 to 2026

4,956 In all 38 parks

December Best month

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

Challenge Backyard Classics North AmericaMedium

Challenge Bambi FilmNorth AmericaHard

About the White-tailed Deer

The white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), also known commonly as the whitetail and the Virginia deer, is a medium-sized species of deer native to North and South America. It is the most widely distributed mainland ungulate herbivore in the Americas; coupled with its natural predator, the mountain lion (Puma concolor), it is one of the most widely distributed terrestrial mammal species in the Americas and the world. Highly adaptable, the various subspecies of white-tailed deer inhabit many different ecosystems, from arid grasslands to the Amazon and Orinoco basins; from the Llanos to the high-elevation terrain of the Andes.

In North America, the white-tailed deer is very common (even considered a nuisance in some areas) in states to the east and south of the Rocky Mountains, including southwestern Arizona, with the exception of the American West Coast and Baja California Peninsula, where its ecological niche is filled by the black-tailed deer (in the Pacific Northwest) or the mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) from that point west except for mixed deciduous riparian corridors, river valley bottomlands, and lower foothills of the northern Rocky Mountain region from... Wikipedia →

Sounds

Call0:38

United States · 2011

Recording0:01

United States · 2021

Recording1:09

United States · 2025

Global Distribution

Where it is recorded most Known range (Mammal Diversity Database, Marsh et al. 2022)Our parks where it lives Our cities where it livesIn captivity: 98 zoos & centres

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Chingaza National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~90%
2	Shenandoah National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~80%
3	Santa Rosa National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~70%
4	Acadia National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~60%
5	Great Smoky Mountains National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~60%
6	Big Bend National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~60%
7	Manuel Antonio National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~50%
8	Voyageurs National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~50%
9	Palo Verde National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~50%
10	Rakiura National Park	🇳🇿 New Zealand	~50%
11	Padre Island National Seashore	🇺🇸 United States	~50%
12	Isla del Coco National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~50%
13	Glacier National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~40%
14	Riding Mountain National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~40%
15	Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~40%
16	Congaree National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~40%
17	Big Cypress National Preserve	🇺🇸 United States	~30%
18	Elk Island National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~30%
19	Parque Natural Metropolitano	🇵🇦 Panama	~30%
20	Jasper National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~30%
21	Rincón de la Vieja National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~30%
22	Cumbres de Monterrey National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	~30%
23	Banff National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~20%
24	Everglades National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~20%
25	Carara National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
26	Calakmul Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~20%
27	Tikal National Park	🇬🇹 Guatemala	~20%
28	Cape Breton Highlands National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~20%
29	Point Pelee National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~20%
30	Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	~20%
31	Soberanía National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
32	Badlands National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
33	Saguaro National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
34	Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
35	Grand Teton National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
36	Yellowstone National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
37	Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
38	Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%

Cities Where Found

#	City	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	San Antonio	🇺🇸 United States	~50%
2	Baltimore	🇺🇸 United States	~50%
3	Washington	🇺🇸 United States	~50%
4	Detroit	🇺🇸 United States	~40%
5	Austin	🇺🇸 United States	~40%
6	Chicago	🇺🇸 United States	~40%
7	Calgary	🇨🇦 Canada	~40%
8	Philadelphia	🇺🇸 United States	~30%
9	Boston	🇺🇸 United States	~30%
10	Minneapolis [Saint Paul]	🇺🇸 United States	~30%

Zoos & Centres Where Found

#	Zoo / Centre	Country
1	Ecomuseum Zoo	🇨🇦 Canada	In captivity
2	Ranua Wildlife Park	🇫🇮 Finland	In captivity
3	Silver Springs	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
4	Parc Omega	🇨🇦 Canada	In captivity
5	Northwest Trek Wildlife Park	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
6	Zoo Sauvage de St-Félicien	🇨🇦 Canada	In captivity
7	Zoo sauvage Saint-Félicien	🇨🇦 Canada	In captivity
8	World Bird Sanctuary	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
9	Lee G. Simmons Wildlife Safari Park	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
10	Yumka'	🇲🇽 Mexico	In captivity
11	Ecological Center of Sonora	🇲🇽 Mexico	In captivity
12	WildFlorida Safaris	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
13	Shubenacadie Wildlife Park	🇨🇦 Canada	In captivity
14	The Exotic Resort Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
15	Bearizona	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
16	Cape May County Park & Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
17	Greater Vancouver Zoo	🇨🇦 Canada	In captivity
18	Parque Municipal Summit	🇵🇦 Panama	In captivity
19	Africam Safari	🇲🇽 Mexico	In captivity
20	Xcaret	🇲🇽 Mexico	In captivity
21	Guadalajara Zoo	🇲🇽 Mexico	In captivity
22	Dakota Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
23	Parque Zoologico Guátika	🇨🇴 Colombia	In captivity
24	Joya Grande	🇭🇳 Honduras	In captivity
25	Ukumarí Biopark	🇨🇴 Colombia	In captivity
26	Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
27	West Virginia State Wildlife Center	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
28	Brevard Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
29	Zacango Zoo	🇲🇽 Mexico	In captivity
30	ZooTampa	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
31	Dickerson Park Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
32	Fort Worth Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
33	Zoológico Benito Juárez	🇲🇽 Mexico	In captivity
34	Explorer Village	🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates	In captivity
35	Houston Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
36	Vallazoo	🇲🇽 Mexico	In captivity
37	Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
38	Maine Wildlife Park	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
39	Cameron Park Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
40	Wildwood Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
41	Yellowstone Bear World	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
42	Chapultepec Zoo	🇲🇽 Mexico	In captivity
43	Safari North Wildlife Park	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
44	Havana Zoo	🇨🇺 Cuba	In captivity
45	Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
46	Magnetic Hill Zoo	🇨🇦 Canada	In captivity
47	Amaru	🇪🇨 Ecuador	In captivity
48	Western North Carolina Nature Center	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
49	Zoológico Los Coyotes	🇲🇽 Mexico	In captivity
50	Parque de las Leyendas	🇵🇪 Peru	In captivity

Show all 50 Show fewer

Closest Relatives at Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Cervus canadensis

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Ursus americanus

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Tamiasciurus hudsonicus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Sciurus carolinensis

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Canis latrans

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Marmota monax

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Tamias striatus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Sylvilagus floridanus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Lontra canadensis

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Procyon lotor

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Castor canadensis

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

LC Endemic

Lynx rufus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a White-tailed Deer in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

Likely

About 60% of wildlife watchers report a White-tailed Deer sighting in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a given day, based on 794 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 3rd most-seen of the 27 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 90%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a White-tailed Deer in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

November and December

In those months about 80% of wildlife watchers report a White-tailed Deer in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a given day, against about 40% in September, the lowest month.

What time of day is best to see a White-tailed Deer?

Between 3 and 6 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most White-tailed Deer sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Great Smoky Mountains National Park the best place to see a White-tailed Deer?

5th of 38

Of the 38 parks where we can rate White-tailed Deer sightings, Great Smoky Mountains National Park ranks 5th at about 60%. The best odds are in Chingaza National Natural Park (Colombia, about 90%), Shenandoah National Park (United States, about 80%) and Santa Rosa National Park (Costa Rica, about 70%). All parks ranked.

Where does the White-tailed Deer sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the White-tailed Deer is recorded against all the mammals logged in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (794 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

← Back to Great Smoky Mountains National Park

White-tailed Deer

About the White-tailed Deer

Sounds

Recent sightings of White-tailed Deer in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

Cities Where Found

Zoos & Centres Where Found

Closest Relatives at Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Elk (wapiti)

American Black Bear

American Red Squirrel

Eastern Gray Squirrel

Coyote

Woodchuck

Eastern Chipmunk

Eastern Cottontail

Northern River Otter

Common Raccoon

American Beaver

Bobcat

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a White-tailed Deer in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

When is the best time to see a White-tailed Deer in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

What time of day is best to see a White-tailed Deer?

Is Great Smoky Mountains National Park the best place to see a White-tailed Deer?

Where does the White-tailed Deer sighting chance come from?