In Massachusetts we have White-tailed deer. An adult male deer also known as a buck weighs a 100-250 lbs and is 3.5-4 feet tall. Their antlers main branch is about 30 inches long and with twines that grow upwards every few inches. Adult female deer also known as a Doe weigh around 70-150 lbs.

Their coats changes through out the year, in the summer they have a reddish brown on top and white underneath. In the winter they are a grayish-brown with longer hollow hairs to help with insulation. Baby deer also known as a Fawn are a chestnut brown color with white spots. These spots disappear when they reach 3-4 months old after their first molt. Deer's are herbivores which means they eat a large variety of plants. They usually feed at dawn or dusk.

Bucks and Does live in separate groups except during rutting season which takes place during fall. Groups of Bucks will disband in August and September in search of Does, they usually mate in November or Early December and then return back to their maternal groups. Fawns are usually born in May or June and are hidden in the grass alone for the first week except when the mother returns to nurse. They stay with their mother for about 2 years before going off to find their own group.

In Massachusetts we have Eastern Chipmunks, they are in the Squirrel family, yes I said Squirrel. Eastern Chipmunks are diurnal, which means they are active during the day and may be found gathering and storing food in their burrows for the winter. Eastern Chipmunks have short dense fur that is a reddish rust color on top and five black striped on their back,one going down the center and two on each side outlined by a white stripe. They have white eyeliner below each eye. Their body is 5-6 inches long with a tail that is 3-4 inches long.

Chipmunks typically eat Seed, berries, buts and fruit but can also be found eating insects, insect larvae. snails, slugs, earthworms and occasionally birds, bird eggs, frogs and small snakes. They store their food in their huge cheek pouches before bring it to their burrows. Eastern Chipmunks usually mate twice a year, once March to early April and a second early June to mid July. The mother will raise the the young alone. The first litter is born in April and May and the second in July and August. Litters can range in 2-5 babies which are born hairless and blind. When the baby's reach 6 weeks old they venture outside the burrow but never go to far. When they're 6-7 weeks old the mother becomes more aggressive toward her baby's to help prepare them to be independent, and by 10 weeks the mother kicks them out and the young are forced to disperse on and find or dig burrows of their own. You may hear a loud chirp during this time, this is presumably to let the young know of occupied territory.

During the winter chipmunks enter a torpid state, where their body temperature and heartbeat decreases and they wake up every few days to eat the food they gathered during the fall and defecate. In Massachusetts the enter their burrow late October and emerge March or April.

The entrance hole of a chipmunks burrow is about 2 inches in diameter goes down around 2 feet then parallel to the surface for up to 10 feet for the individual chambers Similar to human houses a Chipmunks burrow is composed of multiple chambers for sleeping, storing food, defecating, and giving birth. After the chambers are complete they use the dirt to plug the working tunnel and make a new entrance hidden near stonewalls, fallen trees or rocks, that are unnoticed by predators.

Black squirrel at my High School, learn more about them at Mass Audubon Society

In Massachusetts have Gray Squirrels, They are very adaptable and live just about everywhere here. They range from 17 to 20 inches long and have have big fluffy tails that are almost have their body length that help keep them warm. The most common coloring is gray with a white underside but some can be white, brown or even black. We also have American Red Squirrels which are smaller then Grey Squirrels, typically about 12 inches long and have a white ring around their eyes. Northern and Southern flying squirrels are also here but only come out at night. They range from 10-15 inches and can launch them self 10+ feet through the air. Squirrels move quickly on the ground and through trees and can navigate all sorts of surfaces. They can jump 6 feet straight up or launch themselves 10+ feet from a tall surface.

They rarely live longer then 4 years because of predators. They eat nuts, flowers, buds and more. They mate twice a year, once in January or February, those young are born in March or early April, and again in August or September. Their eyes open around five weeks old and they tend stay with their mother till the next litter.

Squirrels have 2 nests, one in the trees made out of twigs that they use in the summer. These nests are sometimes also sometimes used in the winter if there is a food source nearby but they prefer to use a more permanent, protected den in the cavity of an alive hardwood tree or in the attic or eaves of a house.