White-tailed deer ("Odocoileus virginianus") are the mammal most commonly observed on the refuge. Their trails cut through certain portions of the salt marsh on each division, although they more typically are observed along marsh edges and in surrounding forests. The refuge lies entirely within Wildlife Management District No. 24, which had an estimated winter deer population density of in 1997. The Wildlife Division Research and Management Report (2000) stated that the herd has continued to grow at 15 percent per year, and the wintering deer population density is now nearly . In certain areas of the refuge, hunting (including white-tailed deer) is prohibited because of state designated Game Sanctuaries. Deer population densities in those areas are estimated from to more than . Those densities far exceed the state target of 50 percent to 60 percent of carrying capacity.