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Black-tailed Deer

Black-tailed deer are a member of the mule deer family and found across the Pacific Northwest of North America.

Black Tailed Deer

Scientific Classification

Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Mammalia
Order	Artiodactyla
Family	Cervidae
Subfamily	Capreolinae
Genus	Odocoileus
Species	O. hemionus
Scientific Name	Odocoileus hemionus columbianus

Quick Information

Also known as	Blacktail deer, Columbian black-tailed deer
Description	Weight: Adult males, called bucks, weigh around 200 lbs (91 kg), while does, adult females, weigh around 130 lbs (59 kg) Color: Their pelage ranges from reddish to brown, light or dark ash-gray, to even a dark brownish gray Size: Large males stand up to 3 ft (1 m) at the shoulder
Distribution	Common in the states of California, western Oregon, Washington, near the coasts and interiors of British Columbia and northwards near Alaska
Habitat	Forest edges with sufficient shelter and abundant meadows
Sounds & Communication	Through touch, vision, sounds; they also communicate through scent and pheromones secreted from glands on the lower part of their legs; does use bleats to communicate with each other
Lifespan	9-10 years in the wild; 17-20 years in captivity
Diet	Douglas fir, red huckleberry, western red cedar, deer fern, salal, and lichen during the winter; grass, apples, firewood, forbs, salmonberry, and maple during the spring
Adaptations	The ears are large and can move independently, giving them an excellent sense of hearing; males have a good sight as well and can see other animals at a distance of up to 2,000 ft (600 m)
Predators	Coyotes, pumas, and domestic dogs
IUCN Conservation Status	Least Concern

Black Tail Deer

Black Tailed Deer Size

Behavior

Black-tailed deer are active at dusk and dawn. During the day they rest in thickets near streams of water. They migrate from higher altitudes where they spend the summer to lower elevations during the winter. These ungulates are browsers and can be seen browsing around forests on the roadside.

Mating & Reproduction

The mating season, also called the rutting season takes place during November and December during which time bucks chase after does, sometimes back and forth across roads. The gestation period lasts between 6 and 7 months after which the doe usually gives birth to two fawns, although three babies have also been seen. Younger does usually give birth to only one fawn.

Life-cycle

Fawns are born with a weight of around 6-8.8 lb (2.7-4 kg). They are left alone by themselves while the mother goes off to browse, as she has to feed sufficiently to produce enough milk for the fawns. Females reach sexual maturity at around 16 months old while males attain gusto at 16½ months of age.

Columbian Black Tailed Deer

Black Tailed Deer Pictures

Interesting Facts

There is a considerable argument among scientists regarding whether to consider the black-tailed deer a species on its own, or whether to keep it as a subspecies of the mule deer.
The black-tailed deer is a popular game animal for hunters.
They shed their antlers between January and March, but these grow back between April and August.

Pictures of Black Tailed Deer

Deer with Black Tail

References:

Published on August 5th 2017 by Sudipto Chakrabarti under Coniferous Forest Animals.
Article was last reviewed on 5th December 2022.