The Columbia Black-tailed Deer is found only along the coastal mountain region (from Queen Charlottes in British Columbia south to California). These deer prefer grassy fields at forest edges, recently burned or logged-over areas (where the bracken grows quickly). They are mammals that belong to the Order Artiodactyla which is characterized by a 4-chambered stomach, molars, and toes that form hooves. Most of these are herbivores that have cartilage front upper teeth.
Columbia Black-tails are considered by many experts to be a sub-species of Mule Deer. They share many similarities but are much smaller than a mule deer and their ears are smaller too. The ranges of the two sub-species overlap in a few places.
A female is called a doe and weighs 30 to 66 Kg (70 to 140 lbs). A male is called a buck and weighs 57 to 120 Kg (120-250 lbs). Weight of individuals varies depending on the availability of food. Larger animals generally live in in areas with more food, or less competition for food. Large males may measure up to 90 cm (36 inches) at shoulder.
Males grow branching tyned antlers (similar to Mule deer antlers) which are lost in March and re-grown in the summer. A mature male will have 5 points on each side.
They are called Black-tailed deer because the bottom two thirds of the tail is black. Up higher, where the tail is attached, the fur is brown and under the tail is whitish. The general body color is reddish to greying-brown (with black hairs interspersed in winter) and the underside of belly, chin, neck patch are white. The brownish color camouflages the deer in the forest and field edges where it lives.
Does have their first young at 2 years of age during years of plentiful food. Twins are born when the Bracken Ferns have grown tall enough to hide the fawns underneath (Early May). Fawns each weigh 1.5 to 2.8 Kg (3 to 6 lbs) and are speckled to camouflage under the Bracken Ferns.
The fawns do not have a smell and lie still under ferns to hide when mom away feeding (most of the day). This helps it to escape notice of predators.
Black-tailed deer are most active at dusk and dawn, but also feed at night. They are inactive during the heat of the day and prefer to bed down (rest) in thickets (dense group of trees) near streams with a good food source.
They use their large rotating ears to let them know of predators nearby and bound away like kangaroos on long legs at the first sign of danger. During the rut, males are wary but will sometimes stay in a hiding spot and let the predator walk by within a few feet.
Black-tails feed on tender grasses, herbs, branch tips, and new leaves in spring and summer. In winter, they eat Douglas fir, western cedar, Oregon yew, trailing blackberry, red huckleberry, salal branches.
Winter starvation is a main cause of death in Black-tail Deer, parasitic infestations is second. Their predators include domestic dogs, coyotes (pairs or more go after adults, singles go after fawns), cougars, and human hunters.
As well, fawns are found "abandoned" by well-meaning humans. In reality, the fawn has not been abandoned. Does go off to feed by themselves for many hours, leaving the fawn alone. She will come back to nurse the fawn periodically.
The best thing to do if you find a fawn you think is abandoned is to watch from a great distance for more than 12 hours. If, in that time, the doe has not come back, this fawn may be abandoned and could need help.
Note the fawn's location and contact a licenced Wildlife rehabilitator. They will deal with the situation. Do not attempt to touch, move, or feed the fawn. Feeding it will cause diarrhea, often a fatal condition to fawns. The doe may come back while you are making your call.
Please note that in most provinces and states, it is illegal to have a deer in your possession, alive or dead, without proper permits. Licenced Wildlife Rehabilitators have these permits.
Breeding season, also called rutting season, occurs each November. Males are polygamous (mate with more than one female), but tend not to gather a harem of females. They usually stay with only one female at a time.
Bucks rub their antlers on trees in August early September to get rid of velvet.
At about ten years of age, a Black-tail is considered old, although a few have lived to 12 to 14 years, and one was found to be 20! In captivity, they may live as long as 20-25 years.
Does communicate with each other using a bleat.
Black-tailed Deer are excellent swimmers and can swim long distances in the ocean. They are found on most islands along the coast, including the Queen Charlottes.
Found along stream banks and on moist forest soil, their tracks are easy to recognize. The tracks are about 4 cm (1.6 inches) wide and 6.5 cm ( 2.6 inches) long. They have two toes, each pointed in front. The heavier male usually leaves two extra marks of the tarsus behind each hoof print.
Look for these beautiful native deer feeding at roadsides and forest edges at dusk and dawn.
by Donna Hill B.Sc. B.Ed. 1998
Good reference book:
The Mammals of British Columbia I. McT. Cowan & C.J. Guiguet British Columbia Provincial Museum 1975 (has information on all ungulates as well as other mammals in B.C.)