Deer in Washington state include the Rocky Mountain mule deer (east of the Cascades), Columbian black-tailed deer (western Cascades and on west to the ocean), white-tailed deer (eastern lowlands), and Columbian white-tailed deer (lower Columbia River).
Columbian white-tailed deer are few in number and are listed as endangered in Washington and Oregon.
The deer on the Olympic Peninsula are called black-tailed and have tails that are black on top and white underneath. They are common where the forest meets a meadow, with good shelter and plenty foraging. Favorite grazing times are dusk and dawn. Apparently, their vision is not very keen but is better in half light. As a human, I find this rather strange. Nevertheless, the deer seem to enjoy the muted light.
Columbian black-tailed are the most common in the state. In fact, our black-tailed friends occupy a wide swath of the Pacific Northwest. They range from western California to Alaska, from the shore to the mountains.
Adult males (bucks) weigh 140 to 200 pounds. They live about 8 years, when they usually succumb to hunters, probably because of their grand appearance. Adult females (does) weigh 90 to 130 pounds. It is not legal to hunt females (around here anyway) and they live about 16 years. Black-tailed deer are smaller than mule deer, being about the size of the white-tailed deer that are common east of here.
Sexual maturity for males is reached at about 18 months. The females won’t mate until they are at least two years old. The mating or “rutting” season occurs during November and early December. The gestation period for does is six to seven months, with fawns being born in late May or early June.
Twins are the rule, although young does often have only single fawns. Although does are excellent mothers, fawn mortality rate is 45 to 70%. Does are very protective of their young and view humans as predators. I am told that they have sharp hooves and know how to use them.
Deer will eat just about anything you could call a plant. They will even eat tomato bushes! Their taste for all things puts them at odds with humans all across North America. In the Pacific Northwest, however, gardening is hindered more by a scarcity of sunshine than by marauding critters. Local production of food takes place under big, long greenhouses.
The deer have favorite “shopping places” that they frequent in search of food. Many folks have noted that familiar animals come around time and time again. We had one doe last spring and summer who came around regularly. We named her Esmeralda.
Esmie came to our yard about every other day. She brought her young ones with her. As a group, they would investigate and sample all the goodies we had to offer and then she would stop and peer into the dining room window, her face alive with curiosity. I think she suspected there was somebody inside watching her but of course I don’t know for sure. I hope to see Esmie again in the spring.
Actually, I think it is very nice of the deer to allow us to live on their meadows.