Black-tailed Deer

Upon returning home on 2 July 2020, Erika and I were greeted by this buck Black-tailed Deer. The taxonomic status of this deer is unclear, as I have discussed in this blog. Most biologists consider this deer to be a subspecies of Mule Deer, found in western Washington and Oregon. Black-tailed Deer eat a variety of herbs, shrubs, and trees. They are fond of many of Erika’s garden plants. Bucks grow antlers from April though August. They shed them between January and March. We often see these deer; our neighbors feed them. Where not so tame, Black-tailed Deer are crepuscular, feeding at dawn and dusk, resulting in frequent collisions with cars.