BLACK-TAILED DEER
By Andy Long
Many deer species in North
America must live on the edge in order to survive. The "edge"
they use is the area
between a thick young forest and a
meadow or farmer's field--land that
allows them to move quickly from open foraging areas to dense cover for
protection. They have no choice, because in most states the old-growth forests were cut down many years ago. Some
species of deer, though, still have the luxury of making their homes in
old-growth forests. One example is the black-tailed deer, of which there are two distinct
subspecies--the Columbian Black-tail, that reside primarily from northern California through
Washington, and the Sitka Black-tailed deer, that call the forests and
sub-alpine
meadows of southeast Alaska home.
As with most old-growth
forests, in those where the black-tailed deer roam, clear-cutting is a major
point of contention between researchers and loggers. For many years,
researchers and loggers alike assumed that deer
responded well to the stimulation of forage plants in clear-cuts.
Therefore, they accepted the maxim that "what's
good for loggers is good for deer." In
addition, most wildlife biologists thought mature forests were almost useless as deer habitat.
There seemed to be no serious obstacle to allowing old-growth forests to become a patchwork of forest and
harvested open
space.
The fallacy of the assumptions
was revealed only after researchers in southeast Alaska pointed out that the old-growth forests that were supposedly barren of deer and other
wildlife were actually evergreen
forests less than two centuries old, mature only from a logger's viewpoint. In the meantime, the forests of the northwestern states
were logged and burned until few old-growth stands remained for
study. In fact, studies in southeast Alaska demonstrated that
clear-cuts there are little used by deer compared to adjacent
old-growth forests where evergreen plants such as bunchberry and shrubs such as
blueberry sustain the deer population. Why?
In old-growth forests,
the multi-layered tree canopy blocks winter snow from reaching the forest floor,
while still letting in enough light during the summer to allow for growth of
forage. Areas of clear-cut don't
permit snow-free forage, because the new growth isn't thick enough to block the snow from covering the ground.
The dense second
growth does intercept the snow, but it doesn't provide quality forage.
Further research has found
that the leaves of blueberry, bunchberry, five-leaf bramble and
skunk-cabbage (major ingredients in the diet of the black-tails in
southeast Alaska) collected from clear-cut regions tested higher in tannins and were lass palatable to deer than the same leaves
found in
nearby shaded forests.
Old-growth forests are only a part of the habitat
range of black-tails. The Sitka
black-tailed deer can be seen wandering from four-thousand-foot summits down to
inter-tidal
basins. Evidence of their grazing and browsing
is spread across forests, thickets, meadows, and beaches, showing that their range
covers a wide variety of habitats. During most months, the deer will follow
the snow line up and down the mountains.
Wintering deer do best in a
patchwork of high and low density old-growth stands, that have a balance of
forage and protection from snow. As
the snow depth changes, the deer move on to a new location. High-volume stands, unfortunately, are
relatively scarce. And it is these
giant trees that are essential for the survival of the Sitka black-tailed deer. They're also the trees being logged
right now. As such, three hundred
years may pass before nature can produce enough similar trees to shelter large numbers of
these deer.
Behavior
Eating - In
most months, a majority of the deer follow the snow line, following the climate
up and down the mountainsides. In
spring, black-tailed deer are very selective eaters, preferring the first leaves and sprouts
of the receding snow pack. During
summer, they concentrate on replenishing their fat stores by feeding primarily in
the sub-alpine meadows where high-protein herbs are plentiful. As the first frost arrives and the herbs
begin to wilt, they'll move down into mountain hemlock stands and begin feeding
on evergreen plants and the stems
of blueberry bushes.
Size -
Black-tails are smaller than their close relative the mule deer, with bucks
standing about three feet tall at the shoulder and weighing between one hundred
ten to two hundred fifty
pounds. Does average about one
hundred
pounds. As a comparison, buck mule
deer stand about a half-foot taller and weigh from one hundred eighty to four
hundred pounds. Black-tails also have smaller racks that
are thick compared to their size. Of the two types of
black-tails, the Sitkas typically are stockier and shorter-faced than the
Columbians. They also have the thickest-diameter guard hairs of the
species. Black-tails' coloration is
more subdued than that of mule deer. They don't have as much black intermingled in with
the rest of their coloration.
Mating -
Late fall and early winter are the times when these deer will usually gather into mating
groups, with a buck having several does in his group. The gestation period is between six to seven
months, after which the doe gives birth to one or two fawns. Then number of fawns will give away the
age of the doe, as younger does will have just one while older ones will have
two.
Recognizing mom - Black-tails, as well as mule deer, have glands on
their hind legs above their hooves. When
they're in a group, fawns seem to be able to recognize their own mothers by sniffing this area. Even
when the two are by themselves, the fawn will sniff this gland quite
often.
Hot
Spots
Big Basin Redwoods State Park
located southwest of San Jose, California is the best place to find and
photograph the Columbian subspecies of the black-tail. The deer here are used to people and can
be found in areas often frequented by park visitors. The black-tails can be found at nearly
any time of day, and with lots of forest areas to utilize, you'll enjoy subdued light at
most times.
__________________________
Andy Long is a freelance
photographer and writer based in Lakewood, CO.
He has been leading workshops throughout North America for five years,
offering hands-on help and area expertise.
An assistant editor of Nature Photographer magazine, he has credits in
more than 30 books and publications including Montana Outdoors, Audubon Field
Guides, Wildlife Detectives, Colorado Division of Wildlife, and Outdoor &
Nature Photographer as well as having his work featured on National Geographic
Television International. He has
also conducted seminars as part of Nature First Photo Seminars, New England
Council of Camera Clubs annual seminar and others.
His work has also been part of the Art Wolf Invitational Exhibit and the
Rosewater Network travelling exhibit. To
view and purchase prints of his work you can go to: www.prophotoprints.com/Search.asp?PhotographerID=46
For information on his
workshops you can contact him at firstlightfoto@aol.com
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