A target arrow was removed from the neck of a black-tailed doe after it was tranquilized by wildlife biologists We popped the arrow out and the deer strolled away 15 minutes later ODFW veterinarians recently confirmed the presence of elk hoof disease for the first time in Douglas County and are asking the public to report limping or lame elk.
The cancellations are in an area of the Blue Mountains from Milton-Freewater to Pilot Rock where an outbreak of Epizootic hemorrhagic disease EHD is estimated to have killed 2, white-tailed deer late last year. The hunt cancellations for these tags are needed to protect does and allow the white-tailed deer population to rebound.. An open letter to blacktail deer hunters March 1, Oregon, The Bulletin. Where we lose habitat to development, where predator numbers have exploded, where timber stands mature and choke out the shrubs that deer depend on, there will be fewer deer Blacktail deer can thrive in places where the older trees are removed and the sunlight can penetrate to the forest floor.
When politics disrupt logging practices, deer are the losers ODFW wants to hear what resident big game hunters think about current hunting seasons in Oregon. Tests conducted by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife veterinarians have confirmed that Epizootic hemorrhagic disease is responsible for the die-off of an estimated 2, white-tailed deer in Eastern Oregon Junipers reduce the available ground moisture for more important understory vegetation like shrubs, grasses, and forbs Mule deer populations are decreasing through the vast majority of the West Records seem to indicate that was a high-water mark for mule deer populations Deer and elk can help young Douglas-fir trees under some conditions December 4, Oregon, EurekAlert.
OSU College of Forestry scientists found that deer and elk can play a key role in controlling the broadleaf vegetation, such as alder and maple, that compete with the "crop trees" - the Douglas-fir seedlings - in the replanted clear-cuts deer and elk heavily rely on for forage Death of a blacktail December 2, Oregon, Multibriefs.
Things are changing quickly in the wilds of the Pacific Northwest and it is my opinion that blacktail and their close cousins the mule deer are the proverbial canaries in the coal mine The change will result in an increase in the harvesting of bucks, but the ODFW contends there is a sufficient population to handle the uptick in hunting Declining mule deer numbers concern wildlife officials October 13, Oregon, Argus Observer.
Southern Oregon deer and chinook salmon rules change September 20, The Columbian. General season black-tailed deer hunters will be allowed to shoot single-point spike bucks in Western Oregon beginning in The change will increase the chance of success for about 60, hunters The plate features a mule deer and Mt. Hunters taking advantage of this new opportunity would still need permission to hunt on private land to use the tag and it would be their only elk hunting opportunity Commission meets in Gold Beach Sept.
The Commission will adopt Big Game Regulations. Some major changes are proposed for as part of efforts to review and improve hunting regulations; these were first announced in late May. Mule deer numbers are falling in Central Oregon as fast as humans arrive, according to annual inventories conducted by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Wildlife biologists say the deer are losing habitat to growing construction in and around Bend In Southwest Oregon, district wildlife biologist Tod Lum in Roseburg reports more deer hair loss than normal Fawn rations are at 17 to does in the Grizzly unit, in the Ochoco unit and in the Maury unit, a far cry from the 50s-plus that the biologists shoot for In general, deer and pronghorn recruitment was low in many areas heading into winter. Some areas of eastern Oregon, including Baker, northern Harney and Malheur counties, and some parts of Union County, have deer and pronghorn herds that have not fully recovered from the severe winter of Oregon license plates to feature mule deer August 20, The Bulletin.
Funds generated from the sale of the plates and the auction will benefit wildlife conservation projects The Oregon State Legislature has passed a bill that bans the possession and use of deer and elk urine scent lures that contain or are derived from any cervid urine beginning Jan. HB was sponsored by Rep. Witt D-Clatskanie and Rep. As It Was: Ashland, Ore. Until settlers began arriving in the s, the indigenous people used low-intensity fire to herd [and feed] deer, reducing fuel content in the watershed.
As settlers pushed aside the Indians, the forest thickened, becoming susceptible to wildfires The community of Gilchrist is getting increased safety with a passing lane project on US 97 in central Oregon, but additionally, local wildlife get a "pass" with construction of a new undercrossing intended to reduce wildlife vehicle collisions.
This area is a hot spot for these types of crashes where migration patterns exist for mule deer. Recently burnt forests with new growth are great moose habitat. But wildfire suppression reduces good moose habitat He said deer are their primary source of food. He said that could be leading to more conflict with humans Oregon bill aims to reduce wildlife collisions June 10, The News Guard.
Around 55, deer and elk have been hit by cars since ODOT began tracking data in House Bill requires the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to map wildlife corridors and work with ODOT and other state agencies to protect them, for example, by incorporating wildlife crossings in new development projects Younger bucks might be in the cross-hairs June 7, Oregon, Mail Tribune. ODFW is proposing to simplify the bag limit from "one buck deer having not less than a forked antler" to "one buck with visible antler Wolf hunts would be considered if and when wolves were determined to be a major cause of the decline in deer and elk populations State aims to kill Bend cougar that killed deer in residential area May 15, Oregon, Oregonian.
The first, on May 6, was in the canal near Fred Meyer in the early morning. New law allowing salvage of roadkill deer, elk proves popular with Oregonians April 15, Oregon, Statesman Journal. Three months in More than permits were issued by March 31, and primarily where expected: rural areas with an abundant supply of both wildlife and motorists Snowy winter hurts Bend area deer as they prepare for spring migration March 27, Oregon, The Bulletin.
Commercial deer, elk scents under scrutiny February 15, Oregon, Mail Tribune. At least seven other states have banned commercial sale of urine from captive deer and elk, allowing only synthetic alternatives Many hunters and state wildlife managers report that deer are now less abundant Oregon cities are wrestling with the number of deer inhabiting city limits..
The scarcity of snow, especially at lower elevation sites that serve as traditional winter range for deer, is reason to be optimistic that the animals will continue to recover from the harsh winter of , said Brian Ratliff, district wildlife biologist Northeastern Oregon During the spring of ODFW biologists counted 9 fawns per adult deer..
While stakeholders representing ranching, hunting and wolf conservation came to agreement on some topics, there was no consensus on several of the most controversial issues including the number of livestock depredations that leads to consideration of lethal removal of wolves when nonlethal deterrents have not worked The groups also feel the state agency's plan favors hunters, who contend more wolves mean fewer deer for them to hunt..
Salvage roadkilled deer and elk with free online permit beginning Jan. Beginning Jan. Deer Population and Management. Disease of Deer. Transportation and Deer. Urban Deer Management. Heavy snowfall at the end of the winter reduced fawn numbers in many areas.
Deer tags were reduced in for eastern Oregon because disease outbreaks reduced mule deer populations. High February snowfall made spring migration difficult. The Big Game forecast notes that fawn survival was low in many areas and deer have not fully recovered from the severe winter of The mule deer population population estimate was reduced to , and , in , about , in , a range of , to , In an estimated , mule deer. A severe winter in reduced the herd which was still recovering into Emergency deer tag reductions were implemented for the hunt to help the herd recover.
A mild winter resulted in good survival, but herds are still recovering in some areas. Drought in mid- reduced deer numbers especially in central and eastern Oregon, see the ODFW forecast.
ODFW is working on a method of estimating black-tailed deer populations using scat. Good weather for the herd in with the target black-tail deer buck-to-doe ratio was about 25 to 30 bucks per does.
An estimated , to , blacktails and , to , mule deer in The mule deer population was , and , in A mild winter for and a very mild winter for has increased survival, but limited precipitation created poor forage for deer in , followed by the harder winter of Deer tags were increased by 1 percent and elk tags by 3 percent for the hunt.
Deer populations were up in the north coast. Pelage color is grayish brown to reddish brown, somewhat lighter among males in winter. The mane is dark brown and the rump patch and tail are cream colored. The underparts except for a whitish patch between the hind legs and legs are dark brown to almost blackish.
Adult females, their current offspring, and their female offspring of the previous year form herds that tend to remain within relatively small and distinct areas. Nevertheless, there is considerable overlap in areas used by adjacent herds and there is considerable exchange of individuals among adjacent herds.
Leadership of these herds usually is provided by an older female with an offspring, but other females with offspring assume leadership duties at times. Male elk, especially the larger ones, tend to be solitary most of the year; however, during May and June when antler growth is rapid, males, including larger ones, sometimes form herds. The antlers become polished in July, at which time activity increases as males commence to search for untended females or those tended by less formidable males.
In Oregon, elk occur throughout the state but are most abundant in the Blue and Wallowa mountains and in the northern Coast Range, and least abundant in the southeastern High Desert region. The former is slightly smaller and lighter colored; it has more slender but longer, less webbed, and more spreading antlers than the latter. You can also learn more about elk hoof disease and chronic wasting disease.
Nearly a dozen subspecies of Odocoileus hemionus are recognized. Of these, two occur in Oregon - the mule deer and Columbian black-tailed deer, often just referred to as "Black-tailed deer.
The mule deer is larger, lighter in color, and often associated with more open habitats, whereas the black-tailed deer is smaller and darker, and frequents dense, early seral forest communities. The most distinguishing feature of the black-tailed deer is the tail. Although not as long or wide as that of the white-tail, it is much larger than that of the mule deer. Because of the differences in size, color, marking, ecology, and behavior, and because of the voluminous information available for the two races, we decided to treat them separately.
Nevertheless, we emphasize that despite these differences, the races readily integrate and produce offspring. The pelage of the Columbian black-tailed deer is dark reddish-brown, the face is brownish rather than grayish or white, the rump patch is small and does not extend much beyond the tail, and the tail is brownish or black dorsally, white ventrally.
The hooves of males are significantly longer than those of females among adults and significantly broader. Oregon's black-tail deer occur throughout the state west of the Cascade Range. They tend to be secretive and often rely on stealth or concealment rather than speed as a means of escape. Activity periods are influenced strongly by temperature.
Check our Living with Wildlife, Deer and Elk with tips on living with deer. The mule deer is the larger member of the genus in Oregon. The ears are long, the metatarsal gland is surrounded by hairs similar in color but considerably longer than those on the remainder of the metatarsus, and the tail is short and constricted basally.
Among adult males, the antlers are dichotomously branched with tines of approximately equal length. In winter, the basic pelage color is cinnamon buff.
The chest is nearly black at the midline grading to grayish on the sides. The nose, sides of face, chin, and throat are whitish to pale buff. Spots of black occur immediately posterior to the nose pad and on the chin midway along the lower lip. The belly and inside of the legs are whitish to tannish.
A white rump patch encircles a white tail with a black tip. In summer, the pelage is more reddish brown and the markings are less contrasting and more subdued. Many mule deer exhibit sufficient differences in color and markings to be recognized individually.
Mule deer occur throughout Oregon east of the Cascade Range, and in summer, they range into the Cascades. The deer rest by lying on their chests and bellies with legs tucked under. Mule deer are able to detect danger at long range, and when danger is detected they may hide, move away stealthily, or flee. Mule deer are gregarious; they form groups of as many as 24, but over 60 percent of groups consist of fewer than five individuals.
Except during the reproductive season, most groups consist either of males or of adult females, their young-of-the-year, and female young of previous years. Females tend to remain near natal areas, but males upon becoming independent, often disperse. Among males, dominant individuals usually are those that possess the largest antlers.
In many regions of Oregon, mule deer summer on ranges at higher elevations, then move to lower elevations to spend the winter. Find out more about the Oregon Mule Deer Initiative. The Columbian white-tailed deer is the smallest cervid in Oregon. Believe it or not, some people deliberately feed deer. Under this new city ordinance, which Lang and Parker essentially co-wrote, people who knowingly distribute, provide or store food to attract wildlife--deer, bears, cougars, coyotes, wolves and wild turkeys--face heavy fines.
Deterrents work, but must be applied faithfully for those in the market, Vargas recommends Liquid Fence. Actual fences work, too, but some cities restrict fence height for aesthetic reasons. In , in response to rising complaints about deer, the City of Ashland raised the maximum allowable fence height to eight feet. Since then, the number and variety of fences around town has multiplied almost as quickly as fawns in summer.
If fencing only shifts deer around, and the wildlife feeding ban depends on enforcement, why not simply relocate deer to the wild? Moving deer also potentially spreads diseases. Contraception is also expensive and impractical, except perhaps in areas with discrete boundaries. Most states east of the Rockies have been grappling with an overabundance of white-tailed deer. After reaching all-time lows in the s, white-tailed deer populations have been exploding, and number over 15 million today.
Some estimates put that number closer to 30 million. Biologists agree that densities of 10 to 20 animals per square mile are acceptable. In areas with severe deer problems, densities exceed In some places, over-browsing threatens native plants, and reduced understory vegetation means fewer nesting places for songbirds.
And deer-vehicle collisions cause injuries, loss of life and millions of dollars in damage every year. Wildlife agencies have been using hunting as a management tool since the early s. In a typical pattern, one pioneering town will institute a hunt; after a few years, others in the region follow suit.
Towns in one plagued Connecticut county formed the Fairfield County Deer Alliance, to collaborate on strategies and share information. Though regulations vary, most archery hunts follow a similar template. Towns designate certain public-owned parcels for hunting; in addition, private landowners can grant hunters access to their property. Hunts are held for a discrete, usually short, time period, and the excess venison is often donated to food banks.
Hunters must only kill does, or must kill x number of does before they can shoot a buck. They construct platforms from which to shoot, which lowers the likelihood of a stray arrow hitting an unintended target. Hunters must also take a safety training prior to the hunt, acquire permits for specific parcels, and seek permission from adjacent landowners to track their quarry across property lines.
Though more and more towns are adopting them, there is some debate as to whether urban hunts actually put a dent in populations. Some towns with extreme deer problems employ sharp-shooters to quickly reduce numbers, and follow the initial cull with annual hunts. Sharpshooters are professionals who set up bait stations to attract deer. Once the deer become acclimated, the sharpshooters use nets or pens to trap them, then shoot them as quickly and humanely as possible.
Usually the meat goes to food banks and homeless shelters. But not without controversy: in early hunters and animal rights activists joined forces in an unsuccessful attempt to block the plan with a lawsuit. These culling efforts are akin to calling an exterminator, says Parker. With more and more communities accepting hunting as the key to managing their urban deer populations, is it just a matter of time before bow-hunters share Lithia Park with drum circles? For now, answers range from Not necessarily to No way.
Councilperson Voisin vehemently denies that the deer census represents the first step to a hunt. Vargas says that while the concept of an archery hunt may sound more sporting than the alternatives, the reality is hard to imagine, especially in a town like Ashland. Besides, he adds, the Ashland watershed will just feed more deer into town.
For a hunt to be effective, it would have to happen every year. But it would have to be very carefully thought out, and involve an open discussion in this city. Several of her neighbors have erected fences to protect their gardens, and formed an informal network, calling each other when deer are on the move, especially aggressive mamas with fawns. The Volun-deers won the coveted Best Neighborhood Entry award that year. But the one thing they refused to do was take a stand on either side of the debate.
Nollenberger says she and her neighbors have used a range of tactics to convince the animals their neighborhood is not a deer-friendly place. You have to match wits with them. Our relationship to wild animals is a complicated, often passionate topic.
But as more people crowd into cities, fewer people view themselves as such, preferring instead to see themselves as friends to wildlife.
Nationwide, hunting is on the decline, especially among young people. Oregon is no exception, although Vargas says the state has been more successful than others at recruiting young hunters. After so many years, he has adopted a philosophical attitude toward urban deer issues. So he takes every opportunity to pound the message home: Build fences. Chase deer away.
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