THE OREGON SPORTSMAN 



THE WHITE-TAILED AND OTHER DEER 



IN OREGON 



By 

 STANLEY G. JEWETT 



There are two species of deer that are common in Oregon ; the 

 Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus hemionus) in the eastern part and 

 the Columbian Black-tailed deer (Odocoileus Columbianus) in the 

 western part. In addition to these we have a few White-tailed 

 deer on both sides of the Cascade mountains. 



The White-tailed deer east of the Cascades is a sub-species of 

 the common Virginia deer of the eastern states, while the one 

 west of the Cascades is a distinct species which we will 

 call the Oregon White-tailed deer. The first specimen known to 

 science was killed near Oregon City during the early part of the 

 last century. These two latter varieties are now extremely rare 

 within the state of Oregon. 



The White-tailed deer (Odocoileus leucurus and Odocoileus 

 virginianus macrourus) are intermediate in size between the other 

 two. The tail is bushy and wedge-shaped, is snow white under- 

 neath and on the edges, is held high and sways from side to side 

 when the animal is running. The antlers rise from the forehead, 

 then drop suddenly forward, with the beam almost horizontal 

 From the beam three long, sharp tines or "points" rise per- 

 pendicularly. 



The White-tailed deer, according to old residents, was form- 

 erly common throughout the Willamette valley foothills. Mr. 

 H. G. Davis, of Portland, informs me that this deer was very 

 common in the foothills about Beaverton, in Washington county, 

 during the years from 1860 to 1875. Mr. Henry Thompson, of 

 Sweet Home, Linn county, under date of October 27th, 1913, says : 



"There used to be a few of them in the river bottom here 

 about two miles above town, but I haven't seen or heard of them 

 for several years." 



Mr. W. H. Baker, the Portland taxidermist, tells me he 

 mounted several heads of White-tailed deer some years ago, 

 but has had none the past few seasons. He says those he mounted 

 were killed in the Willamette valley. 



Pag-e five 



