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columbian black tail deer
Odocoileus hemionus columbianus
43.1813, -124.182
Field Notes
Description:
Medium sized deer with characteristics of both the mule and white tailed deer. This baby was quite young for the time of year
In Valerius Geist's informative book Mule Deer Country he explains that by testing the mitochondrial DNA (the mothers DNA ) of the three species (blacktail, whitetail and mule deer), researchers have now determined that it was the mating of Whitetail does, and Blacktail buck's, that gave rise to the Mule deer and not the opposite as was once suspected. http://www.blacktailcountry.com/html/blkpage.htm
Habitat:
Forestland at edge of busy country road
Notes:
When mama and babies trotted in front of me, I parked and grabbed my camera. Mama took off for the forest with both babies in tow, but a speeding vehicle separated them. Twin one ran across the road, while twin two ducked behind my car(parked on an abandoned driveway). They began mewing at each other and started to get back together(neither could negotiate the hil mama had jumped up) when another car spooked the little guy next to me down the road further. His sibling(solo rear view) managed to get up the bank in the direction of mama. Here's hoping they were reunited via the field between the two driveways!
My computer ate one of my better pics somehow
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