Sitka Black-tailed Deer | Online Record Book Preview

Odocoileus hemionus sitkensis

Venado cola negra de Sitka (Sp), Sitka Schwartzwedelhirsch (G), Cerf à queue noire de Sitka (F).

DESCRIPTION Slightly smaller than the Columbia black-tailed deer and with shorter legs. Fully mature bucks weigh about 150 pounds (68 kg). The coat is darker than in the Columbia race, and has less red in it. There are two white spots on the throat and neck. The dark forehead patch is smaller, and some populations have a prominent dark line down the nose. The antlers are quite a bit smaller and are usually blonde or a dull red color from the local vegetation. The brow tine is often lacking, and it is not unusual to have the T-3 tine missing-that is, to have a single point instead of the rear fork.

HABITAT Densely vegetated coastal regions.

DISTRIBUTION Native to the coastal region of southeastern Alaska and northwestern British Columbia, from the Haines-Skagway area south to Bella Bella and Bella Coola; also on the offshore islands, including the Queen Charlotte Islands where it was introduced. In Alaska, has been introduced in the Yakutat area, on islands in Prince William Sound, and on Afognak and Kodiak islands in the Gulf of Alaska, all of which are similar to its native habitat. The introduced populations of the Queen Charlotte Islands and Alaska are considered indigenous for record-keeping purposes.

REMARKS Generally easier to hunt than the Columbia blacktail, because in many areas they are numerous and hunters are few. In some units, a hunter may purchase several permits each year.

TAXONOMIC NOTES Sitka black-tailed deer do not interbreed with mule deer in the wild because their ranges do not overlap.