72 Microseasons of the Pacific Northwest

Black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus) — the Pacific Northwest's most widespread native deer, distinct from mule deer to the east — begin their breeding rut in earnest during the last week of October on the coast. Coastal populations peak around November 13th, while Cascade foothills populations rut slightly later. In the last days of October, bucks become unusually bold and active, abandoning their normal caution as they seek out does in estrus. Signs of the rut become visible across the landscape at this time. Bucks make "rubs" — bark-scraped, resin-glistening patches on small conifers and alders — and "scrapes" — cleared earth patches with overhanging branch that bucks scent-mark with glands. Antlered bucks may be seen chasing does in forest openings, along beach margins, and even in suburban areas where deer are semi-habituated to humans. On the Olympic Peninsula and the coast, deer are a common sight in open areas at dawn and dusk during the rut. The storm-cleared openings of the Washington coast — dune systems at Ocean Shores, the prairie clearings of Olympic National Park's eastern valleys, and the pastoral edges of the Willamette Valley foothills — all offer good opportunities to watch bucks pursuing does in early morning light. BC's Gulf Islands are also excellent, where Columbian black-tailed deer populations are dense and relatively tame. Bucks will be at their most visible until mid-November, after which they retreat to recover and will shed antlers by January.