Where Blacktail Deer Live on Your Land

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Like many deer species, blacktail like to browse on the newest growth at the tips of young trees and bushes. They also eat grasses, forbs and berries. In winter, they are most likely to nibble on Douglas-fir, western red cedar, red huckleberry and lichen. The rest of the year their options are far more plentiful, from grasses and dandelion, to blackberry, mushrooms and fireweed.

Edge habitat is critical for deer, both because there is often a greater variety of shrub and groundcover at the edges, and because it offers quick cover for deer when they are threatened while browsing in adjacent meadows.  They use the brush layer for hiding places from predators and harsh weather.