Columbian whitetail shed?

[crock239]

Reaching back a few years....my first shed find came from an area along the bank of the Columbia River in Oregon just east of Portland. Pretty sure (but not positive) it's from the threatened Columbian whitetail subspecies and not a blacktail. Either way it was a good day! Thoughts?



More on Columbian whitetails here

Columbian white-tailed deer | Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife

Columbian white-tailed deer were listed as a federally endangered species in 1968, and listed by Oregon in 1987. The Columbia River population is still listed under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA). However, the Roseburg population has been de-listed, and in 2005 a hunting season was...

myodfw.com

 

[Fire_9]

I would lean towards a black tail but you never know

 

[crock239]

Yeah, if it didn't have the sticker off G2 I'd be more confident it's a whitetail shed (not that it really matters)....sticker or bifurcated?

 

[gouch]

I'm going with black tail. If it was from Douglas or Sothern Lane county I would say maybe. I did see one white tail in northern Jackson county along the Umpqua divide. but nothing out side of
Douglas county. I wish I had a picture of the deer a friend shot here in Jackson county 30+ years ago. The rack seemed to be a perfect 10 point whitetail rack but everything else about the deer was pure black tail.

 

[MTHeifer]

I would say that is a blacktail antler. That looks more like a front blacktail fork than a point coming up off of a whitetail main beam. Also, that antler is a typical 3-point blacktail configuration that a lot of the bucks have and you found it in a place where blacktails are much more common. That is a nice buck though, especially with the sticker. Cool find!

 

[crock239]

Thanks for the feedback.....this thread got me thinking and looking more into Columbian whitetails....and I agree now this is most likely a blacktail shed

Found this population distribution map, and while I did find this shed literally on the bank of the Columbia River, it was just east of Portland, and the map shows the whitetail distribution further downriver.

https://www.fws.gov/oregonfwo/documents/maps/columbian_white_tailed_deer_a_opt.pdf