Blacktail deer

[jmx369]

My daughter and I went for a hike today and came across these two out grazing.

[grundy53]

Hope the fawn makes it. I had the hair loss disease.

[Ranger91298]

Great photos...how close were you? They don't even look concerned your there...

[jmx369]

I was only about 30 yards away. The deer are used to people and are protected by a no shooting law in the area.

[Alan K]

Doe looks like she'd about to pop!

I'd guess the doe is just shedding and the fawn having the hairloss.  Odd the fawn would have it and the doe wouldn't though, surely they've bedded right next to each other enough that the fleas or whatever carry the HLS would have passed on to her. 

[grundy53]

Doe looks like she'd about to pop!

I'd guess the doe is just shedding and the fawn having the hairloss.  Odd the fawn would have it and the doe wouldn't though, surely they've bedded right next to each other enough that the fleas or whatever carry the HLS would have passed on to her. 

It guess bothers the fawns a lot more so they scratch more.

[JimmyHoffa]

I think you're right about it affecting the fawns more.  I don't see too many older deer with it around my neighborhood, but man of the young ones have it.  I think the ones that have it bad just die early so you don't see it making its way to the older deer as much.  Also to note, I only see it at the low elevations.  The deer running around town will have it and look mangy, but as soon as I get up above 1000 feet I stop noticing it.  The higher I go, the healthier the deer look.

[Dmanmastertracker]

 Does look like they both have HLS. I've read recently that if they can survive the first year with it, they can become more tolerant of it as an adult, it's that first year that usually gets them when they don't have a lot of fat on them.

[patton1]

They're fur looks like the ones around here.  It happens every spring though, like they molt or something.  Summer comes and they're fur is back to normal.  I don't think it's HLS.  Come summer they're fur will be good as new.  Hopefully we'll get to see some more pics to find out.  Thanks for posting some good pics.  What general area did they come from if you don't mind sharing?

[grundy53]

They're fur looks like the ones around here.  It happens every spring though, like they molt or something.  Summer comes and they're fur is back to normal.  I don't think it's HLS.  Come summer they're fur will be good as new.  Hopefully we'll get to see some more pics to find out.  Thanks for posting some good pics.  What general area did they come from if you don't mind sharing?

The fawn definitely has HLS. Been seeing it for years. Yes when they grow their new fur in it replaces what they lost. Once they've had it once it doesn't seem to bother them. So if they survive the first time they are usually good to go.

[patton1]

So it's normal for them to lose their fur like that every year as long as they survive the first time?  It seems like every deer I see in the spring looks that way.  I thought HLS was an ongoing issue that lasts all year 'round.  I've never seen it until I moved out here.  I'm no expert, I just started to assume that it was a normal occurence for the deer out here to lose their fur in the spring.

[grundy53]

No it's not "normal" to have them look like the fawn in the picture. It' means they have HLS which will probably kill them. IF it doesn't kill them then most likely it will be less susceptible to it later. It's the worst in winter/spring because it's colder out and they are more susceptible to hypothermia. Once there summer coat comes in it replaces what they lost and are less prone to rubbing it off.

[grundy53]

Here is a link to an informative thread started about HLS.

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,75848.msg927374.html#msg927374

[briancorneal]

they look bad, but I guess only the strong survive

[jmx369]

All of the deer in this area look like this every spring. I have not noticed any problems with survival rates. I have about eight deer showing up just about everyday. The doe in the picture drops twins every spring and they all keep coming back. The fawn is one of the twins from last year. The other one is still around he just wasn't out for the photo shoot. The doe has since kicked last years twins loose and had another set of twins(4 years in a row having twins). All seem to be doing well.