Deer Species in Oregon
Oregon is home to three species of deer:
All three deer species can be hunted in Oregon, but hunting seasons and tag allocations vary. Upcoming lessons will discuss when and where you can hunt for each species of deer in Oregon.
PRO TIP Not to complicate things, but there is some regular cross-breeding between species where their habitats mingle. This is true of most deer species across America. In Oregon, our most common cross today is between mule deer and blacktail. The local slang for this cross is “benchleg”, and a more technical term you might see is “Cascade blacktail.” Interestingly, the Boone and Crockett club draws clear lines defining American big game animal territories when scoring trophy animals for their record books. But nature is not so clear, and the reality is we have a good bit of mixing on the borders.
