The Minam River is a tributary of the Wallowa River , 51 miles (82 km) long, in northeastern Oregon in the United States . It drains a rugged wilderness area of the Wallowa Mountains northeast of La Grande .
81-818: It rises in the Wallowas in the Eagle Cap Wilderness of the Wallowa–Whitman National Forest , just south of the Wallowa – Union border approximately 25 miles (40 km) southeast of La Grande at Blue Lake. It flows generally northwest through the mountains along the Wallowa–;Union county line. It joins the Wallowa from the south at the community of Minam near Oregon Route 82 . Its headwaters include springs stemming from outflow from Minam Lake , also
162-668: A kid . A castrated male is a havier . A group of any species is a herd . The adjective of relation is cervine ; like the family name Cervidae , this is from Latin : cervus , meaning ' stag ' or ' deer ' . Deer live in a variety of biomes , ranging from tundra to the tropical rainforest . While often associated with forests, many deer are ecotone species that live in transitional areas between forests and thickets (for cover) and prairie and savanna (open space). The majority of large deer species inhabit temperate mixed deciduous forest, mountain mixed coniferous forest, tropical seasonal/dry forest, and savanna habitats around
243-719: A liver without a gallbladder . Deer also have a tapetum lucidum , which gives them sufficiently good night vision . All male deer have antlers , with the exception of the water deer , in which males have long tusk-like canines that reach below the lower jaw. Females generally lack antlers, though female reindeer bear antlers smaller and less branched than those of the males. Occasionally females in other species may develop antlers, especially in telemetacarpal deer such as European roe deer, red deer, white-tailed deer and mule deer and less often in plesiometacarpal deer. A study of antlered female white-tailed deer noted that antlers tend to be small and malformed, and are shed frequently around
324-529: A base camp in the winter for telemark skiing . There are 47 trailheads and approximately 534 miles (859 km) of trails in Eagle Cap, accessible from Wallowa , Union , and Baker Counties, and leading to all areas of the wilderness. Four designated Wild and Scenic Rivers originate in Eagle Cap Wilderness—the Lostine , Eagle Creek , Minam , and Imnaha . 16 miles (26 km) of
405-406: A broad central portion), white-tailed deer antlers include a series of tines sprouting upward from a forward-curving main beam, and those of the pudú are mere spikes. Antler development begins from the pedicel, a bony structure that appears on the top of the skull by the time the animal is a year old. The pedicel gives rise to a spiky antler the following year, that is replaced by a branched antler in
486-601: A count of at least seven wolves in a pack within the Upper Minam River area. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife reported in 2013 a total of six known packs with 46 total wolves. All animals belonged to the same pack and are designated Minam Pack . The first grey wolf trapped and radio-collared tagged by the ODFW was an 81 pounds (37 kg) female individual and marks the twentieth radio-collared wolf in Oregon. Another female
567-453: A disease which in the UK in 2005 cost £90 million in attempts to eradicate. In New Zealand, deer are thought to be important as vectors picking up M. bovis in areas where brushtail possums Trichosurus vulpecula are infected, and transferring it to previously uninfected possums when their carcasses are scavenged elsewhere. The white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus has been confirmed as
648-546: A nearly complete skeleton of Diacodexis discovered in 1982 gave rise to speculation that this ancestor could be closer to the non-ruminants than the ruminants. Andromeryx is another prominent prehistoric ruminant, but appears to be closer to the tragulids . The formation of the Himalayas and the Alps brought about significant geographic changes. This was the chief reason behind the extensive diversification of deer-like forms and
729-636: A portion of the Wild and Scenic Imnaha is located within Eagle Cap Wilderness. Deer A deer ( pl. : deer) or true deer is a hoofed ruminant ungulate of the family Cervidae (informally the deer family ). Cervidae is divided into subfamilies Cervinae (which includes, among others, muntjac , elk (wapiti), red deer , and fallow deer ) and Capreolinae (which includes, among others reindeer (caribou), white-tailed deer , roe deer , and moose ). Male deer of almost all species (except
810-543: A result of acclimatisation society releases in the 19th century, Australia has six introduced species of deer that have established sustainable wild populations. They are fallow deer, red deer, sambar, hog deer, rusa , and chital. Red deer were introduced into New Zealand in 1851 from English and Scottish stock. Many have been domesticated in deer farms since the late 1960s and are common farm animals there now. Seven other species of deer were introduced into New Zealand but none are as widespread as red deer. Deer constitute
891-491: A role in mythology , religion, and literature throughout history, as well as in heraldry , such as red deer that appear in the coat of arms of Åland . Their economic importance includes the use of their meat as venison , their skins as soft, strong buckskin , and their antlers as handles for knives. Deer hunting has been a popular activity since the Middle Ages and remains a resource for many families today. The word deer
SECTION 10
#1732851523694972-485: A smaller form, but a combination of anthropogenic and climatic pressures is now thought to be the most likely culprit. Meanwhile, the moose and reindeer radiated into North America from Siberia. Deer constitute the artiodactyl family Cervidae. This family was first described by German zoologist Georg August Goldfuss in Handbuch der Zoologie (1820). Three subfamilies were recognised: Capreolinae (first described by
1053-783: A wide variety of vegetation. The teeth of deer are adapted to feeding on vegetation, and like other ruminants, they lack upper incisors , instead having a tough pad at the front of their upper jaw. Deer are browsers , and feed primarily on foliage of grasses , sedges , forbs , shrubs and trees , secondarily on lichens in northern latitudes during winter. They have small, unspecialized stomachs by ruminant standards, and high nutrition requirements. Rather than eating and digesting vast quantities of low-grade fibrous food as, for example, sheep and cattle do, deer select easily digestible shoots, young leaves, fresh grasses, soft twigs, fruit, fungi , and lichens . The low-fibered food, after minimal fermentation and shredding, passes rapidly through
1134-760: Is a wilderness area located in the Wallowa Mountains of northeastern Oregon (United States), within the Wallowa–Whitman National Forest . The wilderness was established in 1940. In 1964, it was included in the National Wilderness Preservation System . A boundary revision in 1972 added 73,000 acres (30,000 ha) and the Wilderness Act of 1964 added 66,100 acres (26,700 ha) resulting in its current size of 361,446 acres (146,272 ha; 565 sq mi), making Eagle Cap by far Oregon's largest wilderness area. Eagle Cap Wilderness
1215-530: Is named after a peak in the Wallowa Mountains, which were once called the Eagle Mountains. At 9,572 feet (2,918 m) Eagle Cap was incorrectly thought to be the highest peak in the range. The Eagle Cap Wilderness is characterized by high alpine lakes and meadows, bare granite peaks and ridges, and U-shaped glacial valleys . Thick timber is found in the lower valleys and scattered alpine timber on
1296-452: Is only slightly taller and heavier. Sexual dimorphism is quite pronounced – in most species males tend to be larger than females, and, except for the reindeer, only males have antlers. Coat colour generally varies between red and brown, though it can be as dark as chocolate brown in the tufted deer or have a grayish tinge as in elk. Different species of brocket deer vary from gray to reddish brown in coat colour. Several species such as
1377-412: Is strong enough to walk with its mother. The fawn and its mother stay together for about one year. A male usually leaves and never sees his mother again, but females sometimes come back with their own fawns and form small herds. In some areas of the UK, deer (especially fallow deer due to their gregarious behaviour ) have been implicated as a possible reservoir for transmission of bovine tuberculosis ,
1458-501: Is the moose , which is nearly 2.6 metres (8 ft 6 in) tall and weighs up to 800 kilograms (1,800 lb). The elk stands 1.4–2 metres (4 ft 7 in – 6 ft 7 in) at the shoulder and weighs 240–450 kilograms (530–990 lb). The northern pudu is the smallest deer in the world; it reaches merely 32–35 centimetres ( 12 + 1 ⁄ 2 –14 in) at the shoulder and weighs 3.3–6 kilograms ( 7 + 1 ⁄ 4 – 13 + 1 ⁄ 4 lb). The southern pudu
1539-629: The Barbary stag , a subspecies of red deer that is confined to the Atlas Mountains in the northwest of the continent. Another extinct species of deer, Megaceroides algericus , was present in North Africa until 6000 years ago. Fallow deer have been introduced to South Africa . Small species of brocket deer and pudús of Central and South America , and muntjacs of Asia generally occupy dense forests and are less often seen in open spaces, with
1620-577: The Catherine Pack . The adult female was found deceased in 2019 although the pack remained classified as a breeding pack through 2019. Plant communities in the Eagle Cap Wilderness range from low elevation grasslands and ponderosa pine forest to alpine meadows . Engelmann spruce , larch , mountain hemlock , sub-alpine fir, and whitebark pine can be found in the higher elevations. Varieties of Indian paintbrush , sego lilies , elephanthead , larkspur , shooting star , and bluebells are abundant in
1701-487: The Caucasus Mountains have forest areas that are not only home to sizable deer populations but also other animals that were once abundant such as the wisent, Eurasian lynx , Iberian lynx , wolves , and brown bears . The highest concentration of large deer species in temperate Asia occurs in the mixed deciduous forests, mountain coniferous forests, and taiga bordering North Korea, Manchuria (Northeastern China), and
SECTION 20
#17328515236941782-615: The Pleistocene have been excavated in China and the Himalayas. While Cervus and Dama appeared nearly 3 Mya, Axis emerged during the late Pliocene–Pleistocene. The tribes Capreolini and Rangiferini appeared around 4–7 Mya. Around 5 Mya, the rangiferina † Bretzia and † Eocoileus were the first cervids to reach North America. This implies the Bering Strait could be crossed during
1863-926: The Sami people of Finland and Scandinavia, the Tungusic peoples, Mongolians, and Turkic peoples of Southern Siberia, Northern Mongolia, and the Ussuri Region have also taken to raising semi-domesticated herds of Asian caribou. The highest concentration of large deer species in the tropics occurs in Southern Asia in India's Indo-Gangetic Plain Region and Nepal 's Terai Region. These fertile plains consist of tropical seasonal moist deciduous, dry deciduous forests, and both dry and wet savannas that are home to chital , hog deer , barasingha , Indian sambar , and Indian muntjac . Grazing species such as
1944-526: The Tethys Ocean disappeared to give way to vast stretches of grassland; these provided the deer with abundant protein-rich vegetation that led to the development of ornamental antlers and allowed populations to flourish and colonise areas. As antlers had become pronounced, the canines were either lost or became poorly represented (as in elk), probably because diet was no longer browse -dominated and antlers were better display organs. In muntjac and tufted deer,
2025-402: The carrying capacity of the wilderness. Wolves have returned to Eagle Cap Wilderness with no reported encounters with humans, although some losses of sheep and cattle have been attributed to wolves in the area. In 2012, a trail-cam recorded a female black wolf. Tracking of the wolf revealed at least three total wolves in an area east of Minam River . Further surveys by the end of 2012 showed
2106-493: The merycodontines eventually gave rise to the modern pronghorn. The Cervinae emerged as the first group of extant cervids around 7–9 Mya, during the late Miocene in central Asia. The tribe Muntiacini made its appearance as † Muntiacus leilaoensis around 7–8 Mya; The early muntjacs varied in size–as small as hares or as large as fallow deer. They had tusks for fighting and antlers for defence. Capreolinae followed soon after; Alceini appeared 6.4–8.4 Mya. Around this period,
2187-464: The photoperiod . Deer are also excellent jumpers and swimmers. Deer are ruminants , or cud-chewers, and have a four-chambered stomach. Some deer, such as those on the island of Rùm , do consume meat when it is available. Nearly all deer have a facial gland in front of each eye. The gland contains a strongly scented pheromone , used to mark its home range. Bucks of a wide range of species open these glands wide when angry or excited. All deer have
2268-433: The pika , pine martens , badgers , squirrels , and marmots . Birds include peregrine falcons , bald eagles , golden eagles , ferruginous hawks , and gray-crowned rosy finch . Trout can be found in many of the lakes and streams in the wilderness. The Oregon State record golden trout was caught in the wilderness in 1987, by Douglas White. The lake where it was caught was not named. Moose have recently returned to
2349-499: The water deer ), as well as female reindeer, grow and shed new antlers each year. These antlers are bony extensions of the skull and are often used for combat between males. The musk deer ( Moschidae ) of Asia and chevrotains ( Tragulidae ) of tropical African and Asian forests are separate families that are also in the ruminant clade Ruminantia ; they are not especially closely related to Cervidae. Deer appear in art from Paleolithic cave paintings onwards, and they have played
2430-536: The British Columbia side, and Banff National Park , Jasper National Park , and Glacier National Park (U.S.) on the Alberta and Montana sides. Mountain slope habitats vary from moist coniferous/mixed forested habitats to dry subalpine/pine forests with alpine meadows higher up. The foothills and river valleys between the mountain ranges provide a mosaic of cropland and deciduous parklands. The rare woodland caribou have
2511-502: The Cervidae, are believed to have evolved from Diacodexis , the earliest known artiodactyl (even-toed ungulate), 50–55 Mya in the Eocene. Diacodexis , nearly the size of a rabbit , featured the talus bone characteristic of all modern even-toed ungulates . This ancestor and its relatives occurred throughout North America and Eurasia, but were on the decline by at least 46 Mya. Analysis of
Minam River - Misplaced Pages Continue
2592-460: The English zoologist Joshua Brookes in 1828), Cervinae (described by Goldfuss) and Hydropotinae (first described by French zoologist Édouard Louis Trouessart in 1898). Other attempts at the classification of deer have been based on morphological and genetic differences. The Anglo-Irish naturalist Victor Brooke suggested in 1878 that deer could be bifurcated into two classes on the according to
2673-752: The European Dremotherium ; these sabre-toothed animals are believed to have been the direct ancestors of all modern antlered deer, though they themselves lacked antlers. Another contemporaneous form was the four-horned protoceratid Protoceras , that was replaced by Syndyoceras in the Miocene; these animals were unique in having a horn on the nose. Late Eocene fossils dated approximately 35 million years ago, which were found in North America, show that Syndyoceras had bony skull outgrowths that resembled non-deciduous antlers. Fossil evidence suggests that
2754-722: The Ice Ages, but afterwards became restricted primarily to the Anatolian Peninsula, in present-day Turkey. Present-day fallow deer populations in Europe are a result of historic man-made introductions of this species, first to the Mediterranean regions of Europe, then eventually to the rest of Europe. They were initially park animals that later escaped and reestablished themselves in the wild. Historically, Europe's deer species shared their deciduous forest habitat with other herbivores, such as
2835-597: The Imnaha River from its headwaters are designated Wild and Scenic. The designation comprises the main stem from the confluence of the North and South Forks of the Imnaha River to its mouth, and the South Fork from its headwaters to the confluence with the main stem. In 1988, 15 miles (24 km) were designated "wild," 4 miles (6 km) were designated "scenic," and 58 miles (93 km) were designated "recreational," though only
2916-623: The Indian Subcontinent) boasts the most species of deer in the world, with most species being found in Asia. Europe, in comparison, has lower diversity in plant and animal species. Many national parks and protected reserves in Europe have populations of red deer, roe deer , and fallow deer. These species have long been associated with the continent of Europe, but also inhabit Asia Minor , the Caucasus Mountains , and Northwestern Iran . "European" fallow deer historically lived over much of Europe during
2997-532: The Lostine from its headwaters in the wilderness to the Wallowa–Whitman National Forest boundary are designated Wild and Scenic. Established in 1988, 5 miles (8 km) of the river are designated "wild" and 11 miles (18 km) are designated "recreational." A small portion of the river is on private property. 27 miles (43 km) of Eagle Creek from its output at Eagle Lake in the wilderness to
3078-541: The Ussuri Region (Russia). These are among some of the richest deciduous and coniferous forests in the world where one can find Siberian roe deer , sika deer , elk, and moose. Asian caribou occupy the northern fringes of this region along the Sino-Russian border. Deer such as the sika deer, Thorold's deer , Central Asian red deer , and elk have historically been farmed for their antlers by Han Chinese , Turkic peoples , Tungusic peoples , Mongolians , and Koreans . Like
3159-478: The Wallowa Valley. In 1930, the Eagle Cap was established as a primitive area and in 1940 earned wilderness designation. Eagle Cap Wilderness is home to a variety of wildlife, including black bears , cougars , Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep , and mountain goats . In the summer white-tailed deer , mule deer , and Rocky Mountain elk roam the wilderness. Smaller mammals that inhabit the area year-round include
3240-603: The Wallowa–Whitman National Forest boundary at Skull Creek are designated Wild and Scenic. In 1988, 4 miles (6 km) of the river were designated "wild," 6 miles (10 km) are designated "scenic," and 17 miles (27 km) are designated "recreational." 39 miles (63 km) of the Minam River from its headwaters at the south end of Minam Lake to the wilderness boundary, one-half mile downstream from Cougar Creek, are designated Wild and Scenic. In 1988, all 39 miles (63 km) were designated "wild." 77 miles (124 km) of
3321-666: The Wallowa–Whitman National Forest was first occupied by the ancestors of the Nez Perce Indian tribe around 1400 AD, and later by the Cayuse , the Shoshone , and Bannocks . The wilderness was used as hunting grounds for bighorn sheep and deer and to gather huckleberries . It was the summer home to the Joseph Band of the Nez Perce tribe. 1860 marked the year the first settlers moved into
Minam River - Misplaced Pages Continue
3402-407: The alimentary canal. The deer require a large amount of minerals such as calcium and phosphate in order to support antler growth, and this further necessitates a nutrient-rich diet. There are some reports of deer engaging in carnivorous activity, such as eating dead alewives along lakeshores or depredating the nests of northern bobwhites . Nearly all cervids are so-called uniparental species:
3483-608: The antlers as well as the canines are small. The tragulids have long canines to this day. With the onset of the Pliocene , the global climate became cooler. A fall in the sea-level led to massive glaciation; consequently, grasslands abounded in nutritious forage. Thus a new spurt in deer populations ensued. The oldest member of Cervini, † Cervocerus novorossiae , appeared around the transition from Miocene to Pliocene (4.2–6 Mya) in Eurasia; cervine fossils from early Pliocene to as late as
3564-864: The antlers create grooves that allow another male's antlers to lock into place. This allows the males to wrestle without risking injury to the face. Antlers are correlated to an individual's position in the social hierarchy and its behaviour. For instance, the heavier the antlers, the higher the individual's status in the social hierarchy, and the greater the delay in shedding the antlers; males with larger antlers tend to be more aggressive and dominant over others. Antlers can be an honest signal of genetic quality; males with larger antlers relative to body size tend to have increased resistance to pathogens and higher reproductive capacity. In elk in Yellowstone National Park , antlers also provide protection against predation by wolves . Homology of tines, that is,
3645-499: The basis of diploid number of chromosomes in the late 20th century has been flawed by several inconsistencies. In 1987, the zoologists Colin Groves and Peter Grubb identified three subfamilies: Cervinae, Hydropotinae and Odocoileinae; they noted that the hydropotines lack antlers, and the other two subfamilies differ in their skeletal morphology. They reverted from this classification in 2000. Molecular phylogenetic analyses since
3726-692: The branching structure of antlers among species, have been discussed before the 1900s. Recently, a new method to describe the branching structure of antlers and determining homology of tines was developed. Most deer bear 32 teeth; the corresponding dental formula is: 0.0.3.3 3.1.3.3 . The elk and the reindeer may be exceptions, as they may retain their upper canines and thus have 34 teeth (dental formula: 0.1.3.3 3.1.3.3 ). The Chinese water deer, tufted deer, and muntjac have enlarged upper canine teeth forming sharp tusks, while other species often lack upper canines altogether. The cheek teeth of deer have crescent ridges of enamel, which enable them to grind
3807-405: The chital, the fallow deer and the sika deer feature white spots on a brown coat. Coat of reindeer shows notable geographical variation. Deer undergo two moults in a year; for instance, in red deer the red, thin-haired summer coat is gradually replaced by the dense, greyish brown winter coat in autumn, which in turn gives way to the summer coat in the following spring. Moulting is affected by
3888-417: The earliest members of the superfamily Cervoidea appeared in Eurasia in the Miocene. Dicrocerus , Euprox and Heteroprox were probably the first antlered cervids. Dicrocerus featured single-forked antlers that were shed regularly. Stephanocemas had more developed and diffuse ("crowned") antlers. Procervulus ( Palaeomerycidae ) also had antlers that were not shed. Contemporary forms such as
3969-643: The early Eocene , and gradually developed into the first antlered cervoids (the superfamily of cervids and related extinct families) in the Miocene . Eventually, with the development of antlers, the tusks as well as the upper incisors disappeared. Thus, evolution of deer took nearly 30 million years. Biologist Valerius Geist suggests evolution to have occurred in stages. There are not many prominent fossils to trace this evolution, but only fragments of skeletons and antlers that might be easily confused with false antlers of non-cervid species. The ruminants , ancestors of
4050-686: The early Pleistocene, probably as a result of abundant resources to drive evolution. The early Pleistocene cervid † Eucladoceros was comparable in size to the modern elk. † Megaloceros (Pliocene–Pleistocene) featured the Irish elk ( M. giganteus ), one of the largest known cervids . The Irish elk reached 2 metres ( 6 + 1 ⁄ 2 ft) at the shoulder and had heavy antlers that spanned 3.6 metres (11 ft 10 in) from tip to tip. These large animals were traditionally thought to have faced extinction due to conflict between sexual selection for large antlers and body and natural selection for
4131-654: The ecological niches of the ibex and wild goat , with the fawns behaving more like goat kids. The highest concentration of large deer species in temperate North America lies in the Canadian Rocky Mountain and Columbia Mountain regions between Alberta and British Columbia where all five North American deer species ( white-tailed deer , mule deer , caribou , elk , and moose ) can be found. This region has several clusters of national parks including Mount Revelstoke National Park , Glacier National Park (Canada) , Yoho National Park , and Kootenay National Park on
SECTION 50
#17328515236944212-727: The emergence of cervids from the Oligocene to the early Pliocene . The latter half of the Oligocene (28–34 Mya) saw the appearance of the European Eumeryx and the North American Leptomeryx . The latter resembled modern-day bovids and cervids in dental morphology (for instance, it had brachyodont molars), while the former was more advanced . Other deer-like forms included the North American Blastomeryx and
4293-410: The end of their first winter. In the first twenty minutes of a fawn's life, the fawn begins to take its first steps. Its mother licks it clean until it is almost free of scent, so predators will not find it. Its mother leaves often to graze, and the fawn does not like to be left behind. Sometimes its mother must gently push it down with her foot. The fawn stays hidden in the grass for one week until it
4374-745: The endangered barasingha and very common chital are gregarious and live in large herds. Indian sambar can be gregarious but are usually solitary or live in smaller herds. Hog deer are solitary and have lower densities than Indian muntjac. Deer can be seen in several national parks in India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka of which Kanha National Park , Dudhwa National Park , and Chitwan National Park are most famous. Sri Lanka's Wilpattu National Park and Yala National Park have large herds of Indian sambar and chital. The Indian sambar are more gregarious in Sri Lanka than other parts of their range and tend to form larger herds than elsewhere. The Chao Praya River Valley of Thailand
4455-950: The extinct tarpan (forest horse), extinct aurochs (forest ox), and the endangered wisent (European bison). Good places to see deer in Europe include the Scottish Highlands , the Austrian Alps , the wetlands between Austria , Hungary , and the Czech Republic , and some National Parks, including Doñana National Park in Spain , the Veluwe in the Netherlands , the Ardennes in Belgium , and Białowieża National Park in Poland . Spain , Eastern Europe , and
4536-417: The features of the second and fifth metacarpal bones of their forelimbs: Plesiometacarpalia (most Old World deer) and Telemetacarpalia (most New World deer). He treated the musk deer as a cervid, placing it under Telemetacarpalia. While the telemetacarpal deer showed only those elements located far from the joint, the plesiometacarpal deer retained the elements closer to the joint as well. Differentiation on
4617-523: The foothills and river valley bottoms of the Canadian Rockies owing to conversion of land to cropland and the clearing of coniferous forests allowing more deciduous vegetation to grow up the mountain slopes. They also live in the aspen parklands north of Calgary and Edmonton, where they share habitat with the moose. The adjacent Great Plains grassland habitats are left to herds of elk, American bison , and pronghorn . The Eurasian Continent (including
4698-499: The late Miocene–Pliocene; this appears highly probable as the camelids migrated into Asia from North America around the same time. Deer invaded South America in the late Pliocene (2.5–3 Mya) as part of the Great American Interchange , thanks to the recently formed Isthmus of Panama , and emerged successful due to the small number of competing ruminants in the continent. Large deer with impressive antlers evolved during
4779-450: The latter half of the 2000s all show that hydropotes is a sister taxon of Capreolus , and “Hydropotinae” became outdated subfamily. Until 2003, it was understood that the family Moschidae (musk deer) was sister to Cervidae. Then a phylogenetic study by Alexandre Hassanin (of National Museum of Natural History, France ) and colleagues, based on mitochondrial and nuclear analyses, revealed that Moschidae and Bovidae form
4860-531: The left; Pole Creek, right, Pot Creek, left; North Minam River, right, and Little Pot and Jerry creeks, left. Then Threemile, Garwood, Whoopee, Chaparral, Wallowa, Horseheaven, and Horse Basin creeks, all from the right; the Little Minam River , left; Faun Creek, right, and Lobo and Eagle creeks, left. Then Murphy, Trout, Cougar, Gunderson, and Squaw creeks, all from the right. Download coordinates as: Eagle Cap Wilderness Eagle Cap Wilderness
4941-538: The lower 8 miles (13 km), where the surrounds have been heavily logged and otherwise altered, is largely pristine. It and the Wenaha River are the two largest rivers in Oregon that are nearly pristine. From source to mouth, the named tributaries of the Minam River are Pop and Trail creeks, which enter from the left; Lowry Gulch, left; Wild Sheep Creek, right; Granite Gulch, right; Elk Creek, left; and Last Chance Gulch, right. Then Cap, Rock, and Lackey creeks, all from
SECTION 60
#17328515236945022-487: The meadows. The wilderness does contain some small groves of old growth forest. As Oregon's largest wilderness area, Eagle Cap offers many recreational activities, including hiking, backpacking, horseback riding, hunting, fishing, camping, and wildlife watching. Winter brings backcountry skiing and snowshoeing opportunities. Several Alpine Huts and campsites are located throughout the McCully Basin , which are used as
5103-470: The modern English sense by the end of the Middle English period, around 1500. All modern Germanic languages save English and Scots retain the more general sense: for example, Dutch / Frisian dier , German Tier , and Norwegian dyr mean ' animal ' . For many types of deer in modern English usage, the male is a buck and the female a doe , but the terms vary with dialect, and according to
5184-413: The most restricted range living at higher altitudes in the subalpine meadows and alpine tundra areas of some of the mountain ranges. Elk and mule deer both migrate between the alpine meadows and lower coniferous forests and tend to be most common in this region. Elk also inhabit river valley bottomlands, which they share with White-tailed deer. The White-tailed deer have recently expanded their range within
5265-641: The possible exception of the Indian muntjac . There are also several species of deer that are highly specialized and live almost exclusively in mountains, grasslands, swamps, and "wet" savannas, or riparian corridors surrounded by deserts . Some deer have a circumpolar distribution in both North America and Eurasia . Examples include the caribou that live in Arctic tundra and taiga (boreal forests) and moose that inhabit taiga and adjacent areas. Huemul deer ( taruca and Chilean huemul ) of South America 's Andes fill
5346-402: The right spot and never really find it." Deer appear to be immune to this parasite; it passes through the digestive system and is excreted in the feces. The parasite is not screened by the moose intestine, and passes into the brain where damage is done that is externally apparent, both in behaviour and in gait. Deer, elk and moose in North America may suffer from chronic wasting disease , which
5427-417: The second most diverse family of artiodactyla after bovids. Though of a similar build, deer are strongly distinguished from antelopes by their antlers , which are temporary and regularly regrown unlike the permanent horns of bovids. Characteristics typical of deer include long, powerful legs, a diminutive tail and long ears. Deer exhibit a broad variation in physical proportions. The largest extant deer
5508-399: The size of the species. The male red deer is a stag , while for other large species the male is a bull , the female a cow , as in cattle. In older usage, the male of any species is a hart , especially if over five years old, and the female is a hind , especially if three or more years old. The young of small species is a fawn and of large species a calf ; a very small young may be
5589-516: The sole maintenance host in the Michigan outbreak of bovine tuberculosis which remains a significant barrier to the US nationwide eradication of the disease in livestock. Moose and deer can carry rabies . Docile moose may suffer from brain worm , a helminth which drills holes through the brain in its search for a suitable place to lay its eggs. A government biologist states that "They move around looking for
5670-570: The source of the Lostine River . From its headwaters to the Eagle Cap Wilderness boundary downstream of Cougar Creek, a distance of 39 miles (63 km), the Minam River was declared part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System in 1988. Accessible mainly by United States Forest Service trails, the river basin supports diverse wildlife, including wolverine , bighorn sheep , elk , American black bear , and cougar . The Minam, except for
5751-574: The third year. This process of losing a set of antlers to develop a larger and more branched set continues for the rest of the life. The antlers emerge as soft tissues (known as velvet antlers ) and progressively harden into bony structures (known as hard antlers), following mineralisation and blockage of blood vessels in the tissue, from the tip to the base. Antlers might be one of the most exaggerated male secondary sexual characteristics , and are intended primarily for reproductive success through sexual selection and for combat. The tines (forks) on
5832-541: The time of parturition. The fallow deer and the various subspecies of the reindeer have the largest as well as the heaviest antlers, both in absolute terms as well as in proportion to body mass (an average of eight grams per kilogram of body mass); the tufted deer, on the other hand, has the smallest antlers of all deer, while the pudú has the lightest antlers with respect to body mass (0.6 g per kilogram of body mass). The structure of antlers show considerable variation; while fallow deer and elk antlers are palmate (with
5913-536: The upper slopes. Elevations in the wilderness range from approximately 3,000 feet (914 m) in lower valleys to 9,838 feet (2,999 m) at the summit of Sacajawea Peak with 30 other summits exceeding 8,000 feet (2,400 m). The wilderness is home to Legore Lake , the highest true lake in Oregon at 8,950 feet (2,728 m), as well as more than 60 named alpine lakes and tarns (12 of which are above 8,000 feet), and more than 37 miles (60 km) of streams. The Eagle Cap Wilderness and surrounding country in
5994-452: The various Asian rhinoceros species, various antelope species (such as nilgai , four-horned antelope , blackbuck , and Indian gazelle in India), and wild oxen (such as wild Asian water buffalo , gaur , banteng , and kouprey ). One way that different herbivores can survive together in a given area is for each species to have different food preferences, although there may be some overlap. As
6075-429: The wilderness; the herd now numbers about 40. There is possible evidence that grizzly bears and wolverines are returning as well. Sheep and cattle graze throughout Eagle Cap Wilderness, especially the surroundings of Mount Nebo . Shortly after World War II with the impact of the wool industry, the number of sheep nearly disappeared in the Eagle Cap Wilderness, while at the beginning of the 1900, their numbers exceeded
6156-512: The world. Clearing open areas within forests to some extent may actually benefit deer populations by exposing the understory and allowing the types of grasses, weeds, and herbs to grow that deer like to eat. Access to adjacent croplands may also benefit deer. Adequate forest or brush cover must still be provided for populations to grow and thrive. Deer are widely distributed, with indigenous representatives in all continents except Antarctica and Australia , though Africa has only one native deer,
6237-542: The young, known in most species as fawns, are only cared for by the mother, most often called a doe. A doe generally has one or two fawns at a time (triplets, while not unknown, are uncommon). Mating season typically begins in later August and lasts until December. Some species mate until early March. The gestation period is anywhere up to ten months for the European roe deer. Most fawns are born with their fur covered with white spots, though in many species they lose these spots by
6318-513: Was identified at a Colorado laboratory in the 1960s and is believed to be a prion disease. Out of an abundance of caution hunters are advised to avoid contact with specified risk material (SRM) such as the brain, spinal column or lymph nodes. Deboning the meat when butchering and sanitizing the knives and other tools used to butcher are amongst other government recommendations. Deer are believed to have evolved from antlerless, tusked ancestors that resembled modern duikers and diminutive deer in
6399-474: Was once primarily tropical seasonal moist deciduous forest and wet savanna that hosted populations of hog deer, the now-extinct Schomburgk's deer , Eld's deer , Indian sambar, and Indian muntjac. Both the hog deer and Eld's deer are rare, whereas Indian sambar and Indian muntjac thrive in protected national parks, such as Khao Yai . Many of these South Asian and Southeast Asian deer species also share their habitat with other herbivores , such as Asian elephants ,
6480-423: Was originally broad in meaning, becoming more specific with time. Old English dēor and Middle English der meant a wild animal of any kind. Cognates of Old English dēor in other dead Germanic languages have the general sense of animal , such as Old High German tior , Old Norse djur or dȳr , Gothic dius , Old Saxon dier , and Old Frisian diar . This general sense gave way to
6561-683: Was radio-collared which dispersed from the Miniam Pack and found traveling with another male wolf within the Miniam Area and into the Keating Unit. Through 2019 the Minam Pack produced litters annually within the Eagle Cap Wilderness. One of the females from the Minam Pack formed a pair bond in 2014 with a male member of the Snake River Pack forming a new pack within the Eagle Cap Wilderness, designated
#693306