Alaska’s first legally-hunted mule deer | Westin Nelson
In mid-April, Westin Nelson became the first person on record to legally hunt and kill a mule deer in the state of Alaska. The adult female deer was taken in a friend’s yard in the Skagway area, marking a milestone in the species’ gradual expansion into the state.
Nelson, a Skagway resident who is said to have been spotting mule deer in the region for about five years now, had been preparing for the moment. He and a friend had a friendly competition to see who could harvest one first. When the opportunity arose, he was ready.
“They’re in Skagway, I’ve seen quite a few,” Nelson said. “About five years ago I saw the first one. My dad pointed it out, he said, ‘you can tell them from blacktails if you look at the ears.’ It’s a dead giveaway. Their ears are huge. If you’ve hunted Sitka blacktails, you’ll know they are undeniably different. These are much bigger deer, and you know it when you see them.”
The deer he killed was an adult female that had previously nursed a fawn but was not pregnant when he pulled the trigger.
Mule deer, known for their large ears and stockier build compared to Alaska’s native Sitka black-tailed deer, have been slowly pushing northward and westward from their traditional ranges in the western United States and Canada. They have been established in Yukon Territory since at least the 1980s and have been playing peek-a-boo in Alaska for more than a decade now.
Alaska Department of Fish and Game
So far, sightings have been concentrated in northern Southeast Alaska, including the Skagway area, but have also been reported as far north as Interior Alaska near Delta Junction, Fairbanks, and North Pole. While there have been documented cases of breeding (including groups with fawns), Alaska Department of Fish and Game biologists are not convinced as of yet, that mule deer are in fact colonizing the state.
“Two were fawns, so they were breeding,” state wildlife biologist for the Juneau area Carl Koch said. “But I don’t know if I’d call it colonizing.”
If nothing else, the inaugural kill provided an important opportunity for monitoring. Nelson submitted an impressive set of samples that included the hide, head and neck, liver, heart, lungs with trachea, spleen, lower colon, and lower legs with hooves for disease and parasite testing. Early results showed no signs of brainworm, lungworm, or heavy tick infestation.
Since 2019, Alaska has classified mule deer as a non-native and potentially “deleterious” species, and hunting regulations are intentionally liberal and include no bag limits and no closed season. The driving factor behind the open seasons stem from concerns about the possible introduction of winter ticks, having caused significant problems for moose populations in New England, neighboring Yukon, and the Northwest Territories.
Unlike moose, mule deer can carry winter ticks without suffering major effects, as they are able to groom them effectively. Moose, however, do not, often resulting in severe hair loss, weakened condition, and high mortality, particularly among calves.
A moose with significant hair loss from winter tick infestation | U.S. Geological Survey Massachusetts Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit
Biologists note that warming winters and varying climate conditions are likely aiding both mule deer expansion and the northward movement of parasites like winter ticks. Milder conditions improve tick survival and allow deer to access new habitats that were previously too harsh.
This recent mule deer kill follows a broader trend of southern species expanding into Alaska, including mountain lions, for which the state recently approved a hunting season.
While the harvest represents a new hunting opportunity for Alaskans, wildlife managers are approaching the situation with caution. The real challenge lies in tracking this emerging species while preventing harmful parasites from gaining a foothold in the state.
