Record Book Deer

Anthropology

A partial skeleton of what could be a deer dating back 7 million years has been found in Franklin County.

Two brothers, who were hunting for agates along the Columbia River last week, found the nearly intact skull, neck and front legs of the ancient deer instead.

Richland anthropologist Jim Chatters said Andrew and Rick Gilmore’s discovery could be the most complete skeleton of any animal found in the Ringold formation.

Estimated at 7 million years old, the formation reaches 450 feet below the surface and is made up of river cobbles beneath fine riverbed deposits.

Remains of camel and rhinoceros, which evolved in North America, also have been discovered in the Mid-Columbia.

The skeleton likely belonged to a doe because there were no antlers, Chatters said.

According to him, the skeleton showed several differences between the deer and its modern counterparts.

For example, Chatters said, the teeth are less specialized and the legs are bulkier but shorter. Two puncture marks above the deer’s jaw indicate the animal may have died at the sharp teeth of a carnivore.