Mule Deer

Mule Deer look like a whitetail deer with a skinny brown or black tail and large ears. Mule deer spend early spring and fall migrating. They migrate from higher summer elevations to lower winter elevations and back. They move to lower winter elevations to avoid severe snow storms and deep snow. Deep snow reduces mobility and access to food and water supplies. In dryer areas they migrate in response to rainfall patterns.

When mule deer are startled, they will run in a series of stiff-legged jumps. They land with all 4 hooves at once. The can turn completely around in one jump. They are mainly active in mornings and moonlit nights. When mule deer get overheated they sweat and pant. The mule deer bed down during the day. They use secluded areas to bed down. The mature bucks prefer to bed down on rocky ridges. The doe and fawn prefer open areas to bed down.

Mule deer move between various areas, from forest edges to deserts. It all depends on the season. The mule deer diet is also varied. During spring and summer they eat green leaves, herbs, weeds, grasses, corn, and apples. In the fall and winter they eat fresh green leaves, twigs, ferns, lower tree branches, grasses, corn, and apples. In the fall and winter they eat fresh green leaves, twigs, ferns, lower tree branches, grasses, blackberry vines, raspberry vines, grapes, mistletoe, and mushrooms. They can even eat the fruit off a cactus.

When the antlers start growing in the spring the herds split. The doe wonder off to have fawns. The bucks wonder off in small groups or two-somes, while antlers grow.

From April to June, after 200 days, the doe has her fawns. Twins normally. The doe usually has 1 fawns her first year, then twins every year after. The fawn has a red-brown spotted coat. The fawn usually weighs about 6 pounds at birth. The fawn stays with the doe for the first full year.