Mule Deer

Mule deer buck.

NPS/CRMO

Rocky Mountain Mule Deer

Odocoileus hemionus hemionus

Size (length):

3.9 to 6.9 ft (1.2 to 2.1 m) nose to tail, 3 to 3.5 ft at shoulder (0.9 to 1 m), Males (referred to as “bucks”) 125 to 250lbs (57 to 114 kg); Females (referred to as does), 100 to 150lbs (45 to 60 kg)

Habitat:

Generally seen throughout Utah. Bucks may be found at higher elevations than does and fawns. Mule deer living in desert environments may migrate to cooler areas in the summer, while mule deer living at higher elevations will move to less harsh environments in the winter.

Diet:

Herbivore; researchers have documented that mule deer feed on nearly 800 species of plant. Sixty percent of their diet are non-woody herbaceous plants, 25% woody shrubs and trees and 12% grasses. They are selective feeders, rarely concentrating on one species of plant.

Predators:

Coyote, mountain lion, bobcat, black bear, gray fox and some raptors

General Biology:

Mule deer are the smallest species of the deer family in Utah after moose and elk. They get their name from their large ears. They can also be identified by their white rump patch and narrow, black-tipped tail. Unlike white-tailed deer, mule deer run with their tail down. Only bucks have antlers which are shed each year. In the spring, bucks will start growing antlers that are covered in “velvet.” The velvet will shed in the fall and the antlers becomes hardened. A buck’s antlers will have a main beam that forks into two branches with each point (or tine) being approximately equal in length. Antlers points are not a good indicator of age but are an indicator of the general health of the animal. Antlers are typically shed in December. For mule deer, breeding season usually occurs in November and December. Dominance of the bucks is usually determined through “play fighting” throughout the summer and early fall. Does may breed with more than one buck sometimes resulting in twin fawns of different fathers. During the winter, mule deer have a heavy, dark grey coat of long guard hairs that covers a dense under fur. This grey coat will be shed as temperatures warm.

Behavior:

Mule deer will walk in a stiff and jerky manner when they become nervous. If their nervousness turns to fright, they will bounce away on all four feet in a manner called “stotting.” The stotting movement provides the deer with sure-footed movement through rugged terrain. They can cover a distance of nine to seventeen feet with each bounce, at a rate of up to 25 miles per hour (40 kph). When they are chased, they are capable of changing direction with each bound and will do their best to place barriers such as rocks, brush and logs between themselves and their predator. When newly born, fawns find protection by hiding, though they are capable of walking and running from birth. Fawns are odorless at birth and with their spotted coat, are well camouflaged from predators.

Conservation:

The Rocky Mountain mule deer is the largest subspecies of mule deer and is the only member of the mule deer family found in Utah. The Rocky Mountain mule deer has the largest distribution of any antlered animal in North America, ranging from northern Canada to central Mexico.

When to see at Bryce Canyon:

Mule deer are frequently seen foraging along roadsides in Bryce Canyon National Park early in the morning and late in the afternoon. Their newborn fawns are also visible in July and August foraging along with their mothers.