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Where are mule deer foundMule Deer | National Wildlife Federation
Mule deer are selective feeders. Instead of eating large quantities of low-quality feed like grass, they must select the most nutritious plants and parts of plants.
Because of this, mule deer have more specific forage requirements than cattle or elk that share their habitat. Between November and February depending on the locality , bucks that are evenly matched in size and strength engage in battles for the right to mate with females.
They lock antlers and fight until the point of exhaustion, when one will back down and flee from the victor. These victorious bucks attract females to them and attempt to defend them against the attention of other often younger bucks. Sexual maturity is attained at the age of about 18 months in does, but young bucks are not allowed to participate in the rut until they are three to four years old.
The gestation period is approximately to days, and the fawning period extends over several weeks in the summer. The female sequesters herself and drops her fawn in a protected spot, where it remains for a period of a week or 10 days before it is strong enough to follow her.
At birth, fawns are spotted and weigh approximately 5. The young ones are weaned at about the age of 60 or 75 days, at which time they begin to lose their spots.
Mule deer usually live 9 to 11 years in the wild. Now declining deer populations have people wondering if the factory is running down. Mule deer populations have been dropping across the West for several years. Philadelphia, , This site is provided as a public service by the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation with cooperation and funding from the following organizations:.
Moulton, 13 vols. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, Skip to content. Steve Sherman, Lone Wolf Photography. Size ther are several essential differences between the Mule and common deer as well in form as in habits.
Antlers their horns also differ, these in the common deer consist of two main beams from which one or more points project the beam graduly deminishing as the points procede from it, with the mule deer the horns consist of two beams which at the distance of 4 or 6 inches from the head divide themselves each into two equal branches which again either divide into two other equal branches or terminate in a smaller,.
Tail Continuing, Lewis reported: the tail which is usually from 8 to 9 inches long,. Genus and Species Mule deer are newcomers to the genus Odocoileus , having joined its closest relative, the white-tailed deer, only about 10, years ago, at about the end of the last Ice Age.
There, unfortunately, another hangup developed, according to Say: Since our return to Philadelphia, the following description of the animal has been drawn out from the dried skin, which, however, is so much injured by depredating insects, that it has not been judged proper to mount it entire. He proceeded to chart the shape and size of the antlers in more detail, then concluded: This is probably the species mentioned by Lewis and Clark, vol.
Audubon On Stone by Wm. Long Philadelphia: Carey and Lea, See also Roger L. Nichols and Patrick L. Moulton University of Nebraska Press, The story in prose, 14 May —23 September Selected journal excerpts, 14 May —23 September However, because mule and white-tailed deer — along with other ungulates such as caribou and wood bison - can be asymptomatic carriers of disease and parasites that can sicken Alaska's native big game species, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game is actively requesting samples from harvested mule deer in the state.
See how you can help to get involved. Mule deer can be harvested in Alaska year-round. In response to a desire to learn more about mule and white-tailed deer entering Alaska, the Board of Game made it possible for hunters to harvest those deer in Units 1, 5, 11—13, 20 and In the aforementioned units there is no closed season and no bag limit. Heart with lungs attached : Chilled, not frozen. The intent of the new regulation, which takes effect on July 1, , is to harvest and sample mule deer, a species new to Alaska.
Questions about disease and parasite transmission prompted the Alaska Board of Game to create an opportunity for hunters to harvest and subsequently sample those animals. Mule and white-tailed deer are not the only potential carriers of these pathogens. Other ungulates native to Alaska, including moose, can be carriers of some of these pathogens, as well.
Currently, there is no active research being conducted on mule deer in Alaska. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is documenting mule deer sightings. Email dfg. Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Hide Section Navigation. Generally speaking, herds here are doing well and deer numbers are good. Hunters can buy a mule deer buck tag over the counter in Idaho. In fact, Idaho is one of the few states in the country where this is possible. The best mule deer numbers are found southeast of the Panhandle region of Idaho.
Archery season runs in September and most rifle seasons occur during October, with some exceptions. Montana Montana has a lot of country and lot of mule deer. The general tag allows hunters to chase mule deer in units all over the state. The drawback of hunting here is the cost of a non-resident license.
The advantage is that Montana deer seasons run long. With an archery stamp, hunters can pursue mule deer during a six-week archery season that runs until early October and again during a five-week rifle season that ends in late November. Not many other states allow hunters to go after mule deer bucks when they are most vulnerable during the peak of the rut in late November.
Wyoming Wyoming was once considered the cream of the crop for mule deer hunters. While deer numbers and the quality of bucks have declined recently due to drought and tough winters, Wyoming is still a very good destination with ample opportunities for good hunting.
General region-wide deer tags that are good for multiple units are easy to draw as a first choice, with the exception of the famous Region G. There are also unit-specific tags that have different season dates from the general region tags. Some of these are much harder to draw due to increased demand. In Wyoming, federally designated wilderness areas are off-limits to non-resident big game hunters unless they have hired a licensed outfitter.
So, research which tag you apply for carefully or you may find yourself surrounded by public lands you are unable to legally hunt. Some deer units in Wyoming are comprised almost entirely of designated wilderness. However, even with these limitations, Wyoming is a great place to go on your first public lands mule deer hunt. Nebraska With an abundance of flat terrain, agriculture and private land along river corridors, Nebraska is known to most hunters as a state with great whitetail hunting.
That is true, but for hunting mule deer on the eastern edge of their range, Nebraska has a lot to offer hunters. Mule deer are common in the western half of Nebraska, and the terrain there is far from flat. From ponderosa pine covered ridges to the broken Sandhills country, mule deer have a lot of places to hide.
It is true that hunters might not find as much public access in western Nebraska as states in the Rockies, but there are plenty of places to explore.
Where are mule deer found.
The energy they absorb from consuming the plants that they eat at the bottom of the food chain is transferred to the carnivores, the animals at the top of the food chain. In western Nebraska and the western Dakotas, mule deer are preyed upon by mountain lions, bobcats and coyotes.
A mule deer doe grazes next to the side of a road. Like all wildlife, it is important to observe mule deer from a distance, especially during the fall rut when males can act agressively.
Because they tend to browse vegetation alongside of roads, especially at dusk and dawn, it is important to drive with caution when you visit your national parks and other areas where mule deer live.
Following speed limits and paying attention to the roadway, helps prevent collisions not only with mule deer, but other animals that call our parks home. Thank you for doing your part to ensure the continued survival of our native wildlife.
You Might Also Like. Loading results Tags scotts bluff national monument mule deer wildlife nebraska. Generally the rut takes place around October to mid December.
During the rutting period single males are seen in possession of small harems of females, with males competing vigorously for possession of the females. Generally speaking the strongest and largest bucks have the most success at obtaining and holding on to harems.
After a to day long gestation period one or two fawns are born, usually in June or July. Mule Deer fawns are left hidden in long vegetation for the first week of so of their life. After this time they are able to move around and begin to follow the mother doe. The fawns are spotted at birth, but these spots a natural camouflage fade at about 2 months of age.
At birth the young weigh on average 2. Male fawns are heavier than females. The fawns are weaned at about 6 to 7 weeks of age. The young are sexually mature from about 18 months of age. Females normally conceive in their second year, however the bucks rarely get to mate before they are 3 or 4 years old due to fierce competition which favors strong, mature bucks. Mule Deer live in distinct home ranges, where they remain for much of the year.
However, in some areas Mule Deer may move in distinct patterns at certain times of the year in a form of migration. For example in colder areas they may spend the summer months in higher more exposed locations, only returning to lower more sheltered areas when winter and bad weather returns. In desert areas they may move around in response to rainfall patterns, looking for areas of new and fresh grazing.
Dismiss View all alerts. Mule Deer. Scientific Name Odocoileus hemionus. The most defining feature of these deer is their large, mule-like ears. They are brown to gray color, with lighter coloration around their rumps and faces than the rest of their bodies. The tail is white with a black tip. In many cases, body size is also a key difference. The mule deer's tail is black-tipped, whereas the white-tailed deer's is not. Mule deer antlers are bifurcated; they "fork" as they grow, rather than branching from a single main beam, as is the case with white-taileds.
Each spring, a buck's antlers start to regrow almost immediately after the old antlers are shed. Shedding typically takes place in mid-February, with variations occurring by locale. Although capable of running, mule deer are often seen stotting also called pronking , with all four feet coming down together.
The mule deer is the larger of the three Odocoileus species on average, with a height of 80— cm 31—42 in at the shoulders and a nose-to-tail length ranging from 1.
Of this, the tail may comprise Adult bucks normally weigh 55— kg — lb , averaging around 92 kg lb , although trophy specimens may weigh up to kg lb. Does female deer are smaller and typically weigh from 43 to 90 kg 95 to lb , with an average of around 68 kg lb.
Unlike the white-tailed, the mule deer does not generally show marked size variation across its range, although environmental conditions can cause considerable weight fluctuations in any given population. An exception to this is the Sitka deer subspecies O. This race is markedly smaller than other mule deer, with an average weight of In addition to movements related to available shelter and food, the breeding cycle is important in understanding deer behavior.
The " rut " or mating season usually begins in the fall as does go into estrus for a period of a few days and males become more aggressive, competing for mates. Does may mate with more than one buck and go back into estrus within a month if they did not become pregnant. The gestation period is about — days, with fawns born in the spring. Mule deer females usually give birth to two fawns, although if it is their first time having a fawn, they often have just one.
A buck's antlers fall off during the winter, then grow again in preparation for the next season's rut. The annual cycle of antler growth is regulated by changes in the length of the day. The size of mule deer groups follows a marked seasonal pattern. Groups are smallest during fawning season June and July in Saskatchewan and Alberta and largest in early gestation winter; February and March in Saskatchewan and Alberta.
Besides humans, the three leading predators of mule deer are coyotes , wolves , and cougars. Bobcats , Canada lynx , wolverines , American black bears , and grizzly bears may prey upon adult deer, but most often only attack fawns or infirm specimens, or eat a deer after it has died naturally. Bears and smaller-sized carnivores are typically opportunistic feeders , and pose little threat to a strong, healthy mule deer.
In 99 studies of mule deer diets, some species of plants were eaten by mule deer, and their diets vary greatly depending on the season, geographic region, year, and elevation. The diets of mule deer are very similar to those of white-tailed deer in areas where they coexist. Mule deer readily adapt to agricultural products and landscape plantings. Mule deer have also been known to eat ricegrass , gramagrass , and needlegrass , as well as bearberry , bitter cherry , black oak , California buckeye , ceanothus , cedar , cliffrose , cottonwood , creek dogwood , creeping barberry , dogwood , Douglas fir , elderberry , Fendlera species, goldeneye , holly-leaf buckthorn , jack pine , knotweed , Kohleria species, manzanita , mesquite , pine , rabbitbrush , ragweed , redberry , scrub oak , serviceberry including Pacific serviceberry , Sierra juniper , silktassel , snowberry , stonecrop , sunflower , tesota , thimbleberry , turbinella oak , velvet elder , western chokecherry , wild cherry , and wild oats.
Humans sometimes engage in supplemental feeding efforts in severe winters in an attempt to avoid mule deer starvation.
Wildlife agencies discourage such efforts, which cause harm to mule deer populations by spreading disease such as tuberculosis and chronic wasting disease when deer congregate for feed, disrupting migratory patterns, causing overpopulation of local mule deer populations, and cause habitat destruction overbrowsing of shrubs and forbs.
Supplemental feeding efforts might be appropriate when carefully conducted under limited circumstances, but to be successful, the feeding must begin early in the severe winter before poor range conditions and severe weather cause malnourishment or starvation and must be continued until range conditions can support the herd.
Mule deer foraging on a late winter morning at Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park. Male Rocky Mountain mule deer O. Male O. Female Columbian black-tailed deer O. Mule deer are ruminants , meaning they employ a nutrient acquisition strategy of fermenting plant material before digesting it. Deer consuming high-fiber, low-starch diets require less food than those consuming high-starch, low-fiber diets.
Rumination time also increases when deer consume high-fiber, low-starch diets, which allows for increased nutrient acquisition due to greater length of fermentation. The average gross energy content of the consumed forage material is 4. Due to fluctuations in forage quality and availability, mule deer fat storage varies throughout the year, with the most fat stored in October, which is depleted throughout the winter to the lowest levels of fat storage in March.
Changes in hormone levels are indications of physiological adjustments to the changes in the habitat. Total body fat is a measure of the individual's energy reserves, while thyroid hormone concentrations are a metric to determine the deer's ability to use the fat reserves. Triiodothyronine T3 hormone is directly involved with basal metabolic rate and thermoregulation. Mule deer migrate from low elevation winter ranges to high elevations summer ranges.
Mule deer migrate in fall to avoid harsh winter conditions like deep snow that covers up food resources, and in spring follow the emergence of new growth northwards. This contradicts the idea that animals will go to the areas with the best available resources, which makes migratory paths crucial for survival.
There are many risks that mule deer face during migration including climate change and human disturbance. Climate change impacts on seasonal growth patterns constitute a risk for migrating mule deer by invalidating historic or learned migration paths. Human activities such as natural resource extraction, highways, fencing, and urban development all have an impact on mule deer populations and migrations through habitat degradation and fragmentation.
It has also been found that fencing can alter deer behavior, acting as a barrier, and potentially changing mule deer migration patterns.
As a result of this, researchers have seen a decline in mule deer populations. This is especially prominent in Colorado where the population has grown by over 2. Protecting migrations corridors is essential to maintain healthy mule deer populations. One thing everyone can do is help slow the increase in climate change by using greener energy sources and reducing the amount of waste in our households.
Not only will populations benefit from these efforts but so will many other wildlife species. One way to help protect deer from getting hit on roadways is to install high fence wildlife fencing with escape routes. Approaches to mitigating the impact of drilling and mining operations include regulating the time of year when active drilling and heavy traffic to sites are taking place, and using well-informed planning to protect critical deer habitat and using barriers to mitigate the activity, noise, light at the extraction sites.
The increase in urbanization has impacted mule deer migrations and there is evidence to show it also disrupts gene flow among mule deer populations. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Deer indigenous to western North America. Conservation status. Rafinesque , [2]. Sitka black-tailed deer O. Columbian black-tailed deer O.
California mule deer O. Rocky Mountain mule deer O. Retrieved 12 November Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 23 March Mammalian Species : 1—9. JSTOR
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