Mule Deer

Mule deer are more curious than white-tailed deer and are often seen in open areas. When running for cover, they often pause to look back, giving the hunter a good opportunity for a standing shot. When startled, they bounce high and stiff-legged as if on springs ("stotting"); because of the great distance covered with each bound the mule deer appears to spend most of its time in the air. If not as alarmed, they also will walk, trot or gallop. The fawns and does, though seldom heard, make a bleat; bucks have a guttural grunt, especially during the rut; both sexes snort when alarmed.

The rut usually occurs in November/December and bucks compete by threatening, pushing, fighting and bush-thrashing. Twin fawns are born after 6 to 7 months. Mule and black-tailed deer do not have strong social bonding and will be found either alone or in small groups. Mule deer are sometimes seen in larger groups.

The antlers of the male mule deer grow in forked pairs. Each antler has two main beams, and each of these split again as the animal matures. (This is in contrast to the white-tailed deer antler, which has one main beam with unbranched tines coming off it; see figure.) Mule deer may also have a single "brow tine" near the base of the antler, which is often quite small. A mule deer's rack (both antlers together) curves out to the side, then up (in contrast to the whitetail whose rack wraps forwards; see diagram). Antlers are used for fighting during the rut and then are shed between January and March. The older bucks shed their antlers first. Antlers are regrown between April and August.

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