The average male deer weighs 200 pounds and the female deer weighs 150 pounds. Description The mule deer is a deer indigenous to western North America and it is named for its ears, which are large like those of a mule. crowding) is about seven. Every serious rancher and wildlife manager strives to learn what the animals on their land eat, using that information in turn to help make good land management decisions. Mule deer are popularly referred to as “mulies” or “blacktails” and can be distinguished from white-tailed deer by differences in facial markings, ears, tail (Fig. 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. Climate change impacts on seasonal growth patterns constitute a risk for migrating mule deer by invalidating historic or learned migration paths. The Mule Deer is a class 6 deer. They have a distinctive white rump patch and a narrow white tail with a black tip. Herds in a portion of northwestern Colorado were so prolific that the area was dubbed “the mule deer factory.”. [59] Suggested measures by property owners to protect mule deer genetic diversity and migration paths include planting deer-restitant plants, placing scare devices such as noise-makers, and desisting from feeding deer. They thrive in habitats that have a combination of early-stage plant growth, mixed-species plant communities, and diverse and extensive shrub growth. Basic deer biology. In winter use lower elevation open shrub dominated slopes (Pac 1976, Mackie et al. Mule deer are Wyoming’s most abundant and sought-after deer. [53], One way to help protect deer from getting hit on roadways is to install high fence wildlife fencing with escape routes. State wildlife managers and wildlife groups are trying to determine what’s behind the declines in western Colorado. [56], The increase in urbanization has impacted mule deer migrations and there is evidence to show it also disrupts gene flow among mule deer populations. The most common plant species consumed by mule deer are: 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. The male deer grow antlers during the summer and fall and shed them each spring. The first group includes all subspecies, except O. h. columbianus and O. h. sitkensis, which are in the black-tailed deer group. Only the underside of the white-tailed deer’s tail is white, while the mule deer’s tail is all-white with a black tip and is much smaller. They can weigh between 130 and 280 pounds (59 and 127 kilograms). At birth, fawns are spotted and weigh approximately 5.5 pounds (2.5 kilograms). 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. In many cases, body size is also a key difference. Does (female deer) are smaller and typically weigh from 43 to 90 kg (95 to 198 lb), with an average of around 68 kg (150 lb). “Legacy in the Crosshairs: Colorado’s ‘Mule-Deer Factory’ on the Decline”. [20][22], Mule deer readily adapt to agricultural products and landscape plantings. Now declining deer populations have people wondering if the factory is running down. Plants that are young and emerging are more nutritious than mature trees and shrubs. Hear from champions for greater and safer access to the outdoors as they discuss the potential solutions to address the intersectional issues faced by Black communities. Mule deer belong to the Mammalian Order Artiodactyla, in the family Cervidae. Now available for 20 states with free shipping! The black-tailed deer is considered by some a distinct species though it is classified as a subspecies of the Mule Deer. Adults have a reddish coat in summer and a gray coat in winter. Description: Mule Deer can be distinguished from other members of the deer family in Kansas by their conspicuously long ears, small tail with a black tip over a white rump patch, and antlers (in males) with Y-shaped forks. Add one of our native plant collections to your garden to help save birds, bees, butterflies, and more. They have a distinctive black forehead, or mask, that contrasts with a light gray face. For decades, western Colorado has been home to some of the country’s largest mule deer herds. [57] One clear option is to not build houses in critical mule deer habitat; however, build near mule deer habitat has resulted in some deer becoming accustom to humans and the resources, such as food and water. They lose their spots two to three months after they are born. Mule deer are selective feeders. Their prominent feature is a pair of large mule-like ears that have given them their common name. Description Mule deer have large ears that move constantly and independently, from whence they get their name, "mule" or "burro deer." Mule deer are adapted to arid, rocky environments. Mule deer have very good night vision and can detect the movement of predators as far away as 600 meters. A characteristic feature of the mule deer is It can be hunted in the Parque Fernando and Silver Ridge Peaks. They have a white rump patch and a small white tail with a black tip. Range Mule deer moves between various zones from the forest edges at higher elevations to the desert floor, depending on the season. The male is a buck, female is a doe, and young is a fawn. [20][27], Humans sometimes engage in supplemental feeding efforts in severe winters in an attempt to avoid mule deer starvation. Each spring, a buck's antlers start to regrow almost immediately after the old antlers are shed. This species is quite large, and some individuals can stand over 42 in. The mule deer's tail is black-tipped, whereas the whitetail's is not. Mule deer are stocky ruminants that are about a third larger than their cousins, the whitetailed deer. They are brownish-gray in color and have a black forehead, white rump patch, and a small white tail with a black tip that droops downward. The mule deer's scientific name is Odocoileus hemionus, which means "hollowed toothed half-ass". 2) and length of the metatarsal gland (Fig. In the summer, mule deer are tannish-brown and in the winter are brownish-gray in color. Two of these island populations of mule deer have been given unique subspecies names (Tiburon Is., Cedros Is. [38][39][40][41], 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. [8], Some authorities have recognized O. h. crooki as a senior synonym of O. h. eremicus, but the type specimen of the former is a hybrid between the mule deer and white-tailed deer, so the name O. h. crooki is invalid. This race is markedly smaller than other mule deer, with an average weight of 54.5 kg (120 lb) and 36 kg (79 lb) in males and females, respectively. Mule deer are slightly larger, have bigger ears, smaller tails, and have a forked antler structure rather than having points that grow from a central branch. The white tails of most mule deer terminate in a tuft of black hairs, or less commonly in a thin tuft of white hairs. 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. Description. [49], Protecting migrations corridors is essential to maintain healthy mule deer populations. 7). Large bucks rarely exceed 95 kg (210 pounds); does weigh about a third less. The summer coat is fine and silky in texture and the winter coat is coarser and thicker. Mule deer range from 3 to 3.5 feet (0.9 to 1 meter) tall at the shoulder, 4.5 to 7 feet (1.4 to 2.1 meters) long, and have a tail that is five to eight inches (13 to 20 centimeters) long. 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