SOUTHWESTERN STATES

Mule Deer
Odocoileus hemionus
Deer Family
H 3'4"; L 7'; T 8"; female smaller. Reddish brown in summer, light gray-brown in winter. White muzzle and eye ring contrast with black nose and eyes. Ears large, mule-like. Legs slender, buffy. In summer, buck develops antlers: 2 upward-angled beams fork twice into total of 4 points per beam. White rump extending above white, black-tipped tail. Juv. spotted. Runs with stiff-legged, bounding gait. In winter, forms small herds. Declining in many areas; esp. in areas with increasing Elk (Wapiti). Breeding: Mates Oct. - Jan.; 1 - 2 young born in June - Aug. Sign: Browse marks; buck rubs. Tracks: narrow "split hearts"; male's prints 3 1/4", female's 2 3/4". Habitat: Forests, sagebrush, meadows. Activity: Day and night, year-round; mostly nocturnal where hunted.

PHOTO: Michael H. Francis