If the mule deer loses its antlers the new antlers can regrow almost instantly. The largest males, having the biggest antlers, are the dominant ones, and they breed most often during the season of mating. 500mm f/4.0 1/320s ISO 800 4518 x 3012px. They begin to accompany their mothers within a few weeks. Close up of Female Elk Cow Resting in the Woods, Close up of Female Elk Cow in the Canadian Rockies.

[5][35] Additionally, the validity of O. h. inyoensis has been questioned, and the two insular O. h. cerrosensis and O. h. sheldoni may be synonyms of O. h. eremicus or O. h. An adorable baby Mule Deer (Fawn) looking for food in the Canadian wilderness during Autumn. The total number of the Mule deer population is unknown for today, but according to the Gohunt resource, specific populations were estimated in these regions: Colorado - 408,000 deers; Nevada - 106,000 deers; Utah – 80,600 deers.

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM Lens . [1][5][6][7][9][34] Mule deer apparently evolved from the black-tailed deer. Bucks which are older than yearlings will often group together, otherwise they remain solitary. There is a white patch on their rump and they have a small white tail tipped with black. Males grow forked antlers that have 8 to 10 points and spread as much as 4 feet (1.2 m). Does are sexually mature at about 18 months old but young bucks are not permitted to mate until the age of 3 or 4 years. [32] 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. feral dogs), competition for grazing with livestock, habitat loss and other actions by humans. From November to February, bucks evenly matched in strength and size compete in battles for access to mate with females. There are 10 subspecies of mule deer. Each spring, a buck's antlers start to regrow almost immediately after the old antlers are shed. — Photo by ronniechua. The antlers split off from the main branch forming two branches, each branch has 2 or more tines. The weaning process begins when the fawns are around 5 weeks old and it is usually completed by the time they are 16 weeks old. [26], Mule deer are variably gregarious, with a large proportion of solitary individuals (35 to 64%) and small groups (groups with ≤5 deer, 50 to 78%). [25] Where available, mule deer also eat a variety of wild mushrooms, which are most abundant in late summer and fall in the southern Rocky Mountains; mushrooms provide moisture, protein, phosphorus, and potassium. The deer also feeds on Gambel oak, skunkbush sumac, quaking aspen, lichen, fringed sagebrush, thistle, prickly lettuce, western yarrow, holly-leaf buckthorn, creek dogwood, black oak, cedar, scrub oak, snowberry, wild cherry, pine, dandelion, and American vetch. Mule deer females usually give birth to two fawns, although if it is their first time having a baby they often only have... Mule deer have no upper teeth, only a hard palate. proteins, starches, sugars, and hemicellulose) than those consumed in the winter.

Further threats include: great numbers in predator populations (e.g. Mule deer inhabit most of the western area of North America, from the Alaskan coastal islands, down to southern Baja Mexico. Rumination time also increases when deer consume high-fiber, low-starch diets, which allows for increased nutrient acquisition due to greater length of fermentation.

All Rights Reserved. Mule deer and baby Clipart Free download! Gestation lasts 6 to 7 months and one or two fawns are born in early summer. peninsulae. Overall mule deer numbers are stable today and they are classified as least concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List. Mule deer are found in Rocky Mountain, coastal islands of Alaska, southern Baja Mexico, Zacatecas (Mexico), Great Plains, British Colombia, southern Yukon Territory and Missouri River.

It was lightly raining when this shot was taken - which yielded a soft light. [15] The survival rate of the fawns during labor is about 50%. The male deer grow antlers during the summer and fall and shed them each spring. In captivity however they can live much longer. They have a sense of smell that is 1000 times the accuracy of the human sense of smell. They move between a range of zones from higher elevation forest edges to the desert, depending on the season, preferring arid, open regions and rocky hillsides. [16] Fawns stay with their mothers during the summer and are weaned in the fall after about 60–75 days. For your safety we’ve made modifications to our operations. Wildlife agencies discourage most such efforts, which may cause harm to mule deer populations by spreading disease (such as tuberculosis and chronic wasting disease) when deer congregate for feed, disrupting migratory patterns, and causing overpopulation of local mule deer populations and overbrowsing of shrubs and forbs. [10][11][12][13], 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.

The breeding season of mule deer begins in fall each year. Mule deer have a lifespan of 9 – 11 years in the wild. [8][9] Many claims of observations of wild hybrids are not legitimate, as identification based on external features is complicated. There are often twin births after the first pregnancy. By clicking on Sign up, you agree to Depositphotos. Mule deer females usually give birth to two fawns, although if it is their first time having a baby they often only have one fawn. Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) are easy to identify due to their large mule-like ears.

The mule deer's tail is black-tipped, whereas the white-tailed deer's is not. [17], Besides humans, the three leading predators of mule deer are coyotes, wolves, and cougars. Mule deer are a social species and typically stay in groups of multi-generational families of related females with their offspring. [26] Supplemental feeding efforts are 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. Predators of mule deer are gray wolves, wolverines, brown bears, coyotes, cougars, American black bears bobcats, and cougars. Wild horned roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) walking in oak forest at feeding spot, Female Red deer in the natural environment. [15][17], The size of mule deer groups follows a marked seasonal pattern. They particularly like blackberry and raspberry vines, mistletoe, grapes, mushrooms and ferns. Mule deer have also been introduced to Argentina and Kauai, Hawaii.[5]. These antlers mostly regrow in spring. Females (does) do not have antlers.

Despite this, the mtDNAof the white-tailed deer and mule d… Starting at Only $3.00, Reikan Releases Major Upgrade with FoCal 2020, 1 Available: 10-Condition Used Really Right Stuff TQC-14 Mk2 Carbon Fiber Tripod at B&H. Adult bucks normally weigh 55–150 kg (121–331 lb), averaging around 92 kg (203 lb), although trophy specimens may weigh up to 210 kg (460 lb). Cookie Cutter Shark Facts for Kids – Cookie Cutter Shark Interesting Facts, Greenland Shark Facts for Kids – Greenland Shark Interesting Facts & Information, Megalodon Shark Facts for Kids – Megalodon Shark Facts and Information, Tasmanian Devil Facts for Kids – Fun Facts & Information, Wedge Tailed Eagle Facts for Kids – Australian Wedge Tailed Eagle Facts, Harpy Eagle Facts for Kids – Harpy Eagle Fun Facts, Red Deer Facts for Kids – Red Deer Facts & Information, White Tailed Deer Fun Facts – Interesting Facts and Information.