A stout, chunky-bodied deer with a yellowish-gray coat, turning to
gray in winter. Has big ears, small white rump patch; white tail with
black tip is held down while running. Has stiff legged, bounding type
gait. Antlers on males (bucks) only.
These beautiful creatures are the most abundant and widely distributed
large animals in the Park. They may be found singly or in small groups
throughout the forest and meadows, during the summer, and often graze at
dusk and during the night near the Trail Ridge Road, from 8,000 to
12,000 feet altitude. In early June the females (does) usually bear
their white-spotted, twin fawns in the deep forests; while the males (or
bucks), having left the family circle, are ranging far and wide in the
wilderness. In early October the snows and winds usually drive the deer
into the lower regions, where they assemble in small herds. The necks of
the bucks begin to swell, heralding the approach of the rutting season,
and a series of fights or "tussles" ensue among the bucks for possession
of their harems of three to five does. These fights consist of the males
horning and pushing one another around for short periods, when the
stronger buck will finally throw the other off his feet and gore him
with sharp, pointed antlers until he leaves. Mule deer herd together in
the winter, feeding on aspen leaves and branches, and pawing away the
snow from low bushes and shrubs to obtain their preferred diet. When the
snow has melted on the steep south slopes in early June, they break up
into little bands and scatter to the four winds.
Mule deer have sharp eyes and a good sense of smell and hearing.
However, they have a peculiar sense of curiosity and, if not alarmed,
will often approach a spectator quite closely.
The number of points on mule deer antlers is a very poor indication of
age. A yearling will usually have a pair of spikes six to eight inches
long, but between two and five years of age the antlers may continue to
hold the four points (tines). Deer (and elk) antlers frequently
deteriorate with age and "go back" to two points or to a freakish number
of points, sometimes numbering up to twenty-four points on a head. Very
old deer and elk usually have short, scrubby sets of antlers and, of
course, all elk and deer males lose their antlers in early spring and
start immediately growing a new set. The hoofed animals in the Park are
preyed on by cougar, coyotes, and bobcats. The coyote, originally a
plains animal, has developed into a stronger and heavier mountain
species, capable of bringing down adult deer and the younger elk and
sheep.