Mule Deer
Odocoileus hemionus
Appearance
Mule deer have large, mule-like ears, a white rump and a white tail with a black tip. They can grow to over one metre tall at the shoulder and can weigh 30 to 210 kilograms. The males grow a set of antlers each year.
Range & Habitat
They are found in almost every ecoprovince in B.C. They are also found across much of North America and Mexico. Mule deer live from the alpine to wet forests and are often found in areas cleared by forest fires or logging.
Reciprocal Relationships
Mule deer are primary consumers. They eat grass, foliage, twigs, and shrubs. In the winter they retreat to the forest, where they browse understory vegetation, particularly lichens. The males use their antlers for fighting, getting food from trees and defense. They are a vital part of the diet of different predators. The cougar depends on this species, and the mule deer helps supplement the diet of bears, coyotes, and scavenger species.
Deer populations are being threatened by logging. Deer need forests for their winter range because the trees keep snow off the ground, leaving plenty of food for the animals. Logging road systems also provide easy access to deer by their predators: wolves, cougars and humans.
The mule deer is an important food for many First Nations such as the Shuswap and Lillooet, especially during salmon scarcities.
Deer populations are being threatened by logging. Deer need forests for their winter range because the trees keep snow off the ground, leaving plenty of food for the animals. Logging road systems also provide easy access to deer by their predators: wolves, cougars and humans.
The mule deer is an important food for many First Nations such as the Shuswap and Lillooet, especially during salmon scarcities.
more information
If you belong to a First Nation with a story or piece of information not represented here and you would like to share more about this species, please email us at education@sierraclub.bc.ca.
photo credit
Canva
