Do Mule Deer Have Babies Every Year?

How old is a mature mule deer?

It can be difficult to age large bucks just by their antlers because after they become fully mature (

4.5 years

), genetics plays a big part in determining antler size. The best way to age a buck is to look at tooth wear.

Where do mule deer go during the day?

In the middle of the day, the mule deer will rest in

a cool, secluded area

. Males prefer to bed down on rocky ridges, while females and fawns prefer open areas.

How many babies do mule deer have?

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.

Do deer mate with their siblings?

1 | Myth: Sibling Fawns Are Always Sired by the Same Bucks

In fact,

it’s relatively common for does to give birth to two fawns sired by two different bucks

. When does come into estrus, breeding parties often form — especially in areas with balanced sex ratios.

What do mule deer eat?

Mule deer eat a wide variety of forage foods–the

leaves, needles, succulent stems, fruits and seeds

–from trees, shrubs, forbs, domestic crops, and green grasses. The best deer range has a good balance of all these foods.

What time of year do mule deer have babies?

Mule deer are serially polygynous, one buck mates with many does. Gestation period is about 200 days. Does can give birth to one, two, or three fawns, though triplets are rare. Fawns are born in

late spring to mid-summer

and are spotted at birth but loose their spots within a few months.

How long are mule deer in labor?

Labor lasts

12 or more hours

. If disturbed by man or a predator, a doe is known to be able to stop the labor process.

What time of day are mule deer most active?

A trophy mule deer buck may weigh up to 500 pounds. Mule deer are extraordinarily sensitive to moving objects. During the heat of the day, mule deer are generally inactive in order to regulate temperature and conserve water. They are more active in the

early morning, late evening, and overnight hours

.

Do mule deer bed in the same place?

Mule deer often bed down on the leeward side of any roll in the topography

, so keep this in mind as move across the land.

What eats mule deers?

Mule deer are prey for many large predators of western North America. In the western U.S. and Canada, those predators are primarily

mountain lions, coyotes, and bobcats

, although black bears, wolves, grizzly bears, and feral dogs will also take mule deer.

Do mule deer need water?

Mule deer, like most large mammals,

need water almost daily

. Over the course of a 24-hour period, they gulp approximately 4 quarts–more during oppressive autumn heat. In the Southwest, the opportunity for water-hole encounters increases given the scarcity of water.

Why do older bucks have bigger antlers?

Similarly, deer in good condition typically hold their antlers longer than deer in poor condition. Antler size is determined by three factors: age, nutrition, and genetics. Age is the simplest factor and also easy to manage. Simply put,

as a buck gets older, his antlers get bigger

.

At what age do mule deer get antlers?

For mule deer and whitetails, that generally means an antler growth peak occurring at

5.5 years of age or older

. For elk, full growth potential may not be reached until over 10 years of age. The buck on the left is mature to post mature and has a smaller rack. The larger buck on the right is middle-aged.

Can mule deer and whitetail breed?

Whitetail bucks will breed with mule deer does

, and the offspring usually retain the whitetail characteristics. Reverse mating — mule deer bucks to whitetail does — is rarer. So where the two species share a common range, the whitetail tends to dominate.

Why do deer hop when they run?

An anti-ambush behavior; animals living in tall grass may leap into the air

to detect potential predators

. An alarm signal to other members of the herd that a predator is hazardously close thereby increasing the survival rate of the herd.

Where do deers sleep?

When the temperature drops, deer often take shelter sleeping

under coniferous trees like pine trees

. The dense, low branches of these trees both protect the deer from wind and falling snow while creating a makeshift roof that holds in heat.

How long is a deer pregnant?

Reindeer: 222 days

Will a buck mate with its mother?

Mating season for most deer occurs between October and early December. Firstly, a mother doe will drive off any male offspring from the previous year.

Male deer don’t have any issues with attempting to mate with their own mother, so the doe takes no chances

.

How many babies do deer have in a lifetime?

A deer may have

between one and three

babies, two being most common. Fawns are born from April though June. They are born with their eyes open and fully furred. The fawn is able to stand in 10 minutes and can walk in 7 hours.

How long are mule deer ears?

On the average mature mule deer buck, with its ears in an alert position, he will have an ear span of

20 to 22 inches tip-to-tip

. But I have measured large specimens with ear tip to tip spans up to 26 inches.

Will mule deer eat corn?

Yes but if whitetail are present they will run mule deer off in most cases

. As said above try some alfalfa. They will eat protein. They aren’t big on visiting corn feeders.

How far can mule deer see?

Eyesight. Using a typical eye exam, a deer would have

20/100 vision

. This means at 20 feet, a deer can see as well as a human can at 100 feet.

Do does mourn their fawns?

The short answer is

yes, probably

. There is not enough research on the topic to say for sure, but careful observers have noted behavior in deer that indicates a sense of loss following the death of a member of their herd.

How can you tell the difference between a black tail and a mule deer?

A blacktail has a wider tail than a mule deer, and it will be more solidly black, with a white fringe at the bottom and a white underside

. A blacktail has smaller glands on the insides of its rear legs than a mule deer does, and those glands are located lower down on the leg.

What do baby mule deer eat?

Fawns eat exclusively mother’s milk for the first two weeks of life. They are herbivores, and once weaned will eat primarily

leaves, twigs, and other greens

.