mule deer

Encyclopedia Article

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Mule deer are easy to identify due to their large mule-like ears. They are brownish-gray in color, have a white rump patch, and a small white tail with a black tip. There are believed to be several subspecies, including the black-tailed deer. They do not run as other deer, but have a distinctive bounding leap that can cover distances up to 8 yards.

Photo Credit: 

 
"Mule Deer in Sagebrush and Snow, December 27, 2014" by Tom Koerner/USFWS Mountain-Prairie is licensed under CC BY.

Published Works: 
The Boy Who Made Dragonfly (1972)
Dance Hall of the Dead (1973)
People of Darkness (1980)
Term Type: 
Natural Environment Reference