Tahoe Wildlife:
Mule Deer
This species
of deer get their name from unusually large ears which resemble
mule ears. The Mule Deer is closely related to the White-tailed
Deer. Adult male mule deer are called bucks, adult females are
called does, and young of both sexes are called fawns. The average
mule deer stands 40–42 inches at the shoulders and about 80
inches in length from nose to tail. An adult buck will weigh from
150–300 pounds. Mule Deer are migratory, and the ones in the
Lake Tahoe Basin winter in the Carson Valley to the east. Mule Deer
are often sighted in the morning or evening browsing in the
meadows.
The mule deer is a native of North
America. The species originated on this continent from a primitive
deer that came from Asia probably well over a million years ago.
Mule deer most likely evolved in the rugged mountains of the West
where it developed numerous adaptations to the frequently
inhospitable environment.