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Columbian Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbiana)
Mammals Around Las Vegas, Wildlife Around Las Vegas
Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus)
Columbian Mule Deer female

General Information: Columbian Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbiana) are deer of the western mountains. In this subspecies (coastal California to coastal Alaska), the rump is tan, and the tail is black. These deer used to be considered a separate species.

Taxonomy: Order: Artiodactyla (Even-toed Hoofed Mammals); Family: Cervidae (Deer, Elk, Moose, Caribou).

There are 11 subspecies of mule deer. In most cases, the subspecies are difficult to tell apart (except by geography). However, there are obvious differences in the tails of some subspecies: some have black tails, some have white tails, and some have white tails with a black tip.

Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus)
Columbian Mule Deer male

Technical Description: Height about 3 feet. Antlers (males only) are forked, each fork being equal in size (compare with White-tailed Deer). Coat color tends to be reddish in the spring and gray in the winter. The hooves are in pairs; one pair primarily contacts the ground, and another usually remains slightly off the ground behind the first.

Breeding: Deer breed in the fall (fall rut) and produce 1-2 young (fawns) in the spring.

Diet: Vegetation; browse on shrubs and twigs.

Range: Coastal California to coastal Alaska.

Comments:

Columbian Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbiana) If you were a tasty bit of browse, this might be the last face you ever see!
Columbian Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbiana)
Columbian Mule Deer; note the black tail
Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus)
Columbian Mule Deer male (buck)
Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus)
Columbian Mule Deer male
Columbian Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbiana)
Columbian Mule Deer male
Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus)
Columbian Mule Deer female
Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus)
Columbian Mule Deer female
Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus)
Columbian Mule Deer females
Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus)
Columbian Mule Deer female and male

Note: All distances, elevations, and other facts are approximate.
copyright; Last updated 231229

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