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the doe to return and move her fawn to a safe location.
Mating occurs in the fall, with bucks setting up territories based on dominance, and busily trying to locate does. In the fall the buck's antlers are hardened and polished, and he uses them to defend his territory and protect his does. Most mating is concluded by the time winter sets in. If the winter is severe with low temperatures and deep snows, the deer "yard up", or gather together, in areas that provide for most of their needs. Many deer in a group are able to break trails in deep snow more efficiently than a single deer can, which allows each individual to conserve needed energy to fight off the cold.
Foods:
Mule deer are ruminants and digest their food in much the same way as a cow. This digestive process allows them to utilize a wide range of vegetative food stuffs in their diet. In the Pine Ridge, agricultural crops comprise 41 percent of the food with corn (19 percent), green wheat (11 percent) and alfalfa (10 percent) of major importance. In this same area, buck brush makes up 13 percent of the November diet, and ponderosa Pine comprises 18 Percent.
In the North Platte Valley, where 51 percent of the diet consists of crops, com (19 percent), beets (12 percent), and green wheat and alfalfa (each 8 percent) are of particular significance. Here, buck brush (13 percent) and cottonwood (6 percent) are the major woody species used.
On the Bessey Division of the Nebraska National Forest near Halsey, where no crops are available, woody plants comprise 77 percent of the food. Primary species used are buck brush (32 percent), jack pine (23 percent), and wild rose (13 percent). Sunflowers comprise 15 percent, soapweed 3 percent, and miscellaneous grasses and sedges, 4 percent. Small samples from the Bessey Division for spring and autumn show grasses make up about 34 percent of the deer's diet and sedges about six percent. In autumn about 34 percent of the diet is wild rose and 21 percent is redroot, the most important foods.
Reproduction:
The mule deer's breeding season begins in October and ends in early February, with the peak occurring in mid to late November. This is also referred to as the "rut", a time when the buck's neck swells and he fights other bucks for dominance. A single buck is capable of breeding several does.
Does are in heat for about 24 hours, and cycle every 28 days if they are not bred. Fawns are born after a 202 day gestation period, with about half of the young being born between late May and late June.
The mule deer's reproductive rate of 94 fawns per 100 does is low compared to the whitetail's 140 fawns for every 100 does. Sexual maturity is slow in mule deer and only seven percent of the does breed when they are fawns and only 68 percent of yearling does become pregnant. About 65 percent of pregnant mule deer does carry twins compared to 82 percent of whitetail does having multiple births.
Importance:
The mule deer is a symbol of Nebraska's western heritage. A native of the prairie, it remains conspicuous among wildlife residents. Locals and visitors alike appreciate its graceful beauty and its adaptability to harsh environments. Hunters spend thousands of hours in their pursuit each year, and in doing so contribute monetarily to local economies.
Unfortunately, the mule deer's fondness for agricultural crops can lead to problems where deer populations are high. Winter concentrations can cause substantial damage to stored crops, although protective measures such as location selection, fencing, and repellents can reduce these losses. Legal harvest, through hunting seasons, continues to be the major tool employed by wildlife managers to reduce deer populations to minimize problems suffered by landowners.
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