How to identify it
Large-eared deer with a black-tipped tail and bounding gait; tail and antler form help distinguish it from white-tailed deer. [1]
Species it is confused with
Check these before deciding what you are looking at. If you are not certain what it is, do not shoot.
- White-tailed deer · Odocoileus virginianus
Field notes
- Identification Do not identify Mule deer from colour alone. Compare structure, size, range and the listed similar species before making a field decision.[1]
Where it lives
Western shrublands, mountains, forests and open country. [1]
How it behaves
Escapes with a bounding gait; releases metatarsal scent that alerts other deer. [2][3]
Where it is listed for legal take
These authorities list this species for legal take in their own regulations.
Where legal take is listed
- Alberta — hunting · 2026 Alberta Guide to Hunting Regulations
- British Columbia — hunting · 2026-2028 Hunting and Trapping Regulations Synopsis
- Manitoba — hunting · Manitoba Hunting Guide 2026
- Northwest Territories — hunting · NWT Summary of Hunting and Trapping Regulations, July 1 2022 - June 30 2023
- Saskatchewan — hunting · Saskatchewan Hunters Guide 2026-27
- Alaska — hunting · 2026-2027 Alaska Hunting Regulations: Fur Animals, Small Game, Unclassified Game, and Deleterious Exotic Wildlife (pp.140-142) · 2026-2027 Alaska Hunting Regulations No. 67 (complete)
- Arizona — hunting · 2026-2027 Arizona Hunting Regulations
- California — hunting · 2026-2027 California Mammal Hunting Regulations (updated July 1, 2026)
- Colorado — hunting · 2 CCR 406-2 Chapter W-2 Big Game (05/06/2026; eff. 2026-07-01)
- Hawaii — hunting · HAR Title 13 Chapter 123, Rules Regulating Game Mammal Hunting (summary, revised May 2015)
- Idaho — hunting · Idaho Big Game 2026 Seasons & Rules
- Kansas — hunting · KDWP Deer Regulations 2026
- Montana — hunting · 2026 Deer, Elk, Antelope Hunting Regulations
- Nebraska — hunting · Big Game Guide 2024
- Nevada — hunting · CR 26-11 2026 Approved Big Game Quotas
- New Mexico — hunting · 2026-2027 New Mexico Hunting Rules & Information (v08.11.26)
- North Dakota — hunting · 2026 Deer Hunting Proclamation
- Oklahoma — hunting · Deer - Big Game Season
- Oregon — hunting · 2026 Oregon Big Game Hunting Regulations (official ODFW booklet, eRegulations host linked from myodfw.com)
- South Dakota — hunting · 2026 South Dakota Hunting and Trapping Handbook
- Texas — hunting · Mule Deer: 2026-2027 Seasons & Regulations
- Utah — hunting · 2026 Big Game Field Regulations Guidebook
- Washington — hunting · WAC 220-400-020 Classification of wild animals
- Wyoming — hunting · WGFC Ch. 6 Deer Hunting Seasons (dated Apr 22 2026)
Being listed is not an open season. Seasons, zones, licences, methods and limits decide whether this animal may be taken on a given day and place — check Hunt or the authority before you go. Listings read 2026-09-30.
Where it is found
Western North America
Sources
Every claim above is attributed to one of these published sources.
- BIOLOGICALDeer family — Kootenay National Park
Parks Canada · reviewed 2026-09-20
Parks Canada
- BIOLOGICALOdocoileus hemionus (mule deer)
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology · reviewed 2026-09-30
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
- BIOLOGICALMule Deer Species Profile
Alaska Department of Fish and Game · reviewed 2026-09-30
Alaska Department of Fish and Game