Mule deer browse in shrubby areas. Predators rarely attempt to attack adult deer, but prefer to hunt old, young, or sick animals. Formidable Prey – A healthy adult mule deer is a tough adversary. Mule deer can detect slight predator movement up to 600 meters away, but they are not very good at detecting motionless forms. As the other food sources for those canines become scarce, it is more and more common for them to go after deer. A new state amendment gives Utah wildlife managers broader control over killing black bear, mountain lions and other predators to save Mule Deer. A Little History. By Todd A. Drought, habitat degradation, reproduction, water distribution, and predator density are factors affecting mule deer … Some thoughts on the delicated predator prey relationship. Do mule deer have a good sense of smell? The first Estes Valley settlers in the early 1860's found a moderately abundant mule deer numbers. Factors affecting mule deer populations. Mule deer are prey for many large predators of western North America. As an obligate carnivore, meat is a necessity for its diet. 3. Canines are a big problem for deer due to the fact that so many of them are found in the same types of environments. Mule deer bucks can be called in much like whitetails.The two species share a common ancestry, so despite varying appearances they speak the same language. As such, it favors munching on various deer species, such as the white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk, even the moose. Jaguar While there are many predators working against mule deer, their age-old enemies of the coyote, bobcat, mountain lion and wolf have mule deer on guard from the moment they’re born. In the western U.S. and Canada, those predators are primarily mountain lions, coyotes, and bobcats, although black bears, wolves, grizzly bears, and feral dogs will also take mule deer. The effect of predator removal on ungulate and, more specifically, mule deer {Odocoileus hemionus) populations has not heen adequately investigated at a management Habitat of the Mule Deer However, Posted August 2, 2011 by manager. Black. In today’s age, one might think we have a handle on the predator-prey relationship of the mule deer and their many enemies. Predators can have a limiting or regulating e˚ect on mule deer populations. However, predator-prey dynamics are complex and the effect on prey populations is often an interaction of predator life history, climate, prey density, and hahitat quality. Some biologists estimate that a mule deer’s sense of smell is up to 1,000 times stronger than a human’s. Mule deer populations are calculated by Texas Parks and Wildlife biologists through 945 miles of aerial transects and 393 miles of spotlight surveys. NPS. The cougar is a generalist predator, one that will eat any animal it catches – whether it’s big or small. 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