collapse

Advertisement


Author Topic: Curious about mule deer...  (Read 2532 times)

Offline Roper

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Tracker
  • **
  • Join Date: Mar 2007
  • Posts: 60
  • Location: Everett/Oroville
Curious about mule deer...
« on: August 14, 2007, 08:12:15 PM »
I'm not a deer officianado by any means.  So I have a question about the mule deer I see around our house. Several does and their fawns graze on our "yard".  I've noticed the fawns still have white spots, I would have thought that would have changed by now. Are these just born later? When do they loose their spots?

The other question is some of the adult deer have mottled coats, spotty, grey areas mixed in with the brown. Is this normal? Do deer get mange?

Help an old grouse hunter understand if you will, Thanks.

Offline Cougeyes

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Longhunter
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jul 2007
  • Posts: 867
Re: Curious about mule deer...
« Reply #1 on: August 14, 2007, 09:07:11 PM »
Fawns will usually keep their spots until they are weaned, and i'm not positive at what age that actually is, but i'm guessing around late August to september sometime, but that's just a guess.  Their white spots break up the young's reddish/brown coat.  You think of when they're born..usually around May and June, that's about the time when you start seeing new flowers, grasses, and shrubs appear.  The white spots help the fawns conceal themselves when the mom is off feeding. 

As for the "mange" the deer are slowly shedding their summer coats as fall slowly approaches.  You will see them change from the reddish/brown color to their fall and winter coats of a darker gray color.   

Offline Roper

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Tracker
  • **
  • Join Date: Mar 2007
  • Posts: 60
  • Location: Everett/Oroville
Re: Curious about mule deer...
« Reply #2 on: August 15, 2007, 05:23:09 PM »
Thanks for the feedback.

I've got an old Model 94 in 30-30 that has me tempted to try and get a deer. I know it's a brush gun but even with iron sights I can get a decent grouping with it.

I'm not sure I'd like to be out when the "orange bloom" hits the timber, if you get my drift... :rolleyes:

We'll see...

 


* Advertisement

* Recent Topics

FFL preferences or warnings in Olympia or south Sound area? by Sneaky
[Today at 05:43:56 AM]


Toutle Quality Bull - Rifle by RB
[Today at 03:13:07 AM]


Norway pass Elk by Dark2Dark
[Yesterday at 11:51:46 PM]


Bear behavior by lewy
[Yesterday at 11:51:23 PM]


Boat registration by Happy Gilmore
[Yesterday at 10:22:29 PM]


Norway Pass Archery Elk 2025 by Boss .300 winmag
[Yesterday at 09:14:45 PM]


Entiat Quality tag by WAcoueshunter
[Yesterday at 09:05:06 PM]


Idaho 2025 Controlled Hunts by JDArms1240
[Yesterday at 09:03:40 PM]


Palouse/Mica (GMU 127) Access for Trades Work by dr.derek
[Yesterday at 08:29:53 PM]


Pearygin Quality by MADMAX
[Yesterday at 07:55:09 PM]


Teanaway bull elk by Caveman123
[Yesterday at 07:43:44 PM]


Oregon results posted. by Caveman123
[Yesterday at 07:40:47 PM]


2025 Draw Results by Yeti419
[Yesterday at 07:27:32 PM]


Mudflow Archery by Yeti419
[Yesterday at 07:26:25 PM]


Cowiche Quality Buck by dilleytech
[Yesterday at 07:14:35 PM]


Rehome for GWP by Feathernfurr
[Yesterday at 06:43:07 PM]


Vashon Island deer tag by bowhunter_1
[Yesterday at 04:32:43 PM]

SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2025, SimplePortal