collapse

Advertisement


Author Topic: Curious about mule deer...  (Read 2649 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

Selkirk bull moose. by millerwheeler
[Today at 12:59:23 PM]


Dash cams by CP
[Today at 12:44:52 PM]


Long distance love affair by Fatherof5
[Today at 12:27:31 PM]


Nevada bull hunt 2025 by bearhunter99
[Today at 11:04:37 AM]


Eastern Washington Late Archery by teal101
[Today at 10:43:36 AM]


Older SxS shotgun by JDHasty
[Today at 09:55:52 AM]


Hunter bags 717 lb black bear by mountainman
[Today at 09:48:00 AM]


Perfect evening hunt by RB
[Today at 09:21:26 AM]


Diarrhea ? by sage rat
[Today at 09:13:44 AM]


Old recessed buck by Gonehuntin01
[Today at 08:24:35 AM]


2025 elk success thread!! by JPhelps
[Today at 07:53:10 AM]


2025 15th Annual Hunting-Washington Christmas Gift Exchange by wadu1
[Today at 07:36:08 AM]


Xlr element vs mdt hnt26 by edaniels97
[Today at 05:58:12 AM]


Idaho Non-res hunt draw by huntnnw
[Today at 12:52:57 AM]


CVA Accura LR-X by Rigby416
[Yesterday at 09:23:10 PM]


Last Minute Light by Kingofthemountain83
[Yesterday at 07:57:25 PM]


Winchester SX3 problem by Quackaddict
[Yesterday at 06:31:59 PM]


Last day! Don’t leave us hanging by teanawayslayer
[Yesterday at 05:14:16 PM]


5 Points......(mule deer or blacktails) by boneaddict
[Yesterday at 04:59:15 PM]


2025 blacktail rut thread by Kingofthemountain83
[Yesterday at 01:40:09 PM]

SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2025, SimplePortal