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For information about their offspring, see Mule deer fawn.

Mule deer are medium-sized ungulates. They are herbivorous animals found wandering and grazing in some areas of the Yellowstone wilderness. Although they do not travel nor live together in herds, they will sometimes congregate to form small herds.


Mule deer are prey animals that made their debut in WolfQuest: Anniversary Edition. They are a species of deer indigenous to western North America. This species of deer is named for its ears, which are large like those of the mule.[1]


Diet (Modern)[]

Mule deer are herbivores. They spend much of their time grazing.


Habitat (Modern)[]

Mule deer appear in all game worlds: Amethyst Mountain, Lost River, and Slough Creek.

In Slough Creek, mule deer are common in the boulder-heavy segment of the creek found in the south-western portion of the game world.


Life stages & Behavior (Modern)[]

This section details the sex differences and life stages (age groups) for mule deer.


Buck Mule Deer (Modern)[]

Buck mule deer are notably faster than doe mule deer, making them more difficult to hunt. With their antlers, buck mule deer are able to retaliate to their predators during a stand-off, dealing high amounts of damage.


Doe Mule Deer (Modern)[]

Does are most often seen grazing some or with other female mule deer. Depending on the season, they may also be found with a buck or a fawn.

Does with a fawn will become aggressive if challenged, and will attack in order to protect their fawn. Once the fawn is killed, the doe will run away. Does will be more likely to be seen with fawns once they’re older later in the season.


Mule Deer Fawn (Modern)[]

See also: Newborns#Mule deer or Mule deer fawn.

Mule deer fawns appear in the game at various ages. They appear as helpless newborns in May, and are mobile by the summer. By the fall, they have matured more, and are able to keep up with their adult counterparts.


Shared behaviors (Modern)[]

Mule deer will graze in groups of one to five. They will immediately run once a wolf is within their vicinity. Mule deer will stop running once wolves are far enough. Once a wolf is near them again, deer will continue to run in the same approximate direction as their previous run. They will favor water if it is nearby to use against predators as an assist in their getaway.

Mule deer are less likely to enter into a stand-off with the player once their health reaches below a certain point, as they prefer to run away from their predators.


Hunting Strategies (Modern)[]

Deer will generally not enter a standoff as eagerly as moose or elk, and will instead focus on sprinting away. Buck deer travel much quicker and have higher health than doe deer, they, however, will yield a larger carcass. Doe deer or fawns are generally only suitable to feed one or two wolves. As a result, a larger pack will generally have to hunt numerous deer in order to feed themselves.

When hunting a buck mule deer, speed and stamina are essential to winning the hunt. Because the deer's antlers can deal heavy damage, it is advised to bite the animal's ankles or duck quickly out of the way should the deer enter a standoff. Having a mate around to help with the hunt is also helpful and highly advised.

Deer fawns are generally easier to hunt than elk calves, as doe deer will not enter into a standoff as long as elk. Doe deer also are not capable of dealing heavy amounts of damage as elk are, especially on higher difficulties. Although risky, it is quite possible for wolves to simply go-in-for-the-kill toward fawns as their mothers lack the necessary strength to protect them. Additionally, attacking a fawn from its side, away from the mother is generally the best angle to bite it, as its mother will have to go around the fawn to retaliate. Does with two fawns are generally harder to hunt, because both the doe and the untargeted fawn will attack the player wolf. However, if the player wants to kill multiple deer, to feed a large pack, for example, it is easier to be able to kill another fawn than to spend time looking for another fawn or to attack the mother.

Since fawns run slower than their adult counterparts, chasing after a deer who is with a fawn will be easier since the deer will run to keep up with her fawn.

It is possible to limit the chase distance when hunting a deer. Deer will always stop sprinting if they believe that the wolf is far enough. Additionally, once the deer chooses a direction to run in, it will always run in that direction. Once the deer stops, a wolf can reposition itself so that it will be attacking the deer from the same direction the deer will run toward. By sprinting and going for the throat or shoulder, the player can ensure an easy hit. Once out of stamina, a wolf can repeat this process: create distance from deer, deer stops, reposition in front of deer, attack. This allows a wolf to effectively limit the chase distance when hunting a deer, an essential strategy for when chasing prey at the edge of your territory, or at the edge of the map.


Scent (Modern)[]

Main article: Scent view#Anniversary Edition

In scent view, toggled by pressing the V key key, players can easily identify deer by their violet-spectrum scent trails, with calves' tracks being a less saturated violet and adults' being more saturated. Like other NPCs, these entities and their tracks emit scent spores which follow the direction of the wind.

For controllers, scent view is toggled via the Xbox Xbox Left Bumper button, or the PlayStation PlayStation L1 button button.

Scent Data
Footprint Category Spore Carcass Sex Age
WQ-AE Track-buck-muledeer-color Prey Buck deer prey spore Mule deer buck carcass spore Buck Adult
WQ-AE Track-doe-muledeer-color Prey Doe deer prey spore Mule deer doe carcass spore Doe Adult
WQ-AE Track-fawn-muledeer-color Prey Deer fawn prey spore Mule deer fawn carcass spore N/A Calf, Newborn-Juvenile

Deer fawns during the spring are scentless and will not directly appear in scent view until killed. Only when the fawn is mobile will it begin to emit scents.


Carcass and Meat Chunk Information (Modern)[]

Main article: Carcass#Mule deer
Main article: Meat chunk
Image Designation Buck Mule Deer Doe Mule Deer Mule Deer Fawn Mule Deer Fawn (Summer)
Chunk A Chunk A 12.5% 12.5% 12.5% N/A
Chunk C Chunk C 18% 18% N/A N/A
Chunk D Chunk D 12.5% 12.5% 12.5% N/A
Total Food Value of Carcass 180% 110% 60% 30%


Gallery (Modern)[]

Contributions for Mule deer in the Anniversary Edition are welcome in this gallery!


Trivia[]

  • Although capable of running, mule deer are often seen stotting (also called pronking), with all four feet coming down together.[1]
  • A buck's antlers fall off during the winter, then grow again in preparation for the next season's rut.[1]

Anniversary Edition Trivia

  • The model in this game was made by GIM Studio after being commissioned by eduweb.
    • eduweb does not own this model outright due to the high costs associated with exclusive rights. An agreement between both parties allows GIM Studio retains the rights to sell this model to other developers, so it may appear in other games.
  • Mule deer are more common in Yellowstone than white-tail deer, especially in the summer.
    • Mule deer live in more varied habitats – brushy areas, grasslands and coniferous forests – so you’ll will see them throughout the map.[citation needed]
    • In fall, bucks can be seen with a full rack, and they can occasionally be spotted rutting (fighting) with another buck.
    • During these fights, bucks will slightly damage each other.
  • For packs inhabiting the First Meadow area, Boulder Canyon is a good spot to hunt mule deer during the spring and summer, as they won't reliably be able to use the shallow stream to their advantage.
  • They were the fastest ungulates[1] in the game from their introduction up until 1.1.0, when the far faster pronghorn were introduced.


References & External Links[]


NPCs
Competitors & Predators Bald eagleBobcatBlack bearCougarCoyoteDogGolden eagleGrizzly bearRavenRed fox
Prey BeaverBighorn sheepBisonDomestic cattleElkMooseMule deerPorcupinePronghornSnowshoe hare
Newborns & Juveniles Bighorn sheep lambDomestic cattle calfElk calfGrizzly bear cubMoose calfMule deer fawnPronghorn fawn
Wolves Dispersal (Mate) • Offspring: Pup, Yearling, Adult, DisperserPredatorStranger
Non-interactable BirdsCatInsect
Non-entity Human
Miscellaneous AirplaneAmphibiansFishHerdsWolf Packs
Prey
Large Bison (calf) • Elk (calf) • Domestic Cattle (calf) • Moose (calf)
Medium Bighorn sheep (lamb) • Mule deer (fawn) • Pronghorn
Small BeaverPorcupineSnowshoe hare
Miscellaneous Domestic LivestockFishJuvenileNewborn
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