Predators rarely attempt to attack adult deer, but prefer to hunt old, young, or sick animals. 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. 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. Mule Deer History. This species’ most common predators are cougars, coyotes, and gray wolves. Its basic biology, a predator that kills and eats its prey impacts that animal and may to some extent impact the population of an area. A new state amendment gives Utah wildlife managers broader control over killing black bear, mountain lions and other predators to save Mule Deer. Some biologists estimate that a mule deer’s sense of smell is up to 1,000 times stronger than a human’s. Canines are a big problem for deer due to the fact that so many of them are found in the same types of environments. As an obligate carnivore, meat is a necessity for its diet. Drought, habitat degradation, reproduction, water distribution, and predator density are factors affecting mule deer … They’ll go head-to-head during the pre-rut and the rut. As such, it favors munching on various deer species, such as the white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk, even the moose. Factors affecting mule deer populations. The first Estes Valley settlers in the early 1860's found a moderately abundant mule deer numbers. The cougar is a generalist predator, one that will eat any animal it catches – whether it’s big or small. 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. Mule deer browse in shrubby areas. 3. Predators can have a limiting or regulating e˚ect on mule deer populations. In today’s age, one might think we have a handle on the predator-prey relationship of the mule deer and their many enemies. Habitat of the Mule Deer Black. Deer are often the victims of various types of predator out there in the wild. A Little History. 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. Mule deer populations are calculated by Texas Parks and Wildlife biologists through 945 miles of aerial transects and 393 miles of spotlight surveys. Do mule deer have a good sense of smell? Posted August 2, 2011 by manager. By Todd A. Rattle Their Cage: Mule deer enjoy a good fight as much as any whitetail. Formidable Prey – A healthy adult mule deer is a tough adversary. 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