ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the physical characteristics of black-tailed and mule deer subspecies in western North America. The chapter describes tail configuration and color, face coloration, and antler shape. Black-tailed and mule deer use all the same senses to navigate their world and are visually oriented in many behaviors because of the open landscape they occupy. The stotting gait of mule deer reflects the physical attributes of their habitat and potentially an evolutionarily divergent response to predators. Black-tailed and mule deer are ruminants with a 4-chambered stomach to breakdown fibrous plant material with the help of bacteria and protozoans in the rumen. The growth of their skeletal frame is complete by 4 years of age and sexually dimorphic. Olfactory communication is important for black-tailed and mule deer. Although not obvious, black-tailed and mule deer are vocal and use sounds to show aggression, warn others, display contentment, promote mating, and locate or stay in contact with one another. Internal glands help regulate the timing of many annual cycles and the release and production of hormones. Black-tailed and mule deer are well-adapted to thrive in the western North American landscape, earning them their iconic status as a symbol of wild places.
