mule deer

American  

noun

1. a deer, Odocoileus hemionus, of western North America, having large ears and a gray coat.

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mule deer British  

noun

1. a W North American deer, Odocoileus hemionus, with long ears and a black-tipped tail

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Etymology

Origin of mule deer

An Americanism dating back to 1795–1805

Example Sentences

In February of last year, Brian Tillemans submitted a petition to the California Fish and Game Commission spotlighting concerns about dwindling numbers of Eastern Sierra mule deer, as well as bighorn sheep.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 10, 2025

Santa Catalina Island’s mule deer are back in the crosshairs.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 8, 2025

Its native grasses and forested hillsides host nesting ospreys and more than 200 other bird species, along with mule deer, wild turkeys, coyotes and the rare pipevine swallowtail butterfly.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 20, 2024

One study found that a newborn mule deer west of the Sierra Nevada crest is over six times more likely to be killed by a black bear than to die of any other cause.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 21, 2024

Our second night out, two hours before dawn, I was steering from the flying bridge when the head of a mule deer materialized in the spotlight's glare.

From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer