mule deer

American  

noun

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

---

mule deer British  

noun

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

---

Etymology

Origin of mule deer

An Americanism dating back to 1795–1805

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

mule deer

A judge tentatively rejected a request for a temporary halt to the eradication of all mule deer on Catalina Island.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2026

Bruce Young, 80, a descendant of homesteaders, sat on his porch overlooking Stoner Creek near the Territory 1889 site, and shook his head as a mule deer wandered past.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026

Neither can male mountain lions or mule deer, both of which inhabit this dramatic desert.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 1, 2026

There may be one solution everyone can get behind — something that could offer a lifeline to mule deer without the need to knock out lions.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 10, 2025

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