Understanding what mule deer eat: Key insights for successful hunting

Mule deer are fascinating and adaptable animals, and understanding their diet is crucial for hunters looking to increase their success. Mule deer’s food sources change throughout the year based on the season and their nutritional needs. By understanding what mule deer eat during different times of the year, you can improve your scouting, e-scouting, and overall hunting strategy.

1. The basics of mule deer diet: Browsers vs. grazers

Mule deer are primarily browsers, meaning they consume leafy, flowering plants (forbs), twigs, and woody shrubs. They are selective feeders, constantly seeking out the highest-quality, most nutritious food available. Though they eat grass occasionally, it is not a significant part of their diet. Mule deer have a "sticky tongue," which allows them to carefully choose and consume specific plants they prefer. Their diet is heavily dependent on seasonality, which is why understanding what mule deer eat throughout the year is important for hunters.

2. Seasonal changes in mule deer diet

Mule deer change their feeding habits based on the availability of different food sources throughout the year. In the summer months, they seek out the most nutritious forbs and shrubs, which make up over 80% of their diet. As summer progresses and the plants dry out, mule deer begin to shift toward eating more browse, such as twigs and shrubs. This shift is particularly important in the fall, as mule deer move into more covered areas where they can find browse while also staying safe from predators.

3. Key forage types: Browse, forbs, and grasses

Mule deer forage primarily on:

Most frequently cited forage for mule deer in the Rocky mountains

Browse

Forbs

Grasses

Other

Keep in mind this is just a small sample of the forage types of mule deer. Knowing the types of plants that mule deer consume during each season can help you locate areas with the best food sources, giving you a higher chance of spotting mule deer.

I highly recommend that you check out biology papers on mule deer to learn more about everything a mule deer can eat and what they eat as seasons change.

4. Using maps and technology to find forage

One way to find more mule deer is to use tools like GOHUNT Maps to locate the terrain where these high-quality food sources are most likely to be found. By looking at factors like slope, aspect, and elevation, you can start to zero in on areas that are most likely to hold mule deer based on their seasonal diet.

Additionally, using historical imagery on GOHUNT Maps allows hunters to go back in time and see where vegetation was abundant during key months, like July and August. Identifying green, lush vegetation helps pinpoint where mule deer might be feeding during the early seasons.

5. Opportunistic feeding and the value of observation

Mule deer are opportunistic feeders and will change their diet to take advantage of the most nutritious food available. While e-scouting can help you identify general feeding areas, spending time in the field observing mule deer is critical.

In the summer, a nonlactating doe mule deer, eats about 2.87 pounds/day (2,868-3,824 kcal/day). Foraging time by mule deer can average approximately 10-11 hours/day. (Kie 1996, Gillingham et al. 1997).

Observing what mule deer are eating and where they are feeding can help you adjust your hunting strategy based on what food sources are available at the time.

6. Using technology to identify plants

So what does all this mean, and what can you do to learn more? You can use this to your advantage.

An easy and effective way to identify the plantsthat mule deer are feeding on is by using the iPhone’s built-in plant identification feature. When you spot mule deer feeding on a specific plant, take a photo of it, open the image on your phone, and analyze the image.

How to analyze a plant photo on your phone:

This feature will provide information about the plant, allowing you to identify key food sources that mule deer are targeting. Once you know what plants they are eating, you can look for similar vegetation in other areas to find more deer.

Conclusion: Know their food, find more mule deer

Understanding the relationship between mule deer and their food sources is a vital component of successful hunting. Mule deer are selective browsers, and by identifying where the highest-quality food is available, you can improve your chances of locating them. Use tools like GOHUNT Maps, historical imagery, and plant identification apps to find these food sources and gain an edge in the field. As you learn more about mule deer diets and how they shift throughout the seasons, you'll be better equipped to not only find mule deer but also target mature bucks.