Social Behavior and Breeding system of the Desert Mule Deer

Kucera, Thomas

Desert mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus crooki) were observed in Big Bend National Park, Texas, during rut to determine their breeding system and to describe and quantify social behavior. The deer were gregarious throughout the study; group sizes ranged from one to 24, with a mean of 5.2. Male-male acts such as head-toss, rub-urination, antler thrash-forehead rub, and chase were performed in dominance and agonistic interactions, most frequently by the larger antler classes, and were closely associated with rut. Sparring was inversely associated with rut, and was most frequent in the smaller antler classes. Among female-female acts, the strike and flail were inversely associated with rut. Tending bonds were formed between individual bucks and estrous does. No attempt by bucks to herd or defend groups of does was seen; rather, the dominant buck in any group tended a doe until mating or until displacement by a more dominant buck. Frequency of heterosexual behavior was positively correlated with antler classes and increased among larger classes at an accelerating rate. Heterosexual behavior by males of lesser dominance was not tolerated.

Social Behavior and Breeding system of the Desert Mule Deer

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