Mule Deer vs Cattle ?

[Trigger50]

Will mule deer bed in an area that there is cattle? I have heard various opinions. From my expierence, so far, they seem to prefer bedding areas w no cattle. Just curious what your experience has been?

 

[MontanaWild]

They can be in an area with cattle but in my experience tend to avoid those areas if possible (no pressure). Usually I see the deer move in when the cattle get moved out.

 

[smarandr]

Will mule deer bed in an area that there is cattle? I have heard various opinions. From my expierence, so far, they seem to prefer bedding areas w no cattle. Just curious what your experience has been?

I can't speak to bedding habits, but my experience is that beef cows and mule deer share habitat just fine. I shot the biggest buck of my life on some forest service ground that had active beef grazing going on. In fact for some reason I find the deer to be a little less weary of people when they are around cattle (my current hypothesis is that the stink of the cows helps to cover up the stink of me). That's my experience, I'm sure if you ask 10 other guys you will get 10 different answers though.

 

[jryoung]

We use to have property in a 5,000 acre co-op that leased the land to cattle in the summer to help fund road work. After about ten years the association decided to lease on an every other year basis. One year on, one year off. Overall, deer and elk numbers improved, and antler growth improved. On off years in particular hunting was much better, more game, more bucks/bulls, more opportunity. On off years it wasn't as good, but still better than when the lease was done every year.

 

[idnative1948]

Mule deer aren't bothered much by cattle. Elk is another story.

 

[sweetnectar]

My experience is that it depends on the stocking rate of the cattle. Too many cows per acre seems to push the deer across the fence and then when the cows are moved they come back. If the cows are spread out well the deer don't seem to mind and stay put in the same pasture as the cows. Elk and cows....no one will believe me if I posted my observations...

 

[dan.kirkpatrick]

I have actually seen cows,elk,and mule deer all out in the same meadow at the same time,but id say that in general deer and elk will normally put some distance between them and cows.

 

[mtmiller]

I have seen sage-grouse on a well pad, pronghorn on railroad tracks, mule deer eating residential flower gardens and elk road pizza'ed on a yellow line. Not sure what I should take away from this.

 

[Lawnboy]

Elk and cows....no one will believe me if I posted my observations...

Yea what do you know about elk and cattle?

 

[HowaHunter]

just saw a few mule deer amongst a bunch of slow moving elk this morning.

 

[1_pointer]

My experience is that it depends on the stocking rate of the cattle. Too many cows per acre seems to push the deer across the fence and then when the cows are moved they come back. If the cows are spread out well the deer don't seem to mind and stay put in the same pasture as the cows. Elk and cows....no one will believe me if I posted my observations...

I would agree with this. IIRC, some studies done in Oregon have shown that the mule deer won't leave the area if cattle are present, but do change their habitat preference some while they are there. Again IIRC, they move to less open areas.

I for one would be greatly interested in sweet's observations of cattle and elk.

 

[sweetnectar]

I'm resisting any temptation on that matter.

 

[Devil Diver Down]

I think mule deer wreck the streams too much for the cattle.

 

[1_pointer]

I'm resisting any temptation on that matter.

If you'd prefer, send it to me via pm. I have some thoughts as well as some anecdotal informaiton from a couple of large ranches in UT. I'd be curious to see how they compare to your observations.

 

[mtmiller]

http://scholar.google.com/

"mule deer" "livestock grazing"