If it wasn’t for Amazon, I wouldn’t have seen the Mulies in our front yard. Mulies is a nickname for Mule Deer, which are the most common species of deer in Arizona.
I was walking by our front windows, when I spotted a package outside our front gate. I opened the front door and walked outside. That’s when I saw three mule deer. I went back inside to grab my camera. But I had the wrong lens, my macro lens, on the camera body. I watched as the deer left the front yard and meandered along the side of our house, outside the fence. They reached the backyard, and were munching away on jojoba. I realized they were content and not going anywhere, so I had time to change lenses.
They were also snacking on Palo Verde trees, which are in full bloom now with yellow flowers.
At first, I didn’t get any good shots of the Mulies, because of brush and bushes blocking my view. I watched as seven deer crossed our backyard behind our fence to the side yard. That’s when I started taking more photos.
Eventually they made it to the front yard and were walking across our driveway.
One Mulie thought the Bottlebrush bush looked tasty.
The deer didn’t do too much damage to the Bottlebrush.
Here are several deer in our front yard.
Eventually they all crossed the street to continue their neighborhood stroll. I watched as they disappeared in the brush.
Do you have a favorite Mule Deer photo?
What are your weekend plans?
I think the first pic is my favorite, but they’re all wonderful. When we visited Arizona we saw mule deer and though they’re very similar to our white tails… they’re quite a bit smaller.
Hope they didn’t do too much garden damage.
The first photo is my favorite too. Since I was out photographing them, they didn’t do too much damage to our plants. They moved along. Otherwise, the jojoba would be stripped down to nothing. Not to mention our Bottlebrush!
Really great shots. I especially like the one with the deer munching on the Palo Verde. All that yellow in the background makes the photo quite beautiful, in my view.
Thanks! I was so excited watching them munch on the Palo Verde and happy the photo turned out.
They’re ears are huge. I knew they were bigger than whitetail but this really shows it. Wow. Love that they were just ambling along. They definitely liked your trees. No interrupting lunch. 🤣🤣🤣🤣😎
I’m so glad you enjoyed the photos. The juveniles’ ears really look huge. They haven’t grown into them yet! Although the adults still have big ears compared to other deer. Once they stopped and started munching, I realized I could change lenses and had lots of time to get photos.
The first and fourth photos, Elizabeth, the fourth shows (to me) how much smaller these deer are compared to the Michigan White Tail deer. They are so cute! The first photo is so cute!
I like the first one best, too. Mule deer are larger than white tail. But we had quite a few juveniles in this group of visitors that I took photos of. That’s probably why they look smaller.
Your photos are beautiful! It’s so neat how much wildlife you have in your backyard. We’ve got a bit, but no mulies.
I’m glad you enjoy my photos. We have a ton of wildlife because the McDowell Sonoran Preserve is across the street. Then we have a wash behind our fence that the wildlife uses as a thoroughfare.
Incredible! I like the first one where you can see both ears! Stunning photos, Elizabeth!
Thanks! That photo is my favorite one, too!
Isn’t it wonderful when these herds come roaming through a neighborhood! I love seeing ours up close, although I’m sure some people wouldn’t agree. We have white tails mostly but I would suspect mule deer to be pretty prominent farther south in CO.
I agree! It was an exciting morning and made my day. We’re supposed to have white tails, too, but I’ve only seen mule deer.
I’m not always great at telling them apart although I know mule deer have bigger ears and of course the tails are different so I could be mistaking one for the other and not even realizing it 🙂 No matter what they are it’s just a treat to have them near. I’m hoping we might get to see elk in the fall when they come down farther during the rut season, although I think they stay farther north so maybe a trip up near Boulder…
They are beautiful. I think I like the 5th picture best- the sort of close up of the back of deer’s head and ears with the greenery behind it.
I’m glad you are enjoying my photos. I almost didn’t include that photo, but the more I looked at it,themore I liked it.
I like the one that you see the back of the head. it’s a cool vantage point. also it’s so fun that you saw these guys!! today book club and then dinner with friends. Sunday going to orchid show at botanic garden
That one grew on me. At first I didn’t include it. Sounds like a fun weekend.
Love all these pictures. An amazing experience Elizabeth. Thanks for sharing
I’m so glad you enjoyed them. 😊
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Thank God for Amazon! Such beautiful creatures and you captured them so well. Glad your camera is always handy. Hugs, C
Who knew Amazon would be so helpful. I was on my way into the shower and would have missed the entire scene.
My fave is actually the back of the head shot with the purple foliage. The Mulies come through here fairly often. They’re always in the neighborhood. They especially like browsing the bitterbrush.
I haven’t seen mulies in over a year so it was a treat. I almost didn’t include the photo of the back of the head, but it’s several peoples favorite.
They’re all lovely; how sweet that they visited you!!
We have lots of deer in Georgia, but I think they’re Whitetail deer. Maybe we have Mulies too? I have no idea.
I hadn’t seen the Mulies for at least a year. We’re going to get a galvanized steel tub to fill with water. Maybe we’ll get more! We are supposed to have Whitetails too, but I’ve never seenone.