Mammal
Mule Deer
Odocoileus hemionus
Photo: Calibas, CC BY-SA 3.0
Common Names
Black-tailed Deer / Mule Deer
Habitat
Niobrara
Conservation
Secure
First Observed
1804-09-17
Observed At
Near the mouth of White River, South Dakota
Common everywhere on plains west of Missouri River. First observed by Corps near Niobrara (NE) and became diet staple.
Recent sightings
Where it’s being seen today
56 research-grade iNaturalist observations between 2006–2026. Most recent: 2026-03-17. Sourced from Terrain360 trail captures, cached locally.
Journal References
15 journal entries mention Mule Deer
Jun
3
1804
Missouri River near Osage River — Charles Floyd: June 3, 1804
... from Es' |
Capt Lewis and G. Drureay went hunting Kild one Deer &
Grown hog 4 miles to River murrow on the South Saide it
is about 30 yardes wide and High Cliftes ...
Jun
28
1804
Mouth of Kansas River — Joseph Whitehouse: June 28, 1804
...% Ya little farder is four hundred D?
the hunters kill five deer one woolf and Catch? an other
about five Months old Kept it for three days Cut its Rope
Got away.
Jul
12
1804
Missouri River near Platte River mouth — Joseph Whitehouse: July 12, 1804
...a a pybold horse
on the E. S. the hunters Came in brought 4 deer with them.
Cap" Lewis took the altude as follows Lat* 39? 55" N.
[ 41]
LEWIS AND CLARK JOURNALS | [...
Jul
22
1804
Near Platte River, Council Bluffs area — Joseph Whitehouse: July 22, 1804
...lace is 41° 3% 19°34 North. one of the hunt-
ers killed 2 Deer to day.
ca
Sep
17
1804
Missouri River near White River — Patrick Gass: September 17, 1804
...d is supposed to be the
real antelope. The black-tailed, or mule deer have much
larger ears than the common deer and tails almost without
hair, except at the end, where ...
Sep
19
1804
Missouri River near Big Bend — Joseph Whitehouse: September 19, 1804
...ch Side covered with timber j? Fields killed
a black tailed Deer & hung it up on the bank of the river.
Cap! Clark & 2 men went out to hunt on N.S. at noon we
Saw S...
Nov
2
1804
Joseph Whitehouse: November 2, 1804
...d on the 18" Ins‘ the[y] had good Success the[y] kill? 34
deers, 10 Elks and 5 Buffelows, in all the[y] had Upwards of
20 hundred W! Nothing Else happ™? Extraor...
Nov
17
1804
Fort Mandan, North Dakota — Patrick Gass: November 17, 1804
...d is supposed to be the
real antelope. The black-tailed, or mule deer have much
larger ears than the common deer and tails almost without
hair, except at the end, where ...
May
1
1805
Missouri River near Porcupine River — Joseph Whitehouse: May 1, 1805
...of the party
went out to hunt. they killed one buffaloe one Deer 2 beaver
and one Goose. the party camped opposite to where I lay all
night the man who was with me ...
May
2
1805
Missouri River near Porcupine River — Joseph Whitehouse: May 2, 1805
...ing. Some men went out to hunt. Killed Some
buffaloe & Some Deer. one of the party kill* two beaver last
night. the men who was out a hunting found Several peaces
o...
May
20
1805
Missouri River near Musselshell River — John Ordway: May 20, 1805
...mels with big horns. 2 'buff alow an Elk & a black
taild or mule deer, we Saw a nomber of those big horned animels
on the clifts. but fiew buffalow or Elk, no antilope, ...
May
31
1805
Missouri River, first view of Rocky Mountains — Joseph Whitehouse: May 31, 1805
...s day. the hunters came in at dark had killed 1
black taild Deer 2 Ibex or mountain Sheep (rams) which had
handsom large horns. we took care of the horns in order t...
Jun
5
1805
Marias River decision camp — John Ordway: June 5, 1805
...men went a Short distance
from Camp and killed 2 buffalow 1 mule deer 1 common deer 2
antilopes & a fat Elk. about 2 oClock P. M. Cap* Clark and his
1 The serious nature...
Jun
28
1805
Great Falls Portage — Joseph Whitehouse: June 28, 1805
...rticles
wh[ich] is wet in the canoes. he had killed Several Deer, and
Saved the most of the meat. we hoisted up our flags and pro-
ceeded on the current verry rapid...
Jun
29
1805
Great Falls Portage — Joseph Whitehouse: June 29, 1805
...ame 19% ml! this day and Camped on the large
plain N.S. one deer killed this day. a white bear Seen.
pleanty of Elk sign. we Saw a great many different kinds of
Sna...