Harding County, NM

Northeastern New Mexico

Welcome to Harding County, NM

While unable to detect motionless objects, Mule Deer are extraordinarily sensitive to moving objects.

 They do not run as other deer, but have a peculiar and distinctive bounding leap (stotting) over distances up to 8 yards, with all 4 feet coming down together. In this fashion, they can reach a speed of 45 m.p.h. for short periods.

Mule Deer are browsers and eat a great variety of vegetable matter, including fresh green leaves, twigs, lower branches of trees, and various grasses. They are particularly fond of blackberry and raspberry vines, grapes, mistletoe, mushrooms and ferns.

Mule Deer have large ears that move constantly and independently, from whence they get their name, "Mule" or "Burro Deer."

When startled, a Mule Deer will move in a series of stiff-legged jumps with all four feet hitting the ground together. This gait offers two advantages: it allows the deer to out-distance predators in rough terrain, and to see above the thick brush.