238 



CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME 



rifle, and have been able to prove beyond question that they were old, 

 decadent individuals. The more observant hunters recognize these 

 large, old forked-horn bucks and frequently refer to them as "Pacific" 

 bucks (see Fig. 79). Other le.ss observant hunters marvel at their 

 size but maintain that they are just "forked-horns" and that they 

 therefore must be young deer. 



BREEDING AGE OF DOES 



Caton states that none of the Rocky IMountain mule deer which 

 he raised "showed the least inclination to breed the summer they were 

 a year old." However, Ranger Oscar L. Barnum gives, in letter of 

 February 15, 1931, the known breeding data of two Rocky Mountain 

 mule deer does in California, thus: 



Born First hred Fawn horn 



July 17, 1928 November 27. 1929 (single) June 2.3. 19.S() 



July 17, 1928 December 7, 1929 (twins) July 5, 1930 



Fig. 7 9. A so-called "Pacific" buck is merely a large old decadent buck In 

 which the antler.s have been reduced to the "forked horn" stage as here pictured. 

 Yosemite, December 6, 1927. Mus. Vert. Zool. No. 5625. 



My observations show that many yearling mule deer does in Cali- 

 fornia fail to breed and that over half of them do not breed successfully 

 until they are over two years old. The normal breeding range of the 

 average mule deer doe has, in known instances, been from 2 to 12 

 years of age. 



The average deer hunter finds a doe that has "lost her fawn" 

 through a coyote, bear, eagle, or disease, and jumps to the conclusion 

 that every doe seen in late summer or fall without a fawn is a barren 

 doe. My year-round investigations show that this is not the case and 

 that the percentage of barren does has been exaggerated and is actu- 

 ally not more than 5 or 6 per cent. 



