Episode 24: Mule Deer Origins

Mule deer, or muleys, are one if, if not the most, iconic critters in western North America. They are synonymous with wide-open landscapes, canyons, mountains and nearly any landscape found here. When a number of mule deer populations across several states declined several decades ago, the Mule Deer Working Group was formed to tackle conservation issues through sharing science and information across wildlife agencies. Jim Heffelfinger is the chair of the Mule Deer Working Group and the Wildlife Science Coordinator at the Arizona Game and Fish Department, and an expert in mule deer morphology and evolution.