October 16th, 2012 · Living
Promontory, Park City Utah’s leading private community is built on 7,000 acres and is home to a variety of forest animals. The Stewardship and commitment that our conservancy has for this shared space is what makes living here so special.
One of the many residents that live on property are the mule deer. These animals, with their long Utah history have made their home all over the state of Utah. Promontory, has a healthy herd of the deer. Though capable of walking and running soon after being born, fawn survive by hiding. They are odorless at birth and their spotted coat provides excellent camouflage. If the fawn doesn’t move, it can usually hide from predators. If it were to try to escape by running, it could become an easy meal for a hungry coyote, cougar or bear. When nervous, the mule deer’s walk becomes stiff and jerky, unlike its normal free flowing walk. When frightened,it bounds away on all four feet. This bounding gait, called stotting, allows for sure footed movement over rugged,brushy terrain. Mule deer can cover a distance of nine to seventeen feet with each stot, and can run at 25 miles per hour for short distances. When chased, a mule deer can change direction with each bound, leaping over rocks, logs and brush to place these barriers between itself and a predator.-http://wildlife.utah.gov/publications/pdf/2011_mule_deer.pdf