This really needs no explanation.
We are used to this sign of a mammal being in our yard and area by the tell-tale sign of his scat. The Mule deer, Odocoileus hemionus, is a familiar sight but still makes me stop and take notice. They are such gentle creatures and usually very shy.
A deer hit my car last year and made a dent in the driver's door and messed up my rear view mirror. He survived and I think he was a little mad at me. I was doing everything I could to avoid hitting him but he was actually trying to run up along side me and butt me with his head. It was a strange event and very memorable.
I can tell you from personal experience that Mule deer love rose blossoms and everything they can get their teeth on from my garden. We have put up a fence to keep them out of the garden but they still find things to munch on in our yard when they get hungry enough in the late summer.
I could not find any information in the Handbook of Nature Study but I do have a mammal field guide that shows an illustration, the scat, the tracks, and the look of the deer in various times of the season.
I love deer, just not in my garden or running alongside my car.
Barb-Harmony Art Mom