"Mule deer acquire water from numerous sources, notably springs, lakes, wetland ponds, rivers, and streams. Metabolic water may also be produced from browsed succulent vegetation, while snow pack and melt may be consumed in winter. Mule deer require
approximately 0.5 gallons of water per day per 100 pounds of body weight; an average-sized animal would need to drink approximately 1.5 gallons of water per day. Field studies have shown that mule deer home range patterns are closely associated with water availability; research in Texas and New Mexico has shown that desert mule deer numbers increase markedly in habitats where a permanent source of water is introduced. This pattern is particularly noticeable in more arid segments of the mule deer range."
From: Mule Deer
(Odocoileus hemionus)
May 2005 Fish and Wildlife Habitat Management Leaflet
"Mule deer that live in arid and semiarid environments are adapted to scarcity of freestanding water. Hazam an Krausman (1988) and Hervert and Krasumans (1986) reported that desert mule deer in Arizona visited sources of water on average once a day and consumed 5 to 6 liters of water per visit during the hot summer months. Visitation rates and amount of water consumed per visit declined during cooler seasons"
"The abundance and spacing of water sources can influence the distribution in a local area. In northern California, mule deer averaged 1.19 to 1.55 km (0.7 to 0.9 miles) away from water sources, with a mean maximum distance of 2.46 km (1.5 miles)"
From:
Water Allocation in the Klamath Reclamation Project, 2001
Oregon State University University of California