Mule deer have a darker forehead than that of a whitetail deer. Sitkas also are larger in the body. Alfalfa is easily digestible but will not come cheap. Whitetail and mule deer are two related deer . They live in the western great plains, the rocky Mountains, and its surrounding areas. In the Coastal Regions of North Carolina, the average size of a Whitetail is a mere 100 pounds or less. White-tailed deer and mule deer have slightly different reproduction and mating cycles. With a shoulder height of 31 42 and a nose-to-tail length of 3.9 6.9 ft. A mature mule deer buck will tip the scales from 160 to 330 lbs. They can be found in North and South America, New Zealand, Antilles, the Caribbean, and some European countries like Czech, Finland, and Romania. Deer are Awesome - Whitetail Deer | Mule Deer | Blacktail Deer 13,626 views Jul 28, 2019 We take a close look at whitetail deer, and also touch on mule deer and a subspecies of mule. Thank you for reading! Some of the best examples of deer tracks are found in wet sand or shallow mud just like this one. Its not reliable enough on its own. Cost Breakdown of a Deer Shoulder Mount . Many of the physical characteristics of black-tailed deer are similar to those of the larger mule deer. Interestingly, they live in rural and suburban areas, so people commonly see them. Additionally, blacktail and mule deer will also have different social behaviors at different times of the day. In the Pacific Northwest and into Canada and Alaska, you can find Blacktail deer. The other subspecies would be the Sitka deer or Sitka Blacktail. Bucks have antlers whereas does have no antlers. Damn Dan. Updated weekly by fish and wildlife biologists throughout the state. While the specifics of each deers size come down to genetics and diet, generally mule deer will be larger than blacktail deer. So for instance, a buck comes in and you can see a 7" G2, a 6" G3 and a 3" G4. The black-tailed deer has very similar ears. The blacktail deer ( Odocoileus hemionus ) split off from the whitetail at some time in the past, thought to be a million years ago or more. As stated earlier, their antlers are also much different. The print of a deer's cloven hoof is a split heart shape. Here's a closer look at that business model. Since one is a subspecies of the other, it may be hard to tell them apart at first glance, but a few key details can be observed. Those big old ears are there for a reason and a muley knows how to use them. The further north you go the bigger in body they get, as per Bergman's law. Columbian white-tailed and black-tailed deer share the same habitat in some parts of western Oregon. This is all about heat dissipation. The main difference between whitetail and mule deer is that the whitetail deer has a dark coloured face whereas the mule deer has a white coloured face. 1972. The predominant successful breeding among hybrids is between white-tailed bucks and mule deer does (Carr and Hughes 1993, Cathey et al. Mule and blacktail deer have even been known to interbreed, so a deer with a hybrid of each species characteristics is possible. You are using an out of date browser. A mule deer will generally be larger than a whitetail. Or as difficult as finding them. Whitetails almost always have brown rumps. Mule deer do not have this. Well provide several different ways to tell these animals apart! in 2011 the plaintiffs noted in oral arguments before the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals that the difference is between a claimed 21 deer per square mile carrying capacity in the project EIS, . Body size and facial features indicate a mule deer but the tail is usually dark chocolate brown or black on top and white underneath. Yet, the obvious difference between the two deer is that the blacktail has less white on the rump and a blacker, thicker tail than the mule deer. Cant find what you need? For a very rough on the hoof estimate on an average sized deer. A white- tail/mule deer hybrid has metatarsal glands that split the difference in location, appearance and length (between 2 to 4 inches). Mule deer are different. Do you want to enter your opinion about a specific issue into the public record? Deer come in many shapes and sizes despite seeming like monolithic creatures. Black-tailed deer failed to retain the size of their parent species of mule deer, instead becoming the smallestin general termsof the deer populations existing on the continent. Our blacktails in the Cascades have some muley influence and migrate. I saw several copies including shipping for under $10. Ears are normally larger than a whitetail but smaller than a mule deer. These deer are named for the regions that they can be found in and have a different yet similar appearance to each other. Mule deer have smaller stomachs than whitetail deer, meaning that they also must be more selective in their diet and choose foods with a higher nutritional value. White-tailed deer are found throughout most of North America. The mule deer has a larger maximum size than the black-tailed deer. November 15, 2022 |Brow Tines and Backstrap. by Lakna. Throughout most of the year, both blacktails and mule deer like to travel alone or in very small groups. The antlers of the mule deer and blacktail are bifurcated, which means they fork as they grow. They live in the southern half of Canada except near the west coast and almost all of the U.S. except for the Southwest near the Rocky Mountains. They are mostly browsers and do not spend much time grazing. Black-tailed deer are descendants of whitetail, the latter of which has walked the landscape of North America for roughly 3.5 million years. In the south part of the state they migrate down in North Cal. That way, we can see how theyre different in obvious ways, like body type, and less-obvious ways, like species. Their antlers are appealing, because of the velvety fur covering those. Dr. Valerius Geist is considered the #1 mule deer authority in the world. Both mule deer hunting and whitetail hunting are extremely popular, especially in the U.S. To new hunters and people who dont know what to look for, telling a mule deer and a whitetail apart may be difficult. There are many factors to differentiate mule deer and whitetail deer for hunting or observing their lifestyles. A whitetail gets its name from its tail. Walk and stalk if you please, but remember that blacktail knows every trail, leaf, branch, clearing and mud pile in that area and so while you stumble along, kicking rocks, stepping on dry branches and making your presence known to every animal on the Pacific coast, that blacktail has slipped further into the dark forest without you even knowing it was there. To recap, the basic idea is that bucks tend to have proportionally larger front versus hind feet than does. They cannot mix with other species of deer. Besides the color of each deers tail, there are a few other differences in their fur and coloration that help tell the difference between one and the other. Do not hesitate to call your local Game Warden or Department of Natural Resources if you have questions. Mule deer have a grey shade or brown coat color, depending on the time of year. Their facial fur follows this same pattern as well, with mule deer having brighter facial features with more white fur. Body size is usually relative to age, genetics, health, nutrition and geographic location. Their antler pattern is very similar, but there is a big difference in the length of the metatarsal gland a gland that produces breeding season scents, located above the mid-point of the shank on their hind legs. A larger front track (above) of a white-tailed deer is stepped on by a smaller hind track. Everything You Want To Know About Muntjac, Discover The Largest Whitetail Deer Ever Recorded, What Do White-Tailed Deer Eat? The mule deer is indigenous to the Western North American belt. Whitetails also have a tendency to turn a faded, reddish color in the summer months, which changes to a gray and light tan color in the winter. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Mule Deer vs Black-tailed Deer: What Are the Differences? if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'outdoorsmecca_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_16',118,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-outdoorsmecca_com-medrectangle-3-0'); Blacktail deer can be found along the west coast, from southern Alaska, to British Columbia, to northern Mexico, and even to islands off the coast of Vancouver. Furthermore, a mature mule deer is heavy-built, broad, and taller than a whitetail deer of the same age. Their tail is much smaller and has a range of colors on it. At first glance, mule deer and whitetail deer look the same. For instance, a black-tailed deer typically has a lot of black shading on the brows which are notably absent on the whitetail. Realtree is committed to providing an inclusive and accessible experience to everyone, including those with disabilities.2023 Jordan Outdoor Enterprises, Ltd. All rights reserved. Whitetail deer is probably the most common deer found in North America. As a result, the only weight many hunters obtain for their deer is a field-dressed weight, leaving the whole weight of their quarry unknown. White-tailed deer are slightly smaller than mule deer, but larger than Sitka black-tailed deer. The pointed end is forward. Learn more about us & read our affiliate disclosure. Visit the OutdoorWorld Reviews homepage for more expert information and guides! Both mule deer and whitetail deer hear extremely well. Plus a few laughs. Blacktail behavior vs. whitetail behavior? Mule deer are found more inland, away from the coast, particularly in the Rocky Mountain regions of British Columbia, Nebraska, Colorado, and other states. This color variation doesnt occur in black-tailed deer. Can A Fisher Cat Kill A Coyote? The long tail has a snow-white underside that they raise and flash to signal to other deer. Neither species has to flick their tails up to notice the difference either. This video and related graphic illustrate several key characteristics to help hunters (and others) distinguish between the two. Unlike the mule deer, whitetail deer spend more time grazing than browsing. That makes it important for hunters and other wildlife lovers to know the visual difference between the two. They can be considered the same sub-species. Size also generally depends on where the deer is located. This site contains affiliate links to products. 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