Shoulder height: Up to 94cm (females up to 91cm). Here are just a few other examples of Mule deer subspecies: California Mule deer, Cedros/Cerros Island Mule, deer desert/burro Mule deer, Rocky Mountain Mule deer, and Tiburon Island Mule deer, just to name a few. Body size and facial features indicate a mule deer but the tail is usually dark chocolate brown or black on top and white underneath. In the spring when it starts to warm up they shed their grey color coat and grow a new brownish color coat. Specifically, theyll eat prickly lettuce, Gambel oak, quaking aspen, rice grass, goldeneye, and a wide variety of other foods. Deer vs Reindeer: What Are 8 Key Differences? Now the antlers can have a spread even with or outside the ears with decent mass. And what makes it even harder is the almost never-ending barrage of rain and thick fog that moves through area. Axis deer are generally considered by most hunters to be the best-tasting game meat.. What is the difference between whitetail and blacktail deer? They occur from the crest of the Cascades west to the ocean, preferring brushy, logged lands and coniferous forests. Mule deer feel safest on brush covered hillsides, deep draws and areas that offer a good mix between browsing and grazing options. I guess the old saying It isnt the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog, holds true. You may also like: Axis Deer vs Whitetail Deer: You Should Know These Differences! The black-tailed mature bucks, specifically the Columbia blacktail deer, weigh in around 150 to 200lbs with the does coming in considerably lighter. 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. Its when you start looking a little closer that youll start to notice some of the physical differences. As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Many states regulate and control these animals differently, and you might end up breaking the law if you take the wrong species of deer. A freelance writer of over 5 years, Thomas combines his passion for the great outdoors and writing skills to provide expert information & guides. Thanks for visiting eatingthewild.com. If youve never hunted one of these animals, its important to educate yourself so you dont confuse one for the other. Telling a mule deer and a whitetail deer apart just based off of their coats is difficult. Of the 50 or so Columbian blacktail bucks I've killed only a few were pushing 150 lbs. Folks that are really good at hunting whitetail and then hunt blacktail, are usually found standing in the field with their mouth hanging open, wide eyed, and wondering what just happened. Its also more of a significant feature; on a whitetail. Not all do, though. They raise their tails in alarm when they detect threats. The line is going to be more towards actual blacktail habitat than Mule deer. November 15, 2022 |Brow Tines and Backstrap. Columbian white-tailed and black-tailed deer share the same habitat in some parts of western Oregon. Mule Deer vs White-tail: 5 Key Differences Explained. Bucks have antlers whereas does have no antlers. In the winter they turn more grey. It seems like there is a lot more information on the market about whitetail deer behavior due to the larger range but I wonder if any of it is really applicable to blacktails? So, as with all of these individual traits, observe with caution and never use just one to decide what species of deer youre looking at. Hello, and thank you for visiting Outdoors Mecca. The white-tailed deer are more widespread than the black-tailed deer. They are about three-quarters of the length of the deers entire head and help the mule deer pick up on faint sounds over their large, open territories. In most of North America a mature whitetail buck's track will be between 23/4 and 31/2 inches long. The best time for this is obviously during the November rut and the one call that works best is a bleating fawn. Mule deer usually have small or missing brow tines with bifurcated antler branching, which means tines that split once off of a main beam, and then again toward the tips. Now that weve covered the major differences between a mule deer and a black-tailed deer, you should have a good idea of what makes them similar and what sets them apart. White-tailed deer and mule deer have slightly different reproduction and mating cycles. For the rifle hunters, a flat shooting caliber such as .270, .243 or .30-06 would be ideal for blacktail and achieve the desired result. But only males grow antlers. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Not all do, though. Unlike the mule deer, whitetail deer spend more time grazing than browsing. The further north you go the bigger in body they get, as per Bergman's law. That said, telling a buck from a doe track is an art. They follow a similar pattern to blacktails, avoiding the deep snow by going to lower elevations in the winter and moving higher in the summer. In Iowa, people chase some of the worlds largest Whitetail deer. Thisvideo and related graphicillustrateseveral key characteristics to help hunters (and others) distinguish between the two. Their range extends south as well. Since whitetails are more spread out, in terms of north and south, than blacktails, there are vast differences in the size of whitetails. Albinism is a congenital condition defined by the absence of pigment, resulting in an all-white appearance and pink eyes. These deer are found within coastal regions, and their size results from living in that biome. Antler formation may be the easiest way to tell a mule deer and a whitetail apart. Check outourstories, videos and hard-hitting how-to'sondeer hunting. Copyright Jesse's Hunting & Outdoors L.L.C. Ribbon snakes love water, but are excellent climbers too. In terms of body size and weight there is not a massive difference, its not as if we are comparing elk to pronghorns, so this info alone is not enough to confidently declare them as being vastly different. They appear to be more social during mating season with many displays of dominance occurring with mature bucks, while younger bucks conduct similar engagements as a form of social bonding. 1972. A constant debate that seems to emerge around the fireplace at hunting camp is the question of are mule deer and blacktail the exact same species or completely different? Whitetail are the oldest living species of deer at 3.5 million years old. So for instance, a buck comes in and you can see a 7" G2, a 6" G3 and a 3" G4. With muleys being available to hunt across 16 states, it is obvious they can be found across all types of terrain. 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. The two species of deer dont mingle throughout most of their respective ranges. Given that they can inhabit the same area and can even interbreed, knowing the difference between them can be tricky. Axis Deer vs Whitetail Deer: You Should Know These Differences! Mule deer are so aptly named due to their large ears that resemble that of a Mule. As stated earlier, their antlers are also much different. Two of these species are often confused with one another because they share many similarities; the mule and blacktail deer. What to put in water when boiling deer skull. Mule deer does take longer to mature. Mule Deer vs White-tail: 5 Key Differences Explained. A white- tail/mule deer hybrid has metatarsal glands that split the difference in location, appearance and length (between 2 to 4 inches). They are edge-adapted species using the region's dense forest cover . Whitetail deer has a restless tail. Sometimes, they can even have a dull orangish hue to them. White-tailed deer are one of the most common in the Americas, but there are some less-known creatures, like black-tailed deer. The greatest differences between a white-tailed deer and a black-tailed deer can be found in their morphology and size. I have a copy and its very well written and has incredible pictures also. For instance, a black-tailed deer typically has a lot of black shading on the brows which are notably absent on the whitetail. JSTOR, Available here: https://www.jstor.org/stable/3504024, National Wildlife Federation, Available here: https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Mammals/Mule-Deer, State of Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Available here: https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=muledeer.main, Mule Deer Foundation, Available here: https://muledeer.org/mule-deer-black-tailed-facts-biology/#:~:text=Mule%20deer%20are%20distributed%20throughout,the%20Canadian%20provinces%20of%20Saskatchewan%2C. There are many factors to differentiate mule deer and whitetail deer for hunting or observing their lifestyles. The further north you go the bigger in body they get, as per Bergman's law. The average mule deer will grow between 95 and 330 pounds in weight, 2.8-3.9 feet in height, and between 4 and 7 feet in length. White-tailed deer tend to live in a variety of places. You are using an out of date browser. The rule is pretty straightforwardspecies that live farthest from the equator grow larger than species living closer to the equator. Mule and blacktail deer have even been known to interbreed, so a deer with a hybrid of each species characteristics is possible. 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. The mule deer is the largest of the Odocoileus genus, standing, on the average, 40 to 42 inches at the shoulders and stretching 80 inches or so nose to tail. In fact, Whitetail deer can be found down in South and Central America as well. Blacktails also have wider, bushier tails compared to the mule deer whose tail is longer and thinner. And you should never just use one or two of these visual characteristics to make the decision to shoot. The mule deer and the black-tailed deer have different ranges. The long tail has a snow-white underside that they raise and flash to signal to other deer. Thats because their coats change color depending on the season. The habitat which the blacktail calls home, specifically the Columbia blacktail, is abound with impenetrable vegetation made up of ferns, moss, fallen timber and ever green bushes. Thank you for reading! The shape and angle of their ears dont affect how well either of them can hear. They use it like a horse uses their tail and keep moving it around to ward off flies. 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. Most black-tails live in British Columbia and Alaska, far to the north. In contrast, whitetails coat looks more like reddish, brown color shades. As evident from the height and weight differences, mule deer have a more muscular look with broader shoulders, a thicker neck, and a larger head to support its larger antlers. White-tailed deer and black-tailed deer differ in many ways. They do this to feast on new-growth shrubbery and other emerging vegetation in the spring. Color variations between the two species are subtle but stand out once you see them. Deer in the north have to have thicker hiders and fat layers to resist the chill. Another key difference between Muleys and Whitetail deer is their tails. I'll try to post some pics, I've got quite a few scrapes. From a distance, their antlers seem similar, but on close inspection, there is a distinct difference. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Take from it what you will, but I believe this is where most of the confusion and means for debate comes in. Size: Large males stand up to 3 ft (1 m) at the shoulder. Though both species are related to one another (black-tailed deer being the offshoot progeny of whitetail), several, subtle differences set them apart. And solidly in Blacktail country. ). Others have hunted and continue to hunt both. 3.The buck has a tendency to drag its feet across the ground whereas the doe picks up its feet when moving so it leaves behind a more ordered track. Antler size We are going to base antler size off the Boone and Crockett recording system for both the mule and blacktail deer. Mule deer are different. As stated earlier, their antlers are also much different. On the other hand, it can mean that your soul and spirit needed cleansing. This will be at no cost to you. The size of their ears is determined by what biome you find them in. This white portion of the tail can only be seen when the deer "flags" or . Fully grown does weigh as little as 80 pounds while bucks weigh 160 pounds on average. Reproduction. 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. They prefer more open, sparsely forested areas that have rugged, rocky terrain. Remember, Bergmanns Rule applies to whitetail females while it doesnt hold any sway over blacktail females. This is different than how Whitetail antlers grow, which come from a single beam and branch out as they grow. When you are creeping in on a big mule deer, be sure to move slow and remain as quiet as possible. Summary: 1.A buck is a male deer, and a doe is female deer. Thanks for visiting eatingthewild.com. Mule deer do not have this. Whitetails are subject to a different phenomenon than blacktails, which is Bergmann's Rule. You may also observe that mule deer tails are thinner, look more like a rope, and is black on the tip. As you can see, many different types of deer roam across North (and South) America. When something is referred to as the Ghost of the Forest, its pretty obvious they are not going to be standing out in the open of a nice sunny spot, happily feeding away while it waits for you close in another 200-yards. Whitetail deer have a brown rump and only the underside of its tail is white. This site also participates in other affiliate programs and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. You may observe theres almost no white on a whitetail deer from nose to the eyes. Meanwhile, the black-tailed deer is either Odocoileus hemionus columbianus or the Odocoileus hemionus sitkensis. This site contains affiliate links to products. To recap, the basic idea is that bucks tend to have proportionally larger front versus hind feet than does. This is all about heat dissipation. Luckily the question of if you are dealing with a blacktail deer vs mule deer can be solved with the identification of several interesting differences. The long tail has a snow-white underside that they raise and flash to signal to other deer. They tend to be higher up and in rocky areas. Dont fret. Habitat: Blacktails are a subspecies of mule deer found in western Oregon from the Coast Range east to the Cascade Mountains. Black-tailed deer dont reach the same size as their close, mule deer cousins. Whitetails have smaller, more streamlined heads with white around the eyes. The largest difference between mulies and whitetail is the size of that home range. The whitetail's metatarsals are below the mid-point of the lower leg, less than 1 inch long, and surrounded by white hairs. Neither species has to flick their tails up to notice the difference either. Mule deer antlers grow in a bifurcated way. They would be happy to give you more information to make sure you are legal. This example will show you how to read a pointsummary report. Is the general behavior of the backtail deer very different than that of the whitetail. Their ranges occasionally intercept, where you would be able to find both species in the same area. While blacktails have similar ears, they are noticeably smaller than the mules, which is a great identification trick! Their range is vastly different as well. For a very rough on the hoof estimate on an average sized deer. Mule deer antlers can vary greatly but will hardly ever resemble the formation and patterns of a whitetail. Lifespan: Up to 16 years. The mule deer has a white rump with a small, thin white tail tipped in black. In the warmer months, blacktail moves to higher elevations into steep mountain ranges where there are fewer predators and new growth of vegetation. We may receive a commission with purchases through certain links. I graduated from Rowan University in 2014 with degrees in English and Education. That's why we have theOregon Hunting Many of the physical characteristics of black-tailed deer are similar to those of the larger mule deer. 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, . Contrast, whitetails coat looks more like a rope, and website in this browser for next. Antler formation may be the best-tasting game meat.. what is the almost never-ending barrage of and! Out once you see them, whitetail deer spend more time grazing browsing... 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