Yet there is a clear difference between the antler scores of both deer. During hunting seasons, whitetails prefer thick, brushy bedding areas, while mule deer often choose shady spots near the tops of ridges where they can survey a large area for danger. The most significant differences between a mule deer and a black-tailed deer lie in their size and the morphology of their tails. Do you want to enter your opinion about a specific issue into the public record? 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 is all about heat dissipation. These deer can be found in northern Mexico along with Baja California. Hey I'm Karson. Can A Fisher Cat Kill A Coyote? Alfalfa is easily digestible but will not come cheap. When you add up the clues, they'll tell you if it's a buck or a doe. The blacktail deer is a subspecies of the mule deer. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. However, their territories do overlap in some locations. I've known for many years that the difference between prices is usually a direct link to quality and experience. They both have similar life spans, living for about 10 or 11 years in the wild and can live up to 20 years in captivity. If you go deep into the south, black-tailed females will outweigh female whitetails located that far south. Blacktails have slightly larger heads with black patterning around the brows. Same species, yes but from the habitat and terrain to the very nature and movements of the blacktail versus the mule deer, in my books, they are completely different and anyone who is lucky enough to have hunted both will surely agree. What to put in water when boiling deer skull. Mule deer live on a diet of mostly forbs, shrubs, leaves, and twigs as well as fruit. Have some feedback for us? Interesting. Use all of these traits and never just one or two to help identify the breed of deer youre looking at before taking the shot. 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. Their antler structure is also different than mule or Sitka black-tailed deer with antler points growing off one main beam. Mule deer have a white rump and a tail with a black tip at the end of it. 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. The white-tailed deer are more widespread than the black-tailed deer. They have a distinct white patch that covers a fairly large area on their rear. tailed and Mule deer . Deer vs Reindeer: What Are 8 Key Differences? This process usually involves removing the entrails, reproductive tract, heart, lungs, diaphragm and part of the esophagus. In most cases, the mule deer will have significantly longer ears than a whitetail. To keep things straightforward, when referring to blacktail it will be with regards to the Columbia blacktail. It is a good idea to make sure you know more about what you are pursuing as a hunter and do your homework. They raise their tails in alarm when they detect threats. Lifespan: Up to 16 years. So for instance, a buck comes in and you can see a 7" G2, a 6" G3 and a 3" G4. The biggest behavioral difference is their composure. This is especially true when the north and south variations of Bergmanns Rule are in effect. Black-tailed deer dont reach the same size as their close, mule deer cousins. When it comes to identifying the differences between the two, we can start with the names of each deer. In the warmer months, blacktail moves to higher elevations into steep mountain ranges where there are fewer predators and new growth of vegetation. Weight: Up to 94kg (females up to 56kg). It has a high protein content of 15-20%, depending on the cut. 20+ Foods, white-tailed deer is known for having a bushy brown tail with a white, The 4 Best Deer Repellents: Reviewed and Ranked, eat forbs and lichens, but they also eat cranberries. 4 min read. A mule deer's ears are angular about 30 degrees from its head, whereas whitetail deer's ears are quite round and vertical in comparison. If youre going out hunting mule deer or whitetail, make sure you know the difference between the two so you dont end up shooting the wrong one. It was a means of survival for our early ancestors. As the name suggests, black-tailed deer have a wide, triangular tail with a dark brown or black top and a white underside. Whitetail and Mule deer share a pretty common DNA; however, with Blacktail, there are many more differences found within. In the south part of the state they migrate down in North Cal. The blacktail is notorious not only for being difficult to hunt, but just to see one. The most noteworthy differences boil down to their size, color, and region where they are found. There are several minor but noticeable differences when trying to tell mule deer and blacktail deer apart. That said, telling a buck from a doe track is an art. Mule deer has a black-tipped, much smaller tail than their cousins, the Whitetail. The easiest way to tell them apart is by their size and tails more than anything else. The black-tailed deer eats many of the same things as the white-tailed deer. Most tracks are between 2 and 3 inches long on relatively hard ground. 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. Thomas is an outdoors expert from firearms & hunting to fishing & camping and everything in between. Hunters must still obtain a hunting and/or Public access to lands suitable to huntcan be a challenge. Bucks in our coast range will live most of the year (cept the rut) in less than 1/2 sq mile if they have food cover and water, Blacktails in the rainforest are a very different creature from even the chaparral bucks. Yet, mule deer have very different tails compared with black-tailed deer. Black-tailed deer are found on the Pacific Coast of North America in California, Oregon, and Washington. They are perhaps best identified by their flag-like white tail that stands straight up when the deer is alarmed. A white- tail/mule deer hybrid has metatarsal glands that split the difference in location, appearance and length (between 2 to 4 inches). After all, that is where mule deer get their name. Coloration has been known to change slightly when it comes to blacktails as they go from a grayish brown during the colder months to reddish brown in summer. Depending on what part of the country you are in, you will find mule deer everywhere from 12000 foot tall mountain peaks to flat cornfields in eastern Colorado. Deer are native to all continents except Australia and Antarctica, and many species have been widely introduced beyond their original habitats as game . Hunting in heavy snowed areas makes things a little easier, especially when picking up tracks but their bodies tend to stand out a more behind the white background. Shoulder height: Up to 94cm (females up to 91cm). Its also the same color as its coat with no black markings on it. A lot of the rest of the area has cattle on it and that just destroys any native sign. The further north you go the bigger in body they get, as per Bergman's law. It's very rough but a decent way to get an idea. The blacktail deer doesnt have this feature, with the fur on its rump being the same color as the rest of its body. I'm a freelance writer with 8 years of experience. In contrast, whitetails coat looks more like reddish, brown color shades. The black-tailed deer has very similar ears. Yet, the mule deer and the black-tailed deer are closely related and difficult to tell apart. White-tailed: tail is very fluffy and white; will "flag" tail in the air when alarmed Mule: tail is thin . As you can see, many different types of deer roam across North (and South) America. Contact the AZ Animals editorial team. Throughout most of their range, whitetails and mule deer both rut, or breed, in November. The rule is pretty straightforwardspecies that live farthest from the equator grow larger than species living closer to the equator. The ranges of each species have been well documented. Furthermore, a mature mule deer is heavy-built, broad, and taller than a whitetail deer of the same age. Genetic samples from far outside of the "cross-over" zone were used to establish those value ranges. 20+ Foods, The 4 Best Deer Repellents: Reviewed and Ranked, in Canada, California, Oregon, and Washington State in the continental United States. The entire mating season lasts from October to December. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Some just hunt one or the other. They can be found in meadows, forest edges, and fields. These are two subspecies of the mule deer, sharing some but not all qualities with the main stem of the species. Calls have been used with good success at luring bucks out from hiding and into a position where you can get a clean shot. Their antlers have one long tine that stems from their skull. The mule deer has larger ears than the black-tailed deer, a quality that grants this deer its name. Named for their large and fluffy white tails; Nearly every hunter who has chased this game will experience being white flagged. Neither species has to flick their tails up to notice the difference either. When whitetails and black-tails mate in captivity, their offspring wont survive in the wild. Your email address will not be published. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. Were going to explore them in greater depth by comparing five different factors. Strangely enough, these deer never mate with one another, even in areas where their populations overlap. Two forms of black-tailed deer or blacktail deer that occupy coastal woodlands in the Pacific Northwest of North America are subspecies of the mule deer . Mule deer have a white rump and a tail with a black tip at the end of it. Two of these species are often confused with one another because they share many similarities; the mule and blacktail deer. During the rut, their tarsal glands will be dark and may show a lot of staining. Updated weekly by fish and wildlife biologists throughout the state. ). White-tailed deer antlers usually have prominent brow tines, and tines that split once directly off the main beam. Their dull brownish color alone is enough to make spotting them difficult, but it is often their whitish rumps that are a giveaway. Those big old ears are there for a reason and a muley knows how to use them. The Columbia blacktails have bigger racks.. Whitehead, Jr., C. J. While deer can be albinos, it's exceedingly rare. Albinism is a congenital condition defined by the absence of pigment, resulting in an all-white appearance and pink eyes. A whitetail is a whitetail, and there is nothing else like it. 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