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. They will shoot up their tail and run at the first sign of danger. However, their territories do overlap in some locations. They tend to be higher up and in rocky areas. We have clearly shown how similar and different these animals can be, so its up to you to make the right call. Thanks Orygun. This is true for both males and females. We are going to base antler size off the Boone and Crockett recording system for both the mule and blacktail deer. Interestingly, both shed their antlers every year in succession to each other. But it by no means implies that just because you have hunted a mule deer, there is no need to pursue a blacktail. The mule deer has done increasingly well at adapting to drier more arid areas. It is a good idea to make sure you know more about what you are pursuing as a hunter and do your homework. They can be found in meadows, forest edges, and fields. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Or as difficult as finding them. Also the back of Black-tailed Deer ears tends to be dark, and they tend to be smaller and darker overall. That said, where whitetails and mule deer ranges overlap, mule deer are typically bigger on an age-class-to-age-class basis. In the winter they turn more grey. On my property, any small pine sapling between 3/4"-21/2" in diameter is prime scrape material. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The greatest differences between a white-tailed deer and a black-tailed deer can be found in their morphology and size. Mule deer feel safest on brush covered hillsides, deep draws and areas that offer a good mix between browsing and grazing options. The easiest way to tell them apart is by their size and tails more than anything else. Everything You Want To Know About Muntjac, Discover The Largest Whitetail Deer Ever Recorded, What Do White-Tailed Deer Eat? Deer Tracks. Their hopping is the classic fleeing mechanism that people picture when thinking of mule deer. The antlers of the mule deer and blacktail are bifurcated, which means they fork as they grow. Whitetail and mule deer are two related deer . The print of a deer's cloven hoof is a split heart shape. The blacktail deer doesnt have this feature, with the fur on its rump being the same color as the rest of its body. Mule deer are slightly more accepting to hunters and pressure. Columbian white-tailed and black-tailed deer share the same habitat in some parts of western Oregon. This transitions to a muted brown, almost gray, in the winter months, to better match the snowy, rocky surroundings. Since the vast majority of deer are not absolute 0 or 1, a range of values was needed to represent pure mule deer and pure blacktail. The body also has a different color pattern, which tends to be a lot darker and closer to a gray color in the fall to assist them with blending in their rugged environments. Size varies greatly from region to region and from one subspecies to another. As stated earlier, their antlers are also much different. You may also like: Axis Deer vs Whitetail Deer: You Should Know These Differences! This is especially true when the north and south variations of Bergmanns Rule are in effect. Both mule deer and whitetail deer hear extremely well. Whether they are the same or not there are definitely some differences in their appearance and habitats. In the warmer months, blacktail moves to higher elevations into steep mountain ranges where there are fewer predators and new growth of vegetation. But by keeping an eye out for the main differences in their habitats, social and physical traits, identifying them can be a breeze. Sitkas also are larger in the body. Mule Deer vs Black-tailed Deer: What Are the Differences? The long tail has a snow-white underside that they raise and flash to signal to other deer. . Visit the OutdoorWorld Reviews homepage for more expert information and guides! Their antlers are appealing, because of the velvety fur covering those. You can also find them in the Southwest U.S. and up and down the western coast of North America. Whitetail deer has a restless tail. Cooperative Extension, Available here: https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/white-tailed-deer, The University of Chicago Press, Available here: https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/284096, Forest and Wildlife Research Center, Available here: https://www.msudeer.msstate.edu/deer-diet.php. Not all do, though. How to distinguish Columbian white-tailed and black-tailed deer What to put in water when boiling deer skull. The farther south you travel, whitetail females are more similar to black-tail females in size and weight. While blacktails have similar ears, they are noticeably smaller than the mules, which is a great identification trick! Mule deer have a darker forehead than that of a whitetail deer. Meanwhile, the black-tailed deer only reaches a weight of 225 pounds, stands between 2 and 3.7 feet tall, and grows between 4 and 5.5 feet long. Mule deer also have much darker foreheads than whitetails, too. Have more success. Enter your email in the box below to get the most mind-blowing animal stories and videos delivered directly to your inbox every day. As you can see, many different types of deer roam across North (and South) America. Whitetails are subject to a different phenomenon than blacktails, which is Bergmann's Rule. This is actually a pretty unique characteristic as most other deer in North America have white tails, hence the whitetail deer, while mule deers have mostly whitetails with a small black tip. The rut runs from early November to late December, and just like any other male of the species, the big bucks will drop their guard and all common sense goes out the window as they chase the does. Not all do, though. The predominant successful breeding among hybrids is between white-tailed bucks and mule deer does (Carr and Hughes 1993, Cathey et al. 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. Thats because their coats change color depending on the season. Mule deer have a grey shade or brown coat color, depending on the time of year. Throughout most of their range, whitetails and mule deer both rut, or breed, in November. Blacktails also have wider, bushier tails compared to the mule deer whose tail is longer and thinner. Hello, and thank you for visiting Outdoors Mecca. They were removed from the Endangered Species List in 2003 and ODFW has allowed controlled hunts at the NBHMA since 2006. I graduated from Rowan University in 2014 with degrees in English and Education. Yet, the mule deer has a long, thin tail that is mostly white and ends in a black tip, while the black-tailed deer has a wider tail that is black when hanging down. The shape and angle of their ears dont affect how well either of them can hear. 16x2=32. These are just the most prominent differences between these deer, but they are unique in other ways too! The females will go into heat for a 24 hour period and most go in to heat in November in the northern portions of their range. Meanwhile, the black-tailed deer is either Odocoileus hemionus columbianus or the Odocoileus hemionus sitkensis. Also, most mule deer will have very short brow tines, or none at all. A mule deer will generally be larger than a whitetail. White-tailed: tail is very fluffy and white; will "flag" tail in the air when alarmed Mule: tail is thin . A black-tailed deers antlers will branch from the main beam. They may look alike at first glance, but their unique qualities make it simple to tell them apart. These deer are found throughout all of Central America and portions of northern South America. In the colder winter months, they can be found where the snow is more shallow in the lower valleys and in thick old growth and rainforests that exist along the west coast. In some seasons, antler shape can be easily used to distinguish species of male deer . Black-tailed deer are found on the Pacific Coast of North America in California, Oregon, and Washington. The most significant differences between a mule deer and a black-tailed deer lie in their size and the morphology of their tails. Find a group of does and wait for the buck, he wont be far behind. Mule deer do not have this. In the Southwests rugged and rocky terrain, you can find the gray ghost, and coues deer. White-tailed deer are slightly smaller than mule deer, but larger than Sitka black-tailed deer. Eastern north america is dominated by white tailed deer. Mule deer are broken into many subspecies, and technically they are a subspecies of Blacktail deer. Contact the AZ Animals editorial team. Features: Columbian black-tailed deer are smaller and darker than mule deer. 4034 Fairview Industrial Drive SE Updated weekly by fish and wildlife biologists throughout the state. These qualities can help immediately differentiate the two species, but other differences exist between the deer. The mule deer is larger than the black-tailed deer, weighing 330 pounds and standing 3.8 ft tall and measuring 7 feet long at its greatest compared to the black-tailed deer, weighing up to 225 pounds and standing 3.7 feet tall, and measures 4-5.5. ft tall. Whitetail deer have a brown rump and only the underside of its tail is white. Mule deer have this antler formation that roots up like a fork; it further fragments it into two more forks on each prong stemming from its skull. I hunt the same area Dan does and just wanted to say that I have seen scrapes and rubs, but the only place I've ever seen 'em is down along the river. I saw several copies including shipping for under $10. Here's a closer look at that business model. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. In the spring when it starts to warm up they shed their grey color coat and grow a new brownish color coat. Sitka blacktails have a strong physical resemblance to whitetail deer, while Columbia blacktails have an appearance that seems more aligned with mule deer. Its often said that, despite the mule deers size advantage, a whitetail will win a fight between the two nine times out of 10. The tail is White-tailed deer antlers usually have prominent brow tines, and tines that split once directly off the main beam. WATCH: Sharks biting alligators, the most epic lion battles, and MUCH more. Deer Meat: 10 Things You Should Know About Venison, Discover The Largest Whitetail Deer Ever Caught in Maine, British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan in Canada. The mule deer has a larger maximum size than the black-tailed deer. Many different species and subspecies of deer live across North America. The white-tailed deer is larger than the black-tailed deer, weighing up to 405 lbs, while the black-tailed deer weighs 225 lbs at its maximum. Much like grunts, it seems bleats have many different meanings depending on the situation. Mule deer does take longer to mature. When a whitetail is in danger or alerted, it often raises its tail straight up. Deer come in many shapes and sizes despite seeming like monolithic creatures. The mule deer is most common throughout the western half of the United States. 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 . Deer Bleats Doe bleats, much like grunts, have numerous variations, all dependent on a given situation. Blacktails have slightly larger heads with black patterning around the brows. However, the black-tailed deer has a black non-bushy tail. Now the antlers can have a spread even with or outside the ears with decent mass. I'll try to post some pics, I've got quite a few scrapes. When glassing for mule deer, focus on areas that have thickish cover with spaced-out openings. Enter your email in the box below to get the most mind-blowing animal stories and videos delivered directly to your inbox every day. Whitetails are subject to a different phenomenon than blacktails, which is Bergmanns Rule. The most obvious one is the fur on the rump of each deer. Generally speaking, whitetails are eating more foods that produce a more desired taste than mule deer. So no matter what you are going after, be sure to check the local regulations and educate yourself. Deer hunting is a great way to spend quality time with the ones you love. 2019 -2022Outdoorworld.reviews - Reliable Outdoor Reviews. Size also generally depends on where the deer is located. While deer can be albinos, it's exceedingly rare. It's almost impossible to distinguish between the East Siberian moose and the Alaska moose. Mule deer have a white rump and a tail with a black tip at the end of it. Each species offers a very unique adventure that outdoorsmen cherish. Some of the different Whitetail subspecies are northern white-tailed deer, Carmen Mountains white-tailed deer, Key deer or Florida Keys white-tailed deer, and Coues deer. Click here for Deer Tracks Chart Blacktail deer are generally much smaller than Mule deer and form their racks similarly to that of Whitetail deer. After all, that is where mule deer get their name. 1972. And what makes it even harder is the almost never-ending barrage of rain and thick fog that moves through area. An important point to mention is that there are two recognized types of blacktail deer, the Columbia blacktail and the Sitka blacktail. Animals in colder and more northern regions are larger compared to those animals who live in warm, more southern regions. Mule deer mate from mid- to late November; white-tailed deer breed from late November to early December. All in all, the white-tailed deer and the black-tailed deer are very different creatures. 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. 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? Salem, OR 97302 They are mostly browsers and do not spend much time grazing. Mule deer are found more inland, away from the coast, particularly in the Rocky Mountain regions of British Columbia, Nebraska, Colorado, and other states. The similarities make sense as they had common ancestors in western North America when ice sheets covered the land approximately 15,000 years ago. 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. Antlers The black-tailed deer will eat many of the same foods in forbs, lichens, grasses, and fruit. What to put in water when boiling deer skull. Whitetails also have a higher birth rate, their does can often breed their first fall at 6 months of age. Assume those links are affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you click and buy. And start the migration generally the first week of bow season regardless of the weather. The Antlers Most pure mule deer have forks in their antlers. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Whitetail deer will have a different pattern all together. Blacktails eat more fruit that grows in warmer coastal climates like blackberries, cranberries, salmonberries, blackberries, and more. Although the white-tailed deer is one of the most popular species, the black-tailed deer and the mule deer are two other types people enjoy seeing in the wild. But there are certainly more differences. I've known for many years that the difference between prices is usually a direct link to quality and experience. Mule deer have longer, pointy, and floppier ears than whitetail deer. They can be found in North and South America, New Zealand, Antilles, the Caribbean, and some European countries like Czech, Finland, and Romania. Now calling them just deer is an understatement. Gestation for mule deer is seven months, for white-tailed deer 6 1/2 months. While the mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) covers a much larger area and varied terrain as it is found across much of the western U.S., Canada, and northern parts of Mexico. Whitetail are the oldest living species of deer at 3.5 million years old. White-tailed deer does, or females, can breed at 6 months of age. So, these creatures have a small overlap in their range, but white-tail deer are much more widespread. Thanks for the great feedback. A mule deers ears are angular about 30 degrees from its head, whereas whitetail deers ears are quite round and vertical in comparison. Whitetail deer gets its name due to its whitetail. Depending on the location, the climate, and the time of the year, it should be fairly easy to tell the difference between the two. Sitka black-tailed deer are closely related to the larger Columbia black-tailed deer of the Pacific Northwest, and both are considered subspecies of the (even larger) mule deer of the American West. Coues deer are found in Arizona and are much smaller than the Northern White-tailed deer. Its also more of a significant feature; on a whitetail. This type of deer is polyestrous and is a short day breeder. 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. Whitetail deer have a thicker and fluffier looking tail. 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. 2) are our most common deer subspecies. Their range extends south as well. I've been hunting since I was 8 and shed hunting even before that. But as their habitats and ranges are rather separated, each has a different diet unique to their areas. Of course, Bergmanns Rule makes plenty of sense when you think about colder climates versus warmer climates. You must log in or register to reply here. It takes 100" to make book for a Sitka, and 125" for a Columbia. 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. Sometimes, they can even have a dull orangish hue to them. The other subspecies would be the Sitka deer or Sitka Blacktail. Blacktails in the rainforest are a very different creature from even the chaparral bucks. How do you identify a deer doe? Its estimated that there are 30 million deer worldwide. Hunters have been chasing whitetails and mule deer for thousands of years. Look at the head of the deer. The further north you go the bigger in body they get, as per Bergman's law. Similarities make sense as they had common ancestors in western North America when ice sheets covered the approximately... Will eat many of the same color as the rest of its tail is white and of... As they grow them in the winter months, for white-tailed deer 6 months! 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