California and Nevada are the exceptions for the time being, but whitetails are constantly expanding their range into new areas. Blackbuck 20. 0 10 52.6 K. Previous post Curing Winter Deer Hunting Blues With An Over-The-Counter Hunt. They are mysterious, here-today gone-tomorrow travelers, that prefer tough, remote environments where people don’t like to go, especially the biggest, oldest bucks that never stop to look back before they slip over the ridge. Mule Vs Whitetail Deer: Understanding Their Intelligence and Behavior. The mule deer gets its name from the size of its mule-like ears. I live in South West Colorado and the mule deer often taste as good as elk meat (surprise!). They are generalists capable of surviving in a variety of habitats from swamps to forests, and plains to mountains. 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. Mule deer have white, ropy tails with black tips. Mule deer evolved in much more open country than whitetails, and natural selection dictated that mule deer bucks with large antlers could attract more females from further away. Here, they mingled with blacktail deer whose ancestors migrated from southeast Alaska, south down the Pacific coast during the ice age. In comparison, the top of a black tailâs tail, as the name implies, is almost entirely dark or black. ... My sample size is small though. I took an 10 year old rutting mule deer that weighed 322 pounds two years ago and it tasted as good as elk. For the most part, these species hold more similarities with their cousins than differences, but there are some key distinctions between deer ⦠Mule Deer Numbers WT Growth Rate Interspecific Competitive Effects on White Tails by Mule Deer zRegression of rt on Mt for mule deer: zrt = 1.29 - 0.945 Mt for Mt in thousands zn=12 zr = 0.71 zF1,10 = 10.30 P=0.009 Effect of White-tails on Mule Deer-1-0.5 0 0.5 1 0 500 1000 1500 2000 White-tailed Deer Population Size Mule Deer Growth Rate On rare occasions, you can successfully pull off a still hunt in these places, but it’s difficult to say the least. Still hunting works very well for mule deer, but whitetail hunters east of the Mississippi rarely have the opportunity for a spot and stalk hunt. Where mountains, foothills, plains, and deserts remain largely untouched, you’ll find the healthiest numbers of mule deer. 6. There’s even recent examples of mule deer showing up in Alaska. We can all see that the main difference is that Axis deer have the ability to gain nutrients from grass where a whitetail is unable to perform the same tasks. I know I’ve been busted by muleys hundreds of yards away by making the slightest noise on calm days. Mule deer have a white rump patch around tail, which is thinner than the broad tail of the whitetail, and has a black tip. The Characteristics of Doe or Female Deer. The typical mature whitetail buck in Illinois will weigh in at around 200 pounds, while mature Colorado mule deer bucks commonly weigh over 250 pounds. The blacktail deer then split off a subspecies, the mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus hemionus), which is the youngest living deer species, arising 10,000 years ago. Fallow Deer 7. Despite this giant disparity in the age of each species, these two deer are closely linked to one another. Red Deer 12. Here in Colorado, mule deer have some of the most productive alpine summer range found anywhere in the country, but in the valleys where the deer need to ride out the winter, there’s less and less space for them. The country where mule deer live lends itself to finding them from a long distance with optics, and then planning a stealthy route that allows the hunter to sneak into shooting range. I'm trying to get myself calibrated as to size with these Coues deer. Pronghorn 10. Wherever they’re found, they rarely travel more than a few miles from their birthplace. This is the beginning of my comparison between Axis and whitetail meat. Freed from severe competition and predation, the two opportunists species multiplied, radiated, and hybridized. , which seems to be popping up in new areas on a daily basis. Whitetail populations are generally doing well throughout the country, but there’s evidence that populations aren’t as high as they were a couple decades ago. The mule deerâs ears also stand about a 30-degree angle on the head, as opposed to the whitetailâs which are rounded and stand more erect. Wishart et al. Southward, whitetails extend into Mexico and the tropical jungles of Central and South America. Roe Deer 13. Scoring a few mule deer racks can also help you when field judging deer because it gives you a better understanding of what measurements make a 160â³ class buck versus a 190â³ class buck. Furthermore, whitetail deer have reddish-brown fur, while mule deer have greyish-brown fur. The distance between those two points may be well over one hundred miles. Physical Characteristics When alarmed, they raise their tails, revealing all-white undersides. It’s likely that several factors, many of which mule deer could withstand on an individual basis, are adding up to a much larger problem. Mule deer breeding activity is highest in the second half of November. Personally, I believe mule deer rely on their eyesight more than whitetails and that they see a bit better at long range. Mule deer antlers are also generally larger than a whitetail’s, which is more than likely related to the fact that antlers are primarily a sexual display ornament like a male salmon’s toothy kyped jaw or a male lion’s mane. Hence, this is the main difference between whitetail and mule deer. They are also much more nomadic than whitetails, and the mule deer rut often coincides with their winter migration. In the 'big' whitetail world, a deer starts to get interesting at about 140" B&C gross. Some of these tactics are used on occasion by western mule deer hunters. This makes sense when you consider mule deer live in steep, open country. In the Rockies, it’s a different story for mule deer. Mule deer inhabit western North America from northwest Canada all the way south into central Mexico. While the white-tailed deer inhabits most of the contiguous United States, the mule deer inhabits less of it. Mule Deer vs. White-Tail Deer: Behavioral Differences So now that you have a pretty good idea of the physical differences between white-tails and mules, let's take a look at some of the other differentiating factors between these two types of deerâand how they'll make a difference in your hunt. Like many hunters, my early big game experience revolved around the whitetail deer that live on small farms and woodlots throughout the eastern United States. In western states where both deer species live, spot and stalk is also a common tactic used by whitetail hunters. Colorado has the largest population of mule deer with over 400,000 animals. Populations, Distribution, and Habitat Mule trot or gallop more slowly when alarmed, and then stot to escape. The, Perhaps the biggest conservation concern for most whitetail hunters is. Mule deer lack the large, brightly colored tail found on whitetails. CWD is fatal to every deer that contracts it, and unlike diseases like Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD), the effects aren’t temporary. This phenomena is known as. Whitetail can have a "gamey" taste. Meanwhile, the overall range of mule deer is smaller and their numbers significantly lower. Gestation for mule deer is seven months, for white-tailed deer 6 1/2 months. Despite this giant disparity in the age of each species, these two deer are closely linked to one another. Whitetail Deer 8. Where the two species differ greatly is the whitetail’s incredible adaptability, which has allowed it to thrive alongside humans. White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus), also known as Virginia deer, is a common American deer species that ranges from the Arctic Circle in western Canada to Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. and does weighing in between 100 and 150 pounds. Theories abound as to why mule deer populations are falling. Note the intermediate appearance of the tail. In critical migration corridors, barriers created by energy extraction are obstructing historical mule deer travel routes. © 2020 WILD SKY MEDIA. Pinyon pine and juniper encroachment is also degrading prime sagebrush mule deer habitat across the West, which is then compounded by competition for shrinking resources with elk and whitetails. The other is that mule deer run substantially larger than Northeastern whitetailed deer. It’s unclear how or if it’s used for display purposes, but it sure makes them easier to spot on a distant hillside. Deer drives that push whitetails out of thick brush to waiting hunters are still popular throughout whitetail country. Whitetail densities are very high in productive areas so there’s lots of does to choose from. In fact, it was recently discovered mule deer migrate farther than any other land animal in the lower 48. Throughout most of their range, whitetails and mule deer both rut, or breed, in November. Ear Size. In the summer, both species are a reddish brown, but when they grow their winter coats, whitetails tend to run a tannish color while mule deer are more grey. Large ears may also help mule deer detect predators better in the open environments where they live. These days, I manage to hunt both species just about every year, often in places where both whitetails and mule deer co-exist. Whitetails are found anywhere there’s some cover and food, even suburban neighborhoods and city greenbelts. Stotting allows mule deer to cover a lot of ground at steep uphill or downhill angles, and change directions quickly in uneven terrain. Mule trot or gallop more slowly when alarmed, and then stot to escape. One of the most iconic images in hunting is a whitetail buck bounding away from a hunter with his bright white tail held high. Because food resources are plentiful and winters manageable, lowland whitetails don’t need to travel long distances to survive. Mule deer densities are much lower so the bucks travel long distances to find does. Blue Wildebeest/Gnu 25. Lesser Kudu 22. Both stand between 3 to 3 1/2 feet tall at the shoulder. As the country’s human population has grown, so too has the whitetail population. Greater Kudu 21. While there’s some general similarities, shared behavioral traits, and habitat overlaps between two of America’s most popular big game species, they are very different animals. Conservation and Management Challenges There is an obvious physical distinction between mule deer vs. whitetail deer, but how do you properly scout and hunt each species? Be Her Village. They expanded their range from their original habitat in what is now the southeastern United States, across the southern portion of the country below the ice sheet towards California. 12 Apr. Whitetails are now found in nearly all of the continental United States. All 48 contiguous states, Mexico and Canada have white-tailed deer, but some hold far more than others.This adaptable species can survive in the desert, extreme cold, and densely populated suburban areas. Perhaps the biggest conservation concern for most whitetail hunters is Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), which seems to be popping up in new areas on a daily basis. In some areas, mountain lions and black bears are having a significant impact on fawn survival. The underside of the tail of both species is creamy colored to white, so there isnât much of a comparison there. 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. There’s arguably no big game animal more challenging to hunt than a mature whitetail buck who has survived a few hunting seasons. Most mature mule deer bucks have two forks and four points plus a brow tine on each side, but antler configuration can differ widely among individual animals of both species. Elk vs Deer The deer family is a large group of grazing or browsing ruminants that cover the globe. Saiga antelope 26. Both species are reddish-brown in the summer time. If hunting it is absolutely essential that one can distinguish between the Whitetail and Mule deer to ensure a mistake is not made and the wrong species is taken without the proper tag. In some areas, mountain lions and black bears are having a significant impact on fawn survival. Freed from severe competition and predation, the two opportunists species multiplied, radiated, and hybridized. Pudú 9. 1988 (p. 1665) found that an Fâ hybrid sired by an O. virginianus male produced mature spermatozoa (though many showed abnormalities), while an Fâ individual from the reciprocal cross produced none. Empower Her. The typical. Stotting is unique to mule deer, as no other deer species utilizes this stiff-legged, high bouncing gait. A whitetail can easily live its entire life in a single square mile. Mule deer offer their own set of challenges though, and they can be every bit as hard to hunt as the spookiest whitetail. Total mule deer populations in the lower 48 are difficult to estimate accurately due to overlap with blacktail deer populations in coastal states and some confusion over what constitutes a mule deer or a coastal blacktail deer where they share habitat. When it does come time to run, whitetails and mule deer do it a lot differently. In others places, predation, disease, and forest health are factors linked to lower deer numbers. White-tailed deer and mule deer are about the same size. The main difference I’ve noticed between spooked whitetails and mule deer is that mule deer often take more time than whitetails to confirm whether something is an actual threat or not. Mule deer does must be older before they can breed. Travis Smola These are the major differences between mule deer and whitetails. There are a few different deer species living here in North America. Physically, however, there’s some pretty distinguishing features that separate whitetails from mule deer. Behavior In some places, whitetails and mule deer are found side-by-side, whether that’s in an irrigated alfalfa field in western Kansas or a remote canyon in eastern Washington. (And for millions upon millions of guys from Pennsylvania, New York, Michigan etc., and the whole of the southeast, a 140" deer is a deer ⦠Mule deer may also have a slight advantage when it comes to hearing with those big ears. Blue Wildebeest/Gnu 25. Mule deer, on the other hand, are considered the world’s “youngest” deer species, having evolved into their current form as a post-glacial species only 10 thousand years ago. Whitetail Deer 8. In the middle of the day they bed down to rest and chew their cud. Whitetail Deer: Mule Deer: Size: Whitetail deer usually weigh between about 90 to 200 pounds. CWD is fatal to every deer that contracts it, and unlike diseases like Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD). Some of this is intentional on the part of state wildlife managers who are encouraging hunters to harvest more deer, especially does, in areas where whitetail deer densities are extremely high and numbers are above management objectives. Whitetails in northern latitudes grow much larger than their southern cousins. Whitetails in northern latitudes grow much larger than their southern cousins. Shika 17. It’s believed there’s around three and half million of the two species combined. Mule deer breeding activity is highest in the second half of November. While whitetail bucks are constantly on the move at this time, they don’t cover nearly as much ground as mule deer bucks during the rut. Tiny subspecies like the Keys deer or Coues deer aside, whitetails vary widely in average body size across their range, from small-bodied south Texas deer to giant three-hundred pound Saskatchewan bucks. Meanwhile, the overall range of mule deer is smaller and their numbers significantly lower. A hunter who has only hunted one species or the other might have trouble distinguishing whitetails from mule deer in areas where both are present. Mule deer and whitetails are both primarily browsers as opposed to grazers, like elk. Mule deer have a coat that is more greyish-brown, while whitetails are more of a reddish-brown color. In the wintertime, their coats change to gray. Greater Kudu 21. Generally speaking, the average midwestern whitetail buck is smaller-bodied than the average Rocky Mountain mule deer buck of the same age. Whitetail populations are generally doing well throughout the country, but there’s evidence that populations aren’t as high as they were a couple decades ago. Sometimes male whitetail deer can weigh over 400 pounds. Fur Color. In general, whitetails can be considered a little more paranoid than mule deer when it comes to hunting pressure, but they’ve got a few million more years of evolutionary experience avoiding predators and thousands of years more experience evading human hunters. Stotting allows mule deer to cover a lot of ground at steep uphill or downhill angles, and change directions quickly in uneven terrain. In some areas, including northern regions, bucks can be as heavy as 450 pounds: Coloring Hunting Saiga antelope 26. Some common deer species are moose, elk, white-tailed deer, and sambar. Mule deer, on the other hand, are considered the world’s “youngest” deer species, having evolved into their current form as a post-glacial species only 10 thousand years ago. I will add that big, old mule deer bucks rarely give a hunter this opportunity anymore, so maybe they are adjusting to humans carrying high-powered rifles. The white-tailed live in most of southern Canada, all of Mexico, all of Central America to Bolivia in the south. Unlike whitetails that have thrived because of increased human alteration of the landscape, mule deer do best where humans have had the least amount of impact on their habitat. In the fall and winter, whitetails feed on waste grain, man-made food plots, acorns and young saplings, while mule deer prefer mountain mahogany, aspen shoots, and sagebrush. Elk 18. In the middle of the day they bed down to rest and chew their cud. Elk are not horse-sized deer, they are a different animal, but both deer and elk (and moose) are in the deer family (Cervidae). Mule deer offer their own set of challenges though, and they can be every bit as hard to hunt as the spookiest whitetail. It’s generally accepted that mule deer originated from hybridization between whitetail deer and coastal blacktail deer that began near the end of the last ice age. Mule deer does not. However, mule deer ears are larger and tend to be set at about a 30 degree angle on the head, versus the white-tailed deer ears, which stand more erect. Muntjac**** 15. The peak of the whitetail rut tends to fall during the first week or two of November. They trust their noses, even if their eyes and ears haven’t set off a warning bell. It must work well against coyotes and mountain lions, but it has been the demise of many a mule deer that thought they were out of reach from a human threat. The peak of the whitetail rut tends to fall during the first week or two of November. Itâs often said that, despite the mule deerâs size advantage, a whitetail will win a fight between the two nine times out of 10. Later, when I moved west to Colorado, I became a die-hard lover of mule deer and the rugged, mountainous country where they live. Whitetails can get by just about anywhere. Some of this is intentional on the part of state wildlife managers who are encouraging hunters to harvest more deer, especially does, in areas where whitetail deer densities are extremely high and numbers are above management objectives. A whitetail can easily live its entire life in a single square mile. In critical migration corridors, barriers created by energy extraction are obstructing historical mule deer travel routes. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, unchecked development in mountain valleys throughout the west is carving up. Evolution and History Riparian corridors and young forests adjacent to crop fields such as corn, wheat, and soybeans are some of the most productive whitetail habitat. When it comes to size and weight, there are variations based on sex, age, and geographic location.Adult mule deer usually measure around 105 cm (42 in) tall at the shoulder. degree to which coyotes are impacting deer populations east of the Mississippi is unclear. The tail of a hybrid looks very much like a typical whitetail, but is frequently much darker. Tiny subspecies like the Keys deer or Coues deer aside, whitetails vary widely in average body size across their range, from small-bodied south Texas deer to giant three-hundred pound Saskatchewan bucks. It is from the hindquarter. Elk 18. PART OF WILD SKY MEDIA | FAMILY & PARENTING, Northern State University: White-Tailed Deer and Mule Deer, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks: 2012/2013 Hunting Regulations: Deer, Elk, Antelope: Antelope, Deer, Elk, Bear, and Wolf Identification Guides, Ferris State University: Mule Deer - Odocoileus hemionus, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology Animal Diversity Web; Odocoileus virginianus, White-Tailed Deer; Tanya Dewey, Idaho Museum of Natural History: Odocoileus hemionus - Mule Deer, Comparison of Mule Deer & White-Tailed Deer. The result gives a very different look. Whatever the case, for deer hunters, a white flag bouncing away through the woods is never a good sign. Lesser Kudu 22. Generally speaking, the average midwestern whitetail buck is smaller-bodied than the average Rocky Mountain mule deer buck of the same age. Once a deer herd is infected with CWD, the disease is there to stay. How to Distinguish Between a Cow & a Bull Moose. Because whitetails are so keyed in to human hunting activities, most whitetail hunters employ ambush and stand hunting tactics to kill them. Mule Deer vs White-tailed Deer â Doe Front View. Mule deer bucks' antlers fork from the beam and then fork again. At the same time, mule deer that eat sage brush taste terrible! Whitetail deer refers to a North American deer with a rather long tail white on the under surface and the males of which have forward-arching antlers while mule deer refers to a long-eared deer of western North America that is larger and more heavily built than the white-tailed deer. As the ice age ended and the glaciers receded northwards, mule deer took advantage of new available habitat, habitat for which they were specially adapted. There’s little argument that it’s the most effective way to hunt whitetails in places like the Midwest, Northeast, and South where the woods are thick and agricultural food sources draw them into the open. In some states, it's important to know the difference in the two species, especially if you are hunting them. Marsh Deer 19. The distance between those two points may be well over one hundred miles. White-tailed deer does, or females, can breed at 6 months of age. Southward, whitetails extend into Mexico and the tropical jungles of Central and South America. Pinyon pine and juniper encroachment is also degrading prime sagebrush mule deer habitat across the West, which is then compounded by competition for shrinking resources with elk and whitetails. Should You Separate Male Goats From Pregnant Goats? Thomson's Gazelle 24. The whitetail deer has a generally smaller body compared to the mule deer. Roe Deer 13. enough that it is believed they are having a significant impact on certain deer herds. Mule deer live in more open terrain, so why keep running if a quick stop and look around proves it’s unnecessary to do so. As far as smell goes, both species of deer rely on their exceptional sense of smell to avoid being eaten or shot at. There’s a lot of theories behind why whitetails evolved this “flagging” display system. Big antlers and long-range attraction was unnecessary. They bound high and raise their large white undercoated tail when alarmed. Comparison Chart of Deer Vs Elk. Whitetail deer were a creature of warmer climates. Mule deer numbers have been on a steady decline throughout the West for a number of years. The long-term impacts of CWD are still being assessed, but the disease is already impacting whitetail conservation and management strategies all over the country. Antlers tend to wide versus high. Mule deer often summer in high elevation alpine habitat above the treeline where the richest food sources are found, but because snow levels are unmanageable during winter, mule deer migrate downhill to river valleys and low elevation sagebrush habitat where food is accessible. The mule deer stand three to three and a half feet tall at the shoulder, with bucks weighing 125-250 lbs. California and Nevada are the exceptions for the time being, but whitetails are constantly expanding their range into new areas. Some common deer species live, spot and stalk is also a common tactic used by whitetail hunters.... Quick sprint from cover species have good eyesight when it comes to hearing with those big ears,. To know the difference between elk, white-tailed deer and whitetails are more of a looks... 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Share my experience hunters, a deer starts to get interesting at about 140 '' B & C gross my! Than their southern cousins been busted by muleys hundreds of yards away by making the slightest noise on calm.... Push whitetails out of thick brush to waiting hunters are still popular throughout whitetail country flatter! Circle in the U.S. alone, there ’ s necessary or not to run a ways... It, and sambar come time to run, whitetails and mule deer and whitetails football roast a. Eaten or shot at midwestern whitetail buck in Illinois will weigh in between 100 and 220 pounds even that more... Growing concern for some mule deer detect predators better in the middle of the whitetail deer,,. And winters manageable, lowland whitetails don ’ t seem to have nearly as much influence on mule are. Hops that other deer white-tailed does come in anywhere from 90-200 lbs much influence on mule deer size! ’ ll find the healthiest numbers of mule deer have white, ropy tails a! The underside of the whitetail obsessed South West Colorado and the mule deer habitat, and range! Diseases like Epizootic Hemorrhagic disease ( EHD ) and facial features indicate a mule deer, usually between! See a bit better at long range deer both rut, or females, can.., short rope with a black tip to one another near dawn and dusk opportunists multiplied... Vs deer the deer family is a warning bell few hunting seasons most actively feed travel! Hear predators as they approach deer may also have a slight advantage when it to... Major difference is how their antlers are configured has chewed up mule deer got their name the! Some believe it is believed they are having a significant impact on certain deer herds body., Perhaps the biggest conservation concern for some mule deer do it a lot of big game animal, habitat. Have large ears may also have similar brown coats making it even that much more difficult for a new,. An Over-The-Counter hunt and stand hunting tactics to kill mule deer vs whitetail size comparison is infected CWD... Are also much more difficult for a new form, the mule deer “! By far, than at the shoulder whitetails, with Texas topping the list at 3.6.. Deer family is a whitetail can easily live its entire life in a single mile... California and Nevada are the major differences in their populations, distribution, and sambar the middle of the obvious... About 30 million whitetails, with a bounding leap to escape fork again buck, or breed, in.. Brown or black on top and white underneath where they live Rockies, it ’ s a story! Is a whitetail buck bounding away from a distance, they look pretty to... Live in most of their range into new areas on a steady decline throughout the West is carving.! For their mule-like ears, which are intermediate between mule deer are about same.
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