Axis deer are generally considered by most hunters to be the best-tasting game meat.. What is the difference between whitetail and blacktail deer? It was a means of survival for our early ancestors. 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. They will shoot up their tail and run at the first sign of danger. Others have hunted and continue to hunt both. Furthermore, the white-tailed deer stands up to 3.9 feet tall and grows 7.2 feet long, while the black-tailed deer stands up to 3.7 feet tall and 5 feet long. The black-tailed deer is a subspecies of the mule deer. The white-tailed deer and the black-tailed deer may live in similar areas of the world, but theyre different species. Ears are the most obvious difference to observe between mule deer and whitetail deer. Were going to explore them in greater depth by comparing five different factors. Calls have been used with good success at luring bucks out from hiding and into a position where you can get a clean shot. Since both deer share similar biology, their diets are similar as they both eat shrubs, grasses, tree foliage and various herbaceous plants known as forbs. A lot of the rest of the area has cattle on it and that just destroys any native sign. They try to see what is making the noise before bounding off. Mule deer live on a diet of mostly forbs, shrubs, leaves, and twigs as well as fruit. Blacktail behavior vs. whitetail behavior? As you can see, these animals eat similar types of food, but they eat many unique foods based on where they live worldwide. That said, telling a buck from a doe track is an art. My goal is to create helpful & engaging content, that may inspire or encourage you to get outside and explore. Their tail is much smaller and has a range of colors on it. Or as difficult as finding them. Size Whitetail Deer An adult, male, black-tailed deer can reach up to 200lbs while whitetail males can reach up to 300lbs. Mule deer antlers grow in a bifurcated way. Mule deer do not have this. Have more success. This is an old video and refers to the Roseburg population of the Columbian white-tailed deer as endangered. Like any other deer species, nocturnal behavior may increase due to hunting pressure, predators and habitat encroachment. White-tailed: tail is very fluffy and white; will "flag" tail in the air when alarmed Mule: tail is thin . I've known for many years that the difference between prices is usually a direct link to quality and experience. A mule deer is bigger than an average whitetail deer. Coat colors greatly vary in mule deer and whitetail deer species. They tend to live near rivers and fields where water and food are easy to come by. Whitetail mules shed them from Jan to Feb, and mule deer will shed them in Feb or March. Do Cast Iron Wood Stoves Need Fire Bricks? As stated earlier, their antlers are also much different. Dr. Valerius Geist is considered the #1 mule deer authority in the world. 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. Antlers 4 min read. Whitetail deer are generally shorter and tend to curve inwards more than upwards. Sitkas also are larger in the body. Mule deer have larger ears than the blacktail which is an obvious difference to the untrained eye. 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. If youve never hunted one of these animals, its important to educate yourself so you dont confuse one for the other. However, the black-tailed deer has a black non-bushy tail. That pretty much says it all. You May Be Surprised. These deer are found within coastal regions, and their size results from living in that biome. 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. They also eat forbs and lichens, but they also eat cranberries, elderberries, and huckleberries. Whitetails are much more aggressive than mule deer. Do not hesitate to call your local Game Warden or Department of Natural Resources if you have questions. Some of the best examples of deer tracks are found in wet sand or shallow mud just like this one. Do you need this information in an alternative format or language? Whitetail deer is probably the most common deer found in North America. Now the antlers can have a spread even with or outside the ears with decent mass. However, their territories do overlap in some locations. Have some feedback for us? The Columbia blacktails have bigger racks.. If you are in the desert, Mule deer tend to have much larger ears than those found on Mule deer you see in the mountains and alpine regions. There is no speculation with whitetail. You should study photos, videos and live deer to increase your knowledge so that you can make that snap-decision you might have to make when in the field. 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. This color can get even darker, almost black in some cases, in the winter months as the deer lives in more heavily forested areas, as the darker color helps conceal it in dark forests. The largest difference between mulies and whitetail is the size of that home range. Whitetail are the oldest living species of deer at 3.5 million years old. The white-tailed deer is known for having a bushy brown tail with a white underside for which it is named, while the black-tailed deer has a shorter, less bushy, black tail. Add the lengths of the G2, G3 and G4 (if present) multiply by 2 and add 95. 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. This process usually involves removing the entrails, reproductive tract, heart, lungs, diaphragm and part of the esophagus. Their ranges occasionally intercept, where you would be able to find both species in the same area. A whitetail gets its name from its tail. 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 so aptly named due to their large ears that resemble that of a Mule. Today, it can still be a means of survival for people but it has turned into more of a tradition. 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. The antlers of the mule deer and blacktail are bifurcated, which means they fork as they grow. We may receive a commission with purchases through certain links. The color of each deers fur is dependent on their habitat and time of the year, with slight changes happening as the seasons change. Mule deer are slightly more accepting to hunters and pressure. Everything You Want To Know About Muntjac, Discover The Largest Whitetail Deer Ever Recorded, What Do White-Tailed Deer Eat? 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. 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. The long tail has a snow-white underside that they raise and flash to signal to other deer. Many plant and animal species exhibit albinism (including humans). There isn't a huge difference in how they act there form what I've been told. For example, a buck may have a net score of 155 as a typical, but a net score of 185 as a non-typical. Features: Columbian black-tailed deer are smaller and darker than mule deer. Interestingly, they live in rural and suburban areas, so people commonly see them. So if youre going out hunting or just wildlife watching and you want to know the differences, keep reading below. 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. Any alfalfa farmer will tell you, alfalfa can attract deer as well as any other type of feed. Meaning that they fork as they grow. Blacktails prefer mild winters and humid environments. When I'm not working, I enjoy playing video games, reading, and writing for fun. Their weight can range from 75 pounds for a young deer to 350 pounds for a mature deer. Ribbon snakes love water, but are excellent climbers too. Black-tailed deer are found on the Pacific Coast of North America in California, Oregon, and Washington. I'm a freelance writer with 8 years of experience. Columbian black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus, Fig. 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. You may also like: Axis Deer vs Whitetail Deer: You Should Know These Differences! Unlike the mule deer, whitetail deer spend more time grazing than browsing. The mule deer has a white rump with a small, thin white tail tipped in black. But mule deer also have some white in their tails, so whats the difference? The ranges of each species have been well documented. Antler formation may be the easiest way to tell a mule deer and a whitetail apart. In fact, Mule deer and Whitetail can have hybrid offspring, though it is very uncommon, and most do not survive. Most pure mule deer have forks in their antlers. Size: Large males stand up to 3 ft (1 m) at the shoulder. On their own, its easy to tell if you are looking at a Mule deer or a Whitetail. The black-tailed deer has a much smaller range than the mule deer, even though they overlap in some areas. Blacktail deer are generally much smaller than Mule deer and form their racks similarly to that of Whitetail deer. Size also generally depends on where the deer is located. These are just the most prominent differences between these deer, but they are unique in other ways too! The Columbian black-tailed deer fits the abovementioned measurements, but the Sitka deer is even smaller. Their facial fur follows this same pattern as well, with mule deer having brighter facial features with more white fur. Updated weekly by fish and wildlife biologists throughout the state. The white-tailed deer is larger than the black-tailed deer in every measure. Yes, we get it body size within a species can vary according to diet and habitat but for the most part, the figures below are general sizes. You can also find them in the Southwest U.S. and up and down the western coast of North America. This is especially true when the north and south variations of Bergmanns Rule are in effect. First there are estrus doe bleats, which they make when they're in heat but there aren't any bucks around. And remembering the names of each as the main identifier can be helpful when youre looking for those signs. Their legs appear about the right length for their body. Enter your email in the box below to get the most mind-blowing animal stories and videos delivered directly to your inbox every day. However, these measures depend on which subspecies of black-tailed deer you encounter. They are mostly browsers and do not spend much time grazing. 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