Learn more about us & read our affiliate disclosure. OutdoorWorld Reviews is a community-supported website. Coues deer are found in Arizona and are much smaller than the Northern White-tailed deer. When tracking deer, it could be difficult to know which of the two are nearby without seeing them for yourself. Email theOregon Fish & Wildlife Commission at [email protected]. In the winter they turn more grey. Also the back of Black-tailed Deer ears tends to be dark, and they tend to be smaller and darker overall. The Columbia blacktails have bigger racks.. The largest difference between mulies and whitetail is the size of that home range. Furthermore, the ears of the whitetail deer are small while the ears of the mule deer are large like those in the mule. Antler formation may be the easiest way to tell a mule deer and a whitetail apart. Mule deer are slightly more accepting to hunters and pressure. 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. I've written in a variety of niches such as video games, animals, and managed service providers. They are much smaller than Mule deer but larger than Blacktail deer, these are the most popular big game in North America. 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. Both mule deer and whitetail deer hear extremely well. Whitetail deer have a brown rump and only the underside of its tail is white. Ears are the most obvious difference to observe between mule deer and whitetail deer. Their legs appear about the right length for their body. The mule deer has a larger maximum size than the black-tailed deer. They are a much better option than corn or hay. 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. 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. This process usually involves removing the entrails, reproductive tract, heart, lungs, diaphragm and part of the esophagus. Mule deer are so aptly named due to their large ears that resemble that of a Mule. Also, mule deer tend to be much more laid back and less jittery. Do you want to enter your opinion about a specific issue into the public record? It's almost impossible to distinguish between the East Siberian moose and the Alaska moose. Tracks you find in the snow or wet ground can be similar, as both species do whats known as pronking, where they leap and land with all four legs at the same time. While blacktails have similar ears, they are noticeably smaller than the mules, which is a great identification trick! Whitetails are found throughout the United Stateseverything east of the Rocky Mountain chain and well into Canada heading north. The line is going to be more towards actual blacktail habitat than Mule deer. Everything You Want To Know About Muntjac, Discover The Largest Whitetail Deer Ever Recorded, What Do White-Tailed Deer Eat? The greatest differences between a white-tailed deer and a black-tailed deer can be found in their morphology and size. A mule deer is bigger than an average whitetail deer. Furthermore, a mature mule deer is heavy-built, broad, and taller than a whitetail deer of the same age. 2) are our most common deer subspecies. But there are telltale things to look for. Very well done, Dan. They prefer more open, sparsely forested areas that have rugged, rocky terrain. Strangely enough, these deer never mate with one another, even in areas where their populations overlap. Their facial fur follows this same pattern as well, with mule deer having brighter facial features with more white fur. http://www.dfg.ca.gov/wildlife/hunting/deer/publications.html, ISO Replacement Forearm Pads for a Beretta Extrema. Many states regulate and control these animals differently, and you might end up breaking the law if you take the wrong species of deer. Depending on the location, the climate, and the time of the year, it should be fairly easy to tell the difference between the two. Mule deer developed as a hybridized species between blacktail deer and whitetail deer, probably on the Rocky Mountain front. Q-values of 0-0.12 were created as a pure mule deer zone, while q-values between 0.9-1 were established to . Bushnell L Series 10x42mm Realtree Xtra Binoculars. You may also like: Axis Deer vs Whitetail Deer: You Should Know These Differences! The two species of deer dont mingle throughout most of their respective ranges. In the warmer months, blacktail moves to higher elevations into steep mountain ranges where there are fewer predators and new growth of vegetation. Contact 503-947-6042 orclick here. 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. They are edge-adapted species using the region's dense forest cover . 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. Most hunters and deer enthusiasts in western North America are exposed to many wonderful species of deer. Whitetails also have a tendency to turn a faded, reddish color in the summer months, which changes to a gray and light tan color in the winter. The mule deer has a larger maximum size than the black-tailed 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. Black-tailed deer primarily range in Britain Columbia and Alaska. Mule deer mate from mid- to late November; white-tailed deer breed from late November to early December. Taxonomically, they are the same, but you can see a clear difference in each subspecies when you view them. Mule deer will also, usually, have more prongs and points, and be broader, than the antlers of the black tail which are shorter and narrower. 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. This is true for both males and females. According to Western states Departments of Natural resources, if a Blacktail deer moves further west, it becomes a Mule deer. Access Map to help Current conditions and opportunities to fish, hunt and view wildlife. In fact, several species and subspecies of deer are found throughout the world today. The Columbian black-tailed deer fits the abovementioned measurements, but the Sitka deer is even smaller. Its a hard cover book so that's as cheap as it gets.. Their dull brownish color alone is enough to make spotting them difficult, but it is often their whitish rumps that are a giveaway. Add the lengths of the G2, G3 and G4 (if present) multiply by 2 and add 95. 4. Hey I'm Karson. Whitetail deer will have a different pattern all together. 16x2=32. Most black-tails live in British Columbia and Alaska, far to the north. Deer Population by State: How Many Deer are in the U.S.? This is all about heat dissipation. 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. I graduated from Rowan University in 2014 with degrees in English and Education. A lot of the rest of the area has cattle on it and that just destroys any native sign. If you are interested in learning more information about the basic similarities and differences, Oregon State University offers a great reference page. The ranges of the subspecies of blacktail overlap latitudes, but the blacktail deer exist no . Black-tailed deer and mule deer share a closer bloodline and share personality traits, such as hopping up the side of mountains to escape predators, whereas whitetail will simply bolt downhill, usually in search of water. And start the migration generally the first week of bow season regardless of the weather. Your email address will not be published. In comparison, whitetail deer is in abundance all over the United States, barring some western states. Axis Deer vs Whitetail Deer: You Should Know These Differences! Their size diversity isnt much diversity at all, with most adult males reaching 200 to 205lbs. 2019 -2022Outdoorworld.reviews - Reliable Outdoor Reviews. Body size is usually relative to age, genetics, health, nutrition and geographic location. Lifespan: Up to 16 years. To keep things straightforward, when referring to blacktail it will be with regards to the Columbia blacktail. White-Tailed Deer vs Black-Tailed Deer: What Are the Differences? While the specifics of each deers size come down to genetics and diet, generally mule deer will be larger than blacktail deer. Mule deer, as a general rule, like to live in rugged areas. Shoulder height: Up to 94cm (females up to 91cm). 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. Mule deer are found more inland, away from the coast, particularly in the Rocky Mountain regions of British Columbia, Nebraska, Colorado, and other states. Any alfalfa farmer will tell you, alfalfa can attract deer as well as any other type of feed. This video and related graphic illustrate several key characteristics to help hunters (and others) distinguish between the two. 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. 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. by Lakna. Body size and facial features indicate a mule deer but the tail is usually dark chocolate brown or black on top and white underneath. 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