This is not a common phenomenon for blacktail deer. 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. However, their territories do overlap in some locations. Alfalfa bales are another commonly used feed for deer. They are a much better option than corn or hay. Blacktail mothers are more protective and will chase away other deer to protect their young. Visit the ODFW's agency site. The most obvious one is the fur on the rump of each deer. Mule deer also have much darker foreheads than whitetails, too. 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? The line is going to be more towards actual blacktail habitat than Mule deer. Whitetail are the oldest living species of deer at 3.5 million years old. Key deer are a close subspecies of whitetail, and they would be much larger if they lived in north Alabama. White-Tailed Deer vs Black-Tailed Deer: What Are the Differences? Theyre also in British Columbia, Canada, and portions of Alaska. You must log in or register to reply here. However, the black-tailed deer has a black non-bushy tail. Most black-tails live in British Columbia and Alaska, far to the north. For example, a buck may have a net score of 155 as a typical, but a net score of 185 as a non-typical. The mule deer has larger ears than the black-tailed deer, a quality that grants this deer its name. Patterning is as simple as finding the migration trails. When I'm not working, I enjoy playing video games, reading, and writing for fun. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Albinism is a congenital condition defined by the absence of pigment, resulting in an all-white appearance and pink eyes. Have some feedback for us? The colour of their coat varies among subspecies as well as individuals. Thanks for visiting eatingthewild.com. Dr. Valerius Geist is considered the #1 mule deer authority in the world. In the Coastal Regions of North Carolina, the average size of a Whitetail is a mere 100 pounds or less. Their range is vastly different as well. Another difference is physical shape. In comparison, whitetail deer is in abundance all over the United States, barring some western states. The blacktail deer is usually darker than the mule deer, having a more consistent gray color. They rarely branch off anywhere besides the main tine. Blacktail deer, Columbian black-tailed deer. Mule deer have longer, pointy, and floppier ears than whitetail deer. Not unlike Mule deer, there are many subspecies of Whitetail deer. Some just hunt one or the other. deer, (family Cervidae), any of 43 species of hoofed ruminants in the order Artiodactyla, notable for having two large and two small hooves on each foot and also for having antlers in the males of most species and in the females of one species. Have more success. They are edge-adapted species using the region's dense forest cover . I've known for many years that the difference between prices is usually a direct link to quality and experience. Don't mean to sidetrack the conversation, but you should see what a blackbear can do to a sapling as well! Both deer are reddish-brown in the warm months, and their coat turns dark brown and gray in the fall and winter. They tend to live near rivers and fields where water and food are easy to come by. Adult buck mule deers can range from 4 to 7 feet long and can stand up to 4 feet tall before their antlers. With a shoulder height of 31 42 and a nose-to-tail length of 3.9 6.9 ft. A mature mule deer buck will tip the scales from 160 to 330 lbs. This is an old video and refers to the Roseburg population of the Columbian white-tailed deer as endangered. Ears are normally larger than a whitetail but smaller than a mule deer. Shoulder height: Up to 94cm (females up to 91cm). 4 min read. Whitetail deer are more common than mule deer in America, giving them a larger geo range. On the other hand, it can mean that your soul and spirit needed cleansing. This transitions to a muted brown, almost gray, in the winter months, to better match the snowy, rocky surroundings. If you go deep into the south, black-tailed females will outweigh female whitetails located that far south. White-tailed deer are found throughout most of North America. The rule is pretty straightforwardspecies that live farthest from the equator grow larger than species living closer to the equator. Description. Updated weekly by fish and wildlife biologists throughout the state. 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. The average mule deer will grow between 95 and 330 pounds in weight, 2.8-3.9 feet in height, and between 4 and 7 feet in length. 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. Here Is the Latest Info. I've measured P&Y Blacktails who have won the biennual bowhunting awards in California bigger than any Mule deer I've killed. HYBRIDIZATION HAPPENS. Mule deer antlers grow in a bifurcated way. To recap, the basic idea is that bucks tend to have proportionally larger front versus hind feet than does. Their favorite meals are ferns, huckleberry, blackberries, apples, cranberry, elderberry, and more. 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. The size of their ears is determined by what biome you find them in. Deer are native to all continents except Australia and Antarctica, and many species have been widely introduced beyond their original habitats as game . Whitetails have smaller, more streamlined heads with white around the eyes. Given that they can inhabit the same area and can even interbreed, knowing the difference between them can be tricky. Thank you for reading! An adult buck will weigh from 150 to . Blacktail deer are generally much smaller than Mule deer and form their racks similarly to that of Whitetail deer. This is not the case with Blacktail deer. A white- tail/mule deer hybrid has metatarsal glands that split the difference in location, appearance and length (between 2 to 4 inches). These are just the most prominent differences between these deer, but they are unique in other ways too! The easiest way to tell them apart are by some of their physical characteristics. The mule deer is known for eating forbs, shrubs, trees, and grass. WATCH: Sharks biting alligators, the most epic lion battles, and MUCH more. You can also find them in the Southwest U.S. and up and down the western coast of North America. The color of each deers fur is dependent on their habitat and time of the year, with slight changes happening as the seasons change. What is the difference between whitetail and blacktail deer? And what makes it even harder is the almost never-ending barrage of rain and thick fog that moves through area. That way, we can see how theyre different in obvious ways, like body type, and less-obvious ways, like species. Anyone hunted or have experience with both? Named for their large and fluffy white tails; Nearly every hunter who has chased this game will experience being white flagged. Enter your email in the box below to get the most mind-blowing animal stories and videos delivered directly to your inbox every day. They tend to be higher up and in rocky areas. Bucks love the small saplings, and yes, they're blacktails. I've written in a variety of niches such as video games, animals, and managed service providers. Blacktail deer are a different species of deer than the whitetail, and mule deer are a subspecies of the blactail. Although their diets are largely similar, whitetail deer typically have a wider choice of foods due to their habitat and larger stomachs. The white-tailed deer measures 150 lbs to 405 lbs, grow 1.7 ft to 3.9 ft tall and measures 3.3 to 7.2 feet long. A whitetail gets its name from its tail. Copyright Jesse's Hunting & Outdoors L.L.C. Of course, Bergmanns Rule makes plenty of sense when you think about colder climates versus warmer climates. Taxonomically, they are the same, but you can see a clear difference in each subspecies when you view them. But by keeping an eye out for the main differences in their habitats, social and physical traits, identifying them can be a breeze. 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. Required fields are marked *. They occur from the crest of the Cascades west to the ocean, preferring brushy, logged lands and coniferous forests. 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 are identifiable in the way they move, too. Since one is a subspecies of the other, it may be hard to tell them apart at first glance, but a few key details can be observed. As previously mentioned, there are many more differences between the species than listed here. They are much smaller than Mule deer but larger than Blacktail deer, these are the most popular big game in North America. White-Tailed Deer vs Black-Tailed Deer: What Are the Differences? White-tailed deer and mule deer have slightly different reproduction and mating cycles. The black-tailed deer has a much smaller range than the mule deer, even though they overlap in some areas. Some of the best examples of deer tracks are found in wet sand or shallow mud just like this one. Deer Meat: 10 Things You Should Know About Venison, Discover The Largest Whitetail Deer Ever Caught in Maine, Possesses a reddish-brown coat that fades to gray in the fall and winter, Across almost the entire southern portion of Canada, except coastal areas on the west, Grass, nuts, forbs, mushrooms, and fruits. Mule deers have a tendency to stay in large social groups when herding or foraging, while blacktail deer will rarely stay in a large group, usually only when feeding, before moving off on their own. Everything You Want To Know About Muntjac, Discover The Largest Whitetail Deer Ever Recorded, What Do White-Tailed Deer Eat? 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. However, the species has a variety of subspecies, including the black-tailed deer. 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. Overlap in some locations an old video and refers to the North normally larger blacktail. Have proportionally larger front versus hind feet than does have much darker than. Even interbreed, knowing the difference between them can be tricky their habitat and larger.. 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