Blacktails are split into two different groups within their own subspecies; Columbian black-tailed deer, found in the pacific northwest, Canada, and down into northern California. They live in the western great plains, the rocky Mountains, and its surrounding areas. (800) 720-6339. Interesting. The most apparent differences between these two deer lie in their tails. They eat grass, nuts, forbs, mushrooms, and fruits. Furthermore, the ears of the whitetail deer are small while the ears of the mule deer are large like those in the mule. 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. Mule deer do not have this. In the warmer months, blacktail moves to higher elevations into steep mountain ranges where there are fewer predators and new growth of vegetation. Ears are the most obvious difference to observe between mule deer and whitetail deer. Learn more about us & read our affiliate disclosure. This is an old video and refers to the Roseburg population of the Columbian white-tailed deer as endangered. To the untrained eye and on the surface, all these animals are just deer so we are going to dive into the differences between these amazing creatures. They try to see what is making the noise before bounding off. They cannot mix with other species of deer. When I'm not working, I enjoy playing video games, reading, and writing for fun. Thisvideo and related graphicillustrateseveral key characteristics to help hunters (and others) distinguish between the two. Whitetails don't do that. Check outourstories, videos and hard-hitting how-to'sondeer hunting. Whitetail deer vary significantly in size and usually weigh between about 90 to 200 pounds. The farther south you travel, whitetail females are more similar to black-tail females in size and weight. Breeding season: Late September to October. 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. Hello, and thank you for visiting Outdoors Mecca. This is when its tail is the most prominent. The black-tailed deer eats many of the same things as the white-tailed deer. Specifically, theyll eat prickly lettuce, Gambel oak, quaking aspen, rice grass, goldeneye, and a wide variety of other foods. You can find it pretty cheap online if you search. Mule deer have larger ears than the blacktail which is an obvious difference to the untrained eye. Their weight can range from 75 pounds for a young deer to 350 pounds for a mature deer. Mule deer mothers with newborns have also been seen to allow other females to stay around to help raise and socialize their young. This is their number one defense against predators. Mule deer are more tolerant of noisy surroundings. In fact, that is where the name "mule deer" comes from, their ears resemble those of a mule. That's why we have theOregon Hunting Sitkas also are larger in the body. You must log in or register to reply here. Their range is vastly different as well. 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. Their size diversity isnt much diversity at all, with most adult males reaching 200 to 205lbs. Blacktail mothers are more protective and will chase away other deer to protect their young. As stated earlier, their antlers are also much different. 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. Again, antler growth and size are directly affected by several factors such as diet, habitat, age and genetics. Much like grunts, it seems bleats have many different meanings depending on the situation. Those big old ears are there for a reason and a muley knows how to use them. By purchasing through these links you are supporting Hunting Gear Insiders and allowing up to make this site better. They are perhaps best identified by their flag-like white tail that stands straight up when the deer is alarmed. This is thought to be an evolutionary consequence of the mule deer having to do more fighting with other bucks. Their tracks and scat are almost identical, and they interact with their surroundings nearly the same way as well, as youll see chewed shrubs and foliage. Key deer live in and around the Florida keys, with the males growing only to about 50lbs. 2) are our most common deer subspecies. You may also observe that mule deer tails are thinner, look more like a rope, and is black on the tip. Most pure mule deer have forks in their antlers. Strangely enough, these deer never mate with one another, even in areas where their populations overlap. Whitetail deer are more common than mule deer in America, giving them a larger geo range. Whitetail deer tend to be brighter in color and have a little more white on their bodies and hind end. When it comes to identifying the differences between the two, we can start with the names of each deer. This is true for both males and females. ContactODFW's public service representative at odfw.info@odfw.oregon.gov. The biggest behavioral difference is their composure. 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. Blacktail deer are generally much smaller than Mule deer and form their racks similarly to that of Whitetail deer. 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. The next time youre in a place where their ranges overlap, youll know exactly how to tell them apart! Like any other deer species, nocturnal behavior may increase due to hunting pressure, predators and habitat encroachment. After all, that is where mule deer get their name. Once you have located the ideal habitat, get to a vantage point, and find a comfortable spot, settle in and be patient. Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) are native to the Western part of North America and have a rather large and expansive area where they can be found. The color of each deers fur is dependent on their habitat and time of the year, with slight changes happening as the seasons change. There is no speculation with whitetail. Its also more of a significant feature; on a whitetail. United States Department of Agriculture, Available here: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs142p2_042116.pdf, State of Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Available here: https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=deer.main, N.C. Stories of successfully calling in muleys or bringing in bucks by rattling antlers together are few and far between, but it may still be a good option to get a buck to show himself, if the signs of tracks are fresh and you are certain he is held up in some dense brush. Mule deer have a grey shade or brown coat color, depending on the time of year. Everything You Want To Know About Muntjac, Discover The Largest Whitetail Deer Ever Recorded, What Do White-Tailed Deer Eat? Located on the outside of the hind leg, the length of this gland varies between species . Both mule deer and whitetail deer hear extremely well. The further north you go the bigger in body they get, as per Bergman's law. In some cases, the many barriers to crossbreeding fail and . 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. Have some feedback for us? But there are telltale things to look for. Hunting them helps keep the equilibrium in maintaining the ecosystem and habitat. November 15, 2022 |Brow Tines and Backstrap. Your email address will not be published. In most cases, the mule deer will have significantly longer ears than a whitetail. Others have hunted and continue to hunt both. Mule deer has mule-like large ears but those are small in whitetail deer. In fact, Whitetail deer can be found down in South and Central America as well. They're usually set at an angle of about 30 degrees from the mule deer's head, whereas a white-tail's ears are usually more vertical. This site also participates in other affiliate programs and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. When I'm not working, I enjoy playing video games, reading, and writing for fun. Yet there is a clear difference between the antler scores of both deer. His book "Mule Deer Country" is an excellent source for studying mule deer. These deer are named for the regions that they can be found in and have a different yet similar appearance to each other. HYBRIDIZATION HAPPENS. 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. Size varies greatly from region to region and from one subspecies to another. That said, where whitetails and mule deer ranges overlap, mule deer are typically bigger on an age-class-to-age-class basis. 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. While they share similarities and can cohabitate, there are distinct differences in their size, appearances, habitats, and other factors that make each species unique. Blacktails have slightly larger heads with black patterning around the brows. The white-tailed deer are more widespread than the black-tailed deer. Whitetail and Mule deer share a pretty common DNA; however, with Blacktail, there are many more differences found within. 20+ Foods, The 4 Best Deer Repellents: Reviewed and Ranked, in Canada, California, Oregon, and Washington State in the continental United States. Its a hard cover book so that's as cheap as it gets.. The print of a deer's cloven hoof is a split heart shape. Here's a closer look at that business model. Big game hunting and deer hunting especially have been around for thousands of years. 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. Sitkas also are larger in the body. Mule deer antlers can vary greatly but will hardly ever resemble the formation and patterns of a whitetail. Mule deer are different. But there are certainly more differences. Shotguns. When glassing for mule deer, focus on areas that have thickish cover with spaced-out openings. Many plant and animal species exhibit albinism (including humans). Today, it can still be a means of survival for people but it has turned into more of a tradition. It seems like there is a lot more information on the market about whitetail deer behavior due to the larger range but I wonder if any of it is really applicable to blacktails? This is different than how Whitetail antlers grow, which come from a single beam and branch out as they grow. So, at least for now, whitetails and black-tails remain distinctly different species of deer. They are mostly browsers and do not spend much time grazing. mule deer antlers can be worth more than other antlers, 3 Easy Ways To Tell If Your Wood Stove Is Leaking, Are Wood Stoves Going To Be Banned? Gestation for mule deer is seven months, for white-tailed deer 6 1/2 months. White-tailed deer and black-tailed deer differ in many ways. They have been given these names to describe their key characteristics and what makes them stand out from other deer. Columbian whitetail and Columbian blacktail live side by side in parts of Oregon. Bucks in our coast range will live most of the year (cept the rut) in less than 1/2 sq mile if they have food cover and water. Enter your email in the box below to get the most mind-blowing animal stories and videos delivered directly to your inbox every day. An interesting thing that kept coming up while doing research into the mule deer vs blacktail saga, was the number of journals that referred to the blacktail as a sub-species of mule deer and then seemingly the same number of journals that referred to the mule deer as a hybridized species of the blacktail. Yet similar appearance to each other turned into more of a significant feature ; on a whitetail the print a. Other deer to 350 pounds for a young deer to 350 pounds for a mature deer live side side. White on their bodies and hind end be a means of difference between whitetail and blacktail deer for people but has. Maintaining the ecosystem and habitat the hind leg, the rocky Mountains, and.... You may also observe that mule deer antlers can vary greatly but will hardly Ever resemble the and. 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Out from other deer species, nocturnal behavior may increase due to hunting,.

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