Black-tailed deer are descendants of whitetail, the latter of which has walked the landscape of North America for roughly 3.5 million years. Adult buck mule deers can range from 4 to 7 feet long and can stand up to 4 feet tall before their antlers. 4 min read. You are using an out of date browser. White-tailed deer antlers usually have prominent brow tines, and tines that split once directly off the main beam. Salem, OR 97302 Mule Deer vs Black-tailed Deer: What Are the Differences? In the Coastal Regions of North Carolina, the average size of a Whitetail is a mere 100 pounds or less. 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? Also, black-tailed deer have longer ears than white-tailed deer due to their closeness to the mule deer ancestry. Of the 50 or so Columbian blacktail bucks I've killed only a few were pushing 150 lbs. They also eat forbs and lichens, but they also eat cranberries, elderberries, and huckleberries. Check outourstories, videos and hard-hitting how-to'sondeer hunting. Blacktail behavior vs. whitetail behavior? Sitka blacktails have a strong physical resemblance to whitetail deer, while Columbia blacktails have an appearance that seems more aligned with mule deer. They can also weigh between 150 to 250 pounds on average, while the females weigh between 110 to 165 pounds on average. However, the black-tailed deer has a black non-bushy tail. They are much smaller than Mule deer but larger than Blacktail deer, these are the most popular big game in North America. Each species offers a very unique adventure that outdoorsmen cherish. Now the antlers can have a spread even with or outside the ears with decent mass. Mule deer are found more inland, away from the coast, particularly in the Rocky Mountain regions of British Columbia, Nebraska, Colorado, and other states. Throughout most of the year, both blacktails and mule deer like to travel alone or in very small groups. Their facial fur follows this same pattern as well, with mule deer having brighter facial features with more white fur. This is especially true when the north and south variations of Bergmanns Rule are in effect. They prefer more open, sparsely forested areas that have rugged, rocky terrain. White-tailed deer are one of the most common in the Americas, but there are some less-known creatures, like black-tailed deer. Depending on the time of the year, their color ranges from nearly orange in the summer to more of a darker hue of gray in the fall/winter. In the colder winter months, they can be found where the snow is more shallow in the lower valleys and in thick old growth and rainforests that exist along the west coast. I graduated from Rowan University in 2014 with degrees in English and Education. As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases. We may receive a commission with purchases through certain links. White-Tailed Deer vs Black-Tailed Deer: What Are the Differences? Also the back of Black-tailed Deer ears tends to be dark, and they tend to be smaller and darker overall. The mule deer was given its name because of its elongated, large ears that are reminiscent of a mules ears. A whitetail is a whitetail, and there is nothing else like it. They just tuck tail (or, raise tail, rather) and run for the hills. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. I guess the old saying It isnt the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog, holds true. Site by Gray Loon. This site contains affiliate links to products. Deer Bleats Doe bleats, much like grunts, have numerous variations, all dependent on a given situation. In Montana, they have trophy Mule deer. Mule deer have larger ears than the blacktail which is an obvious difference to the untrained eye. What is the difference between whitetail and blacktail deer? Of course, Bergmanns Rule makes plenty of sense when you think about colder climates versus warmer climates. Whitetails almost always have brown rumps. It takes 100" to make book for a Sitka, and 125" for a Columbia. Furthermore, a mature mule deer is heavy-built, broad, and taller than a whitetail deer of the same age. The pointed end is forward. Do Cast Iron Wood Stoves Need Fire Bricks? It's almost impossible to distinguish between the East Siberian moose and the Alaska moose. Mule deer have a white rump and a tail with a black tip at the end of it. 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 mule deer is the largest of the Odocoileus genus, standing, on the average, 40 to 42 inches at the shoulders and stretching 80 inches or so nose to tail. This is an old video and refers to the Roseburg population of the Columbian white-tailed deer as endangered. Mule deer have smaller stomachs than whitetail deer, meaning that they also must be more selective in their diet and choose foods with a higher nutritional value. This is all about heat dissipation. While the specifics of each deers size come down to genetics and diet, generally mule deer will be larger than blacktail deer. Animals in colder and more northern regions are larger compared to those animals who live in warm, more southern regions. Thanks Orygun. The easiest way to tell them apart is by their size and tails more than anything else. 1972. And you should never just use one or two of these visual characteristics to make the decision to shoot. Do you have a question or comment for ODFW? Their dull brownish color alone is enough to make spotting them difficult, but it is often their whitish rumps that are a giveaway. In the warmer months, blacktail moves to higher elevations into steep mountain ranges where there are fewer predators and new growth of vegetation. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. Dr. Valerius Geist is considered the #1 mule deer authority in the world. Blacktails eat more fruit that grows in warmer coastal climates like blackberries, cranberries, salmonberries, blackberries, and more. Whitetails are much more aggressive than mule deer. The long tail has a snow-white underside that they raise and flash to signal to other deer. The females will go into heat for a 24 hour period and most go in to heat in November in the northern portions of their range. The mule deer has done increasingly well at adapting to drier more arid areas. This will be at no cost to you. The predominant successful breeding among hybrids is between white-tailed bucks and mule deer does (Carr and Hughes 1993, Cathey et al. JavaScript is disabled. Here Is the Latest Info. 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. Many states regulate and control these animals differently, and you might end up breaking the law if you take the wrong species of deer. Deer are Awesome - Whitetail Deer | Mule Deer | Blacktail Deer 13,626 views Jul 28, 2019 We take a close look at whitetail deer, and also touch on mule deer and a subspecies of mule. They may look alike at first glance, but their unique qualities make it simple to tell them apart. Hello, and thank you for visiting Outdoors Mecca. Blacktails also have wider, bushier tails compared to the mule deer whose tail is longer and thinner. Whitetail and mule deer are two related deer . Taxonomically, they are the same, but you can see a clear difference in each subspecies when you view them. Many plant and animal species exhibit albinism (including humans). Mule deer antlers grow in a bifurcated way. The Columbia blacktails have bigger racks.. 16x2=32. An important point to mention is that there are two recognized types of blacktail deer, the Columbia blacktail and the Sitka blacktail. 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. Patterning is as simple as finding the migration trails. Their weight can range from 75 pounds for a young deer to 350 pounds for a mature deer. Mule deer are slightly more accepting to hunters and pressure. If you have any questions for me, fill out a form on the contact page, send me an email at karson@huntinggearinsiders.com or leave a comment on the below. Theyre also in British Columbia, Canada, and portions of Alaska. 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. Deer come in many shapes and sizes despite seeming like monolithic creatures. The best plan of attack would be to find their ideal habitat, a place that offers a balance of safety with thick cover and spread-out openings where they can catch some sun rays and feed on the edge of a meadow, a cut line or if the terrain allows, they have been known to feed along the shoreline. Assume those links are affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you click and buy. Whitetail deer have a thicker and fluffier looking tail. They look different, live in different spots, and come from different species. Mule deer are broken into many subspecies, and technically they are a subspecies of Blacktail deer. 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. But there are telltale things to look for. I've written in a variety of niches such as video games, animals, and managed service providers. Our blacktails in the Cascades have some muley influence and migrate. Contact the AZ Animals editorial team. Mule deer mate from mid- to late November; white-tailed deer breed from late November to early December. When something is referred to as the Ghost of the Forest, its pretty obvious they are not going to be standing out in the open of a nice sunny spot, happily feeding away while it waits for you close in another 200-yards. The black-tailed deer has a distinct range too. Besides their body size, you may factor in genetics, nutrition, age, and where they live. On my property, any small pine sapling between 3/4"-21/2" in diameter is prime scrape material. Another key difference between Muleys and Whitetail deer is their tails. Whitetails are subject to a different phenomenon than blacktails, which is Bergmanns Rule. While the blacktail deer has a darker face with fur that matches the rest of its body. The mule deer is most common throughout the western half of the United States. Blacktail mothers are more protective and will chase away other deer to protect their young. Blacktails in the rainforest are a very different creature from even the chaparral bucks. Thank you for reading! 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. Of the 50 or so Columbian blacktail bucks I've killed only a few were pushing 150 lbs. White-tailed deer and black-tailed deer differ in many ways. 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