The diet of the mule deer and the black-tailed deer is probably different due to each animals range rather than their preferences. Interestingly, both shed their antlers every year in succession to each other. Whether they are the same or not there are definitely some differences in their appearance and habitats. When you add up the clues, they'll tell you if it's a buck or a doe. The Sitka deer or Sitka black-tailed deer ( Odocoileus hemionus sitkensis) is a subspecies of mule deer ( Odocoileus hemionus ), similar to the Columbian black-tailed subspecies ( O. h. colombianus ). Though both are descendants of whitetail, black-tailed deer are considered a sub-species of mule deer. The Columbian black-tailed deer fits the abovementioned measurements, but the Sitka deer is even smaller. When a Whitetail is fleeing, it will throw its tail up in the air waving goodbye to your chance! Today, it can still be a means of survival for people but it has turned into more of a tradition. Deer Population by State: How Many Deer are in the U.S.? White-tailed deer tend to live in a variety of places. Are you adeer hunter thirsty for knowledge? Its a hard cover book so that's as cheap as it gets.. Description. They are a much better option than corn or hay. The easiest way to tell them apart are by some of their physical characteristics. . 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. 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. However, the black-tailed deer has a thick, puffy, black tail. Click here for Deer Tracks Chart if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'outdoorsmecca_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_16',118,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-outdoorsmecca_com-medrectangle-3-0'); Blacktail deer can be found along the west coast, from southern Alaska, to British Columbia, to northern Mexico, and even to islands off the coast of Vancouver. Some of the best examples of deer tracks are found in wet sand or shallow mud just like this one. With Mule deer, you get a much taller and more forky type of rack. These deer are found along the Pacific Coast of North America. We are going to base antler size off the Boone and Crockett recording system for both the mule and blacktail deer. Their name originates from Sitka, Alaska, and it is not to be confused with the similarly named sika deer. 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. In the winter they turn more grey. by Lakna. However, Northern populations have lighter, and Southern populations are darker comparatively. 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. Do you need this information in an alternative format or language? 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. They live in Alaska in the U.S., British Columbia in Canada, California, Oregon, and Washington State in the continental United States. They can be found in meadows, forest edges, and fields. These deer are found throughout all of Central America and portions of northern South America. Named for Sitka, Alaska, as they are found mostly in Alaska. Folks that are really good at hunting whitetail and then hunt blacktail, are usually found standing in the field with their mouth hanging open, wide eyed, and wondering what just happened. Shotguns. You can find it pretty cheap online if you search. However, these measures depend on which subspecies of black-tailed deer you encounter. Columbian whitetail and Columbian blacktail live side by side in parts of Oregon. Thanks, Mule Deer vs Whitetail 8 Key Differences To Tell Them Apart, Mule Deer vs. Whitetail Deer Visual Differences, indigenous to the Western North American belt, Mounting And Sighting In A Rifle Scope Updated [2021], Elk vs Moose The 7 Key Differences To Help You Tell The Two Apart, Best Single Stage Reloading Press Top 5 For 2021, Best Rubber Hunting Boots Reviews And Buyers Guide, Best Light For Coyote Hunting Full Buyers Guide, Best Night Vision Scope For Coyote Hunting Full Buyers Guide, Best Coyote Decoy For 2021 Full Buyers Guide. Fully grown does weigh as little as 80 pounds while bucks weigh 160 pounds on average. This is a basic formation or pattern. 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. 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. Their antler pattern is very similar, but there is a big difference in the length of the metatarsal gland a gland that produces breeding season scents, located above the mid-point of the shank on their hind legs. Many of the physical characteristics of black-tailed deer are similar to those of the larger mule deer. 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. This is when its tail is the most prominent. White-tailed deer grow antlers off a single beam, but the black-tailed deer have antlers that fork off the main beam. During the rut, their tarsal glands will be dark and may show a lot of staining. Have some feedback for us? Interesting. . 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. Learn more about us & read our affiliate disclosure. Research shows that at this age, most bucks have achieved 50 to 75 percent of their antler-growth potential. Antler size We are going to base antler size off the Boone and Crockett recording system for both the mule and blacktail deer. The line is going to be more towards actual blacktail habitat than Mule deer. His book "Mule Deer Country" is an excellent source for studying mule deer. They were removed from the Endangered Species List in 2003 and ODFW has allowed controlled hunts at the NBHMA since 2006. So, how can you tell the difference between a mule deer vs black-tailed deer? Diet: Prefer grasses but will graze young shrubs. This is not a common phenomenon for blacktail deer. Adult buck mule deers can range from 4 to 7 feet long and can stand up to 4 feet tall before their antlers. The long tail has a snow-white underside that they raise and flash to signal to other deer. If they are much smaller, a fawn probably made them. Their favorite meals are ferns, huckleberry, blackberries, apples, cranberry, elderberry, and more. Located on the outside of the hind leg, the length of this gland varies between species . They can be considered the same sub-species. Antler Shape . Both mule deer and whitetail deer hear extremely well. Black-tail deer live in forested mountainous areas, making them less common. 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. Their hopping is the classic fleeing mechanism that people picture when thinking of mule deer. Not unlike Mule deer, there are many subspecies of Whitetail deer. Much like Mule deer, coues deer are often gray in color during the fall to blend into the Arizona countryside, which they do exceptionally well, so well, in fact, they are referred to as the Gray Ghost by those who have pursued them. Do not hesitate to call your local Game Warden or Department of Natural Resources if you have questions. Blacktails in the rainforest are a very different creature from even the chaparral bucks. They are edge-adapted species using the region's dense forest cover . Whitetails have smaller, more streamlined heads with white around the eyes. Coat colors greatly vary in mule deer and whitetail deer species. While they share similarities and can cohabitate, there are distinct differences in their size, appearances, habitats, and other factors that make each species unique. A whitetail is a whitetail, and there is nothing else like it. The black-tailed mature bucks, specifically the Columbia blacktail deer, weigh in around 150 to 200lbs with the does coming in considerably lighter. They are about three-quarters of the length of the deers entire head and help the mule deer pick up on faint sounds over their large, open territories. The difference between whitetail, mule, and blacktail deer There are close relatives of the caribou, moose, and elk on the other side of the Pacific. 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. Bucks are 32 38 high at the shoulder with a total length of around 3.2 feet. Whitetail deer will have a different pattern all together. Mule deer are slightly more accepting to hunters and pressure. 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