Blacktail or Mule Deer?

[Jimmy]

With no other information other than these pictures, what do you think these bucks are? Mule deer, Blacktail, or mixed? Just for fun!

 

[Azone]

I'm gonna guess mixed. That top one looks like most bucks in my area, minus the giant rack. That bottom one definitely has some trophy ears on him.

 

[ReddingArcher]

I'd lean more towards the top buck being a blacktail from the thinner face, stud buck either way! The bottom its tougher to tell but I'll say a cross.

 

[2rocky]

You did not give good enough pictures to make a ruling. And it comes down to what side of the line they died upon. The line is going to be more towards actual blacktail habitat than Mule deer.

I've measured P&Y Blacktails who have won the biennual bowhunting awards in California bigger than any Mule deer I've killed. And solidly in Blacktail country.

If it is along an established border then what ever side of the line it died on is what it is...

 

[Moserkr]

I remember speaking with the guy who shot that first buck pictured, and have seen one identical to it on the hoof. He got it at 8,500’ somewhere near where I hunt. Public land D-zone, and i believe its a “CA Mule Deer”, not a rocky mountain. CA Muleys are basically a 50/50 mix of Rocky Mtn Muley and Blacktail. I have seen and have pics of CA Muleys and Rocky Mtn Muleys in herds together in the high country. I believe they migrate different directions for winter, but share summer ground. Depending on genetics, Ive seen CA muleys take after rocky and blacktail based on body and hoof size. All are much larger than coastal blacktail, im referring to inland blacktail as far as cross breeds go.

 

[Marble]

Location location location...


My experience in CA says there 4 categories here, coastal balcktail, mountain blacktail, the Eastside of the valleys into the mountains, going east quite a ways, then the "pure" CA Mule deer on the far eastern portion of the state.

Then there is what the BC books says for rules.

 

[3pointer]

I’m saying top one is a true blacky, bottom one mixed

 

[JohnnyB]

It’s very hard to tell when they are that young. To bad they didn’t age a bit so we could have found more identifiable characteristics.

 

[Smithb9841]

Not to Hijack but what do u think this buck is?

 

[willfrye027]

Not to Hijack but what do u think this buck is?

Looks like a nice garden buck to me.

 

[Azone]

Not to Hijack but what do u think this buck is?

I'd lean more towards muley with that one.

 

[bowuntr]

That's funny how guys can tell the species of deer from looks... fact is that DNA is the only way to tell. BlacktailSlayer nailed it. The DNA supports where the P&Y/B&C line has been drawn. Ed F

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

You can not tell if one is truly 100% blacktail without DNA testing. Many hunters in California have had their bucks DNA tested east of I-5 because they thought they were true blacktails and wanted them entered into the record books that way. Only one has ever come back 100% blacktail and allowed in the record books. Looks can be deceiving. There has been plenty of blacktail/mule deer mix even on the west side of I-5 in Oregon and Washington. Check out this article. http://www.deernut.com/Documents/PnYBTDDNAWinter2013.pdf

This.

 

[RosinBag]

You guys are crazy. I always go with what the C Zone guides say, therefore they are blacktails. That way they can sell more hunts and convince the non educated hunter that the mule deer they just shot is a black tail and they are closer to their deer slam. Duh!!!

 

[JNDEER]

DNA testing is best way- but if you have hunted enough on both sides of the isle you can usually come up with a good guess if there is enough pics (no tail needed).

 

[Smithb9841]

One thing to consider is this is something that there hasn’t been a lot of actual DNA tests conducted throughout the state to know forsure what is where it’s not like the deer know the I5 boundary and are separated by a straight line... but also there are different sub species of mule deer in California not just “black tails and mule deer” the map below was taken from a Forest service website not just something a random person put together... as far as Boone and Crockett goes or getting a slam or whatever the hell people want to justify calling there deer a Blacktail for doesnt matter to me. But I do know that when I hunt lower elevation in the areas I hunt there is a big difference between those deer and the deer I see when im Hunting up near the passes or the deer that move down after a storm.

 

[Smithb9841]

Forgot to post map on last post

 

[RosinBag]

That map from the forest service is as random as any other. There is a better chance if getting struck by lightning that finding a Colombian Blacktail as Far East as that map shows.

 

[CaliforniaMuley209]

cross! great buck

 

[Bubblehide]

That map from the forest service is as random as any other. There is a better chance if getting struck by lightning that finding a Colombian Blacktail as Far East as that map shows.

Actually it is a map from Ca F&W, the biologists I have talked with swear by it.