California: where are the BT and muleys?

[Lou (Louis)]

Ok,
Everyone seems to agree that there are BT along the coast, but a map in the recent MDF magazine indicates that BT are only along the coast* (and only north of San Francisco Bay, to boot).
All the rest of the areas are marked as Muley: southern coast, Central Valley, and Sierras.

Thoughts? Agree? Disagree?

* they do indicate a small easterly spur in Siskiyou County

 

[bohntr]

Agree

 

[Lou (Louis)]

MDF map very similar to this one, but the teal green ends at SF Bay in the MDF one (which I can’t seem to find)

 

[SDHNTR]

Agree, mostly

 

[SDHNTR]

A more detailed, and debatable, chart. CA has a lot of sub species.

 

[Oregonboy]

agree as well

 

[WeiserBucks]

I had always heard that B&C and P&Y recognized Interstate 5 as the cut off line? West blacktail, east muley. Could very well be mistaken.

 

[Cant hit em]

In this state they can identify as which ever species they want too

 

[Lou (Louis)]

I had always heard that B&C and P&Y recognized Interstate 5 as the cut off line? West blacktail, east muley. Could very well be mistaken.

I have heard this, as well.

 

[Lou (Louis)]

Added a poll. Please respond in the thread (if you already haven’t) and vote.
Thank you!

 

[cacklercrazy]

Ok,
Everyone seems to agree that there are BT along the coast, but a map in the recent MDF magazine indicates that BT are only along the coast* (and only north of San Francisco Bay, to boot).
All the rest of the areas are marked as Muley: southern coast, Central Valley, and Sierras.

Thoughts? Agree? Disagree?

* they do indicate a small easterly spur in Siskiyou County

Bt all over the place. Only in the high counrty do I feel like those deer are pure Muleys. I shot a buck on g37 this year. Definitely a cross between the two. Short ears and smaller nose.

 

[WeiserBucks]

Bt all over the place. Only in the high counrty do I feel like those deer are pure Muleys. I shot a buck on g37 this year. Definitely a cross between the two. Short ears and smaller nose.

Pic?

 

[Lou (Louis)]

Found it! (MDF map)

 

[Lou (Louis)]

Also, BT are noticeably brown, I’d say and muleys are gray/brown…

 

[Banded_spooney]

On no, not this topic again.
Fish and wildlife call deer in D and C blacktail

If a deer genetically tests 90/10 blacktail to mule deer what is it?

 

[Banded_spooney]

For those who voted coast only. One of these is off 20 below clear lake the other two are Sierra foothills. Tell me which one is a blacktail

 

[FairWeatherFisher]

I’ve always heard west of the summit of the cascades (for Oregon) is BT, east of the cascades is mule, with a bit of cross breeding overlap in the border region.

Looking at the MDF map, it seems to line up with the crest of the Cascades, so it’s close enough to correct IMO. I can’t speak to the southern cutoff, but no map can be perfect. Deer don’t recognize borders people draw on maps.

 

[Lou (Louis)]

For those who voted coast only. One of these is off 20 below clear lake the other two are Sierra foothills. Tell me which one is a blacktail

The first one.

 

[PHo]

The deer in the Central Valley and west slope of the Sierras might not be considered blacktail, which I somewhat agree, but they should not be considered mule deer either. I don’t know why so many people are ok with calling them mule deer when they have full black tails? At the very least they should be called hybrids.

 

[68Plexi]

The deer in the Central Valley and west slope of the Sierras might not be considered blacktail, which I somewhat agree, but they should not be considered mule deer either. I don’t know why so many people are ok with calling them mule deer when they have full black tails? At the very least they should be called hybrids.

Agreed. I hunt the Sierra Nevada crest and there is clearly a difference in size, antlers, ears and tails between the mulies and the much smaller blacktail or hybrids that are mostly on the western slope.

They not only look noticeably different, so are their feeding habits and desired terrain. We hunt them both with completely different strategies.


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