California: where are the BT and muleys?

[Huntindog45]

There are so many hybrids, crosses, and recognized sub species of both in random pockets of California; trying to put designated “areas” to it is almost impossible. The color map posted on the first page is closest there is to an accurate “zone map” for this overly debated topic here in Northern California.

This is accurate. I hunt mostly in C4 and we certainly see some diversity. There is a wide variety from the valley floor up to the higher elevations. I have seen "black tails" up in the high country that you would have used a 20 point tag in colorado to shoot. not kidding. here is another resource that shows how to identivy some of the "mule deer" subspecies. Funny story though... a few years ago my son and I came up on a hunter from the south part of the state and he had killed a dink 3 pt. this was a deer we pass up all season long in our area.. he could not stop talking about his "big mulie" he killed. My son who was about 13 at the time was cracking up. I guess its all about perspective.

 

[NoBadP17]

Here are four bucks from D5 in the California foothills. These bucks all wintered within a mile of each other. One looks like a old blacktail and one looks like a old mule deer. The other two are somewhere in between.

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gotta love a giant forky!!!

 

[CBFire343]

CA is full of hybrids. Only West of I-5 goes into B&C without question as BT. East of I-5 B&C classifies as a mule deer. They are bigger bodied and bigger antlered than a BT but not as big as mule deer in most parts of the state. It seems that there is more hybridization at the north end of the state and it decreases as you head south. Likely due to the increasing separation from the Cascades/Coastals and the Sierras.