Around North America, deer species vary in form and scale. Mule deer and whitetail deer are two of the most often occurring forms. Although at first appearance these creatures seem to be identical, they differ in certain important ways that distinguishes them.
Larger ears for mule deer than for whitetails
Mule deer are unique in their large, recognizable ears. These ears are far longer than those of whitetail deer—up to 10 inches.
Mule deer have big ears for a very useful reason. They increase these creatures’ chances of escape by helping them to hear predators and other hazards from long distances.
Smaller, more rounded ears characterize whitetail deer. Usually, their ears run six to eight inches long. Still decent for hearing, they are not as striking as mule deer ears.
Big ears of mule deer also help animals remain cool in hot environments. Better heat loss made possible by the huge surface area helps in their generally dry, heated surroundings.
More elusive than mule deer are whitetails
One of whitetail deer’s reputation is for sneakiness. Often hiding in thickets and deep forests are they. This makes their spotting more difficult than that of mule deer.
Mule deer are less wary near people and like open environments. When seen, they usually don back off. Conversely, most whitetails bolt at the first hint of danger.
Strong senses enable whitetails to dodge hunters. Their big ears enable them to detect minute sounds coming from distant distances. Their great sense of smell helps them to identify threats as well.
These deer are noted for their stealth. They hardly make a sound as they gently negotiate the forest. Masters in disappearing into the foliage when threatened are whitetails.
Their color also allows them to fit their environment. Whitetails are difficult to find in the wild because of their innate hiding ability.
Commonly found in the western US are mule deer
Mule deer call the western sections of North America home. They wander from the Rocky Mountains and beyond to coastal California.
From sagebrush plains to pine woods to alpine meadows, these deer favor western environments. Common in regions like Colorado, Utah, and Nevada, they fit really nicely on dry, tough terrain.
The large ears of mule deer gave them their name—that of a mule. These big ears enable their alertness in open surroundings.
Unlike whitetails, mule deer travel seasonally over many different locations. In summer, they climb to higher altitudes; in winter, they travel to lower ground.
In western states, hunters especially look for mule deer. Their tough environment and unusual antlers make them a sought-after game animal.
Eastern forests are where whitetail deer flourish.
Eastern woodlands are exactly fit for whitetail deer. Areas with lots of trees and shrubs are great hiding place for them. Where open fields meet woodlands, these deer thrive.
For whitetails, temperate climates featuring farms and woodlands are perfect. These places abound in food for them. Their food consists mostly in acorns, berries, and leaves.
Great at adjusting to many environments are whitetails. They might occupy more open spaces or deep forests. Their survival in many areas of the eastern U.S. depends on this adaptability.
Whitetails usually stay in the same broad range throughout winter. Unlike some other deer, they migrate not great distances. Rather, they locate covered areas to ride out the winter.
Mule deer have a quite unique black-tipped tail.
Mule deer differ from other deer species in their unusual tail. Their tail is black- tipped and resembles a rope. This quality helps one to recognize them even from a distance.
Mule deer’s black-tipped tail signals other deer to be on alert. They show off the black tip by lifting their tail when danger is close-by. This signals other deer in the vicinity to possible hazards.
By comparison, the tail of whitetail deer is more flat and triangular. Underneath their brown tail is pure white. Whitetails flee away from fear flashing the white underside of their tail.
One of several ways to differentiate mule deer from whitetails is by their tail appearance and behavior. Both hunters and environmentalists will find this useful trick.
Alerted, whitetails show their white tail.
Whitetails deer signal danger in a different way. They flaunt the brilliant white underbelly by raising their tails high when they feel a threat.
We label this behavior as “flagging.” Other deer should clearly get a notice that things is not quite right. One can clearly see the white flash hundreds of yards distant.
Two functions are served by flagging. It first tells the herd of possible danger. Second, it can confuse hunters. The deer has an opportunity to flee when a predator is startled or diverted by the unexpected flash of white.
Conversely, mule deer do not engage in this behavior. Their tails are little and less obvious. To escape danger, they rely more on their great hearing and jumping capacity.
Mule deer exhibit a mule-like facial anatomy.
The unusual facial traits of mule deer helped to define them. Their huge ears give them an odd look like that of a mule. These separate moving ears enable one to sense danger from all directions.
Their face is flatter and wider than those of other deer species. Their form lends them some of a dopey aspect. The mule-like look of the mule deer comes from their wider nose.
Their face shows broad and lofty eyes. Their view of predators improves with this arrangement. Around their snout and mouth, mule deer feature a light-colored patch. Their darker face makes this marking unique and simple to see.
These face traits enable mule deer to live in their rocky mountain habitats. Their wide-angle eyes and large ears help them to avoid mountain lions and other threats.
The solitary beam of whitetails’ antlers
Whitetail deer antlers appear really unusual. Their antlers develop as a single main beam with straight up tines. They so have a tree-like form.
The main beam veers upward and forward. Tines, little points, develop off this main beam. Including the forehead tine close to the base, a typical mature buck can have four or five points on each side.
This antler structure differs from that of mule deer. Shape-wise, whitetail antlers often are more compact. Their fork or split is not like that of mule deer antlers.
This function allows hunters and watchers of wildlife to distinguish between deer species. One important difference that aids in field identification of whitetails is
As they develop, mule deer antlers fork.
The way mule deer antlers grow is unusual. Mule deer antlers fork and branch as they develop unlike those of their whitetail kin. This gives them a less homogeneous, spread-out appearance.
A mule deer’s antlers’ primary beam divides in two forks. These branches then divide once more to give forked looks. As the antlers expand, this forking pattern persists.
Big mule deer bucks can produce really amazing, widely spreading antlers. Their racks stand out from those of other deer species because of their forked design Many times, hunters value these unique antlers as trophies.
Mule deer drop their antlers either in February or March every year. They almost immediately begin to produce fresh ones. This annual cycle helps them to once more produce their unique forked antlers.
Whitetails run faster.
Speedier than their mule deer cousins are whitetail deer. When sprinting, they can run up to thirty miles per hour. When they perceive danger, this makes them quick escape artists.
Whitetails flee hunters and predators using their speed. Their large, strong legs enable them to flash away from dangers. In comparison to mule deer, they can also keep great speeds for extended distances.
Whitetails have a usual galloping movement when running away. This is not like the special hopping technique of mule deer. The sprinting technique of the deer enables them to more readily negotiate brush and deep woodlands.
Whitetails are a difficult target for hunters since of their speed and agility. Many find whitetail hunting to be quite fascinating and fulfilling for this reason as well.