Question for you guys who live in states with both whitetails and muledeer - The Firearms Forum

hkruss · 08-02-2009, 08:44 PM

Something I was wondering about. In the areas that have both types of deer, do the two species ever inhabit the same areas or do they stay apart? Do they ever cross breed? Do the bucks ever fight each other or do they avoid each other? Do you ever see the two types mingling together? Just curious.

whip · 08-03-2009, 09:10 AM

1. Yes they do use the same habitat mostly mule deer in whitetail type cover. Occasionally I see a white tail in true mule deer habitat. Mostly the whitetails stick close to the creek bottom habitat that is timbered.
2. According to the experts they do cross I have seen some deer that I thought might be crosses. But I have never killed one I could say for sure was a cross.
3. I have never seen a whitetail or a muley buck square off but the whitetails are pretty aggressive during the rut and Im sure it happens.
4. I have seen a group of 9 bucks together in the summer with 7 of the bucks being muledeer and 2 whitetails. They ran together for nearly a month last summer. I have also seen mule deer and whitetail does with fawns all feeding together in field and have jumped mule deer and whitetail does all bedded together.

This is what I have observed here in Wyoming. Interestingly 30 years ago we had hardly any whitetails now they are quite common. In 1983 we had a really hard winter and all the deer species suffered lots of death loss but the mule deer survived much better than the whitetails. For a while after the hard winter the mule deer ruled but slowly with a series of mild winters the whitetails came back.

carver · 08-03-2009, 09:33 AM

Here in E TX we have white tail deer only, but some mule deer were brought in by the WFD. My two boys have both killed white tailed deer that were offspring of the mule deer. Both deer were spikes, and both field dressed out at around 200 lbs. They do cross breed in such a case as we have here where the mule deer is not in it's natural habitat. Don't know if they do in the areas of the country where both exist in a natural habitat.

kingchip · 08-03-2009, 06:34 PM

Yes they crossbreed and the Whitetail are the dominant species down here. The West Texas ranchers are concerned that the whitetail will overtake the Muley species and habitat.

tim peterson · 08-04-2009, 09:48 PM

I have to agree with Whip. Thats exactly what I have seen in Eastern Colo, and W Neb. Good luck!

fyimo · 08-22-2009, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tim peterson

I have to agree with Whip. Thats exactly what I have seen in Eastern Colo, and W Neb. Good luck!

+1 on what you said because I've seen it also in Eastern Colorado when I lived there. They do cross breed and they often travel together.

08-02-2009, 08:44 PM	#1
hkruss Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Mobile, Al. Posts: 1,092	Question for you guys who live in states with both whitetails and muledeer Something I was wondering about. In the areas that have both types of deer, do the two species ever inhabit the same areas or do they stay apart? Do they ever cross breed? Do the bucks ever fight each other or do they avoid each other? Do you ever see the two types mingling together? Just curious. __________________ obama - "non gratum anus rodentum" -->

08-03-2009, 09:10 AM	#2
whip V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Wyoming Posts: 239	Re: Question for you guys who live in states with both whitetails and muledeer 1. Yes they do use the same habitat mostly mule deer in whitetail type cover. Occasionally I see a white tail in true mule deer habitat. Mostly the whitetails stick close to the creek bottom habitat that is timbered. 2. According to the experts they do cross I have seen some deer that I thought might be crosses. But I have never killed one I could say for sure was a cross. 3. I have never seen a whitetail or a muley buck square off but the whitetails are pretty aggressive during the rut and Im sure it happens. 4. I have seen a group of 9 bucks together in the summer with 7 of the bucks being muledeer and 2 whitetails. They ran together for nearly a month last summer. I have also seen mule deer and whitetail does with fawns all feeding together in field and have jumped mule deer and whitetail does all bedded together. This is what I have observed here in Wyoming. Interestingly 30 years ago we had hardly any whitetails now they are quite common. In 1983 we had a really hard winter and all the deer species suffered lots of death loss but the mule deer survived much better than the whitetails. For a while after the hard winter the mule deer ruled but slowly with a series of mild winters the whitetails came back.

08-03-2009, 09:33 AM	#3
carver TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: DAV, Deep in the Pineywoods of East Texas, just west of Shreveport, LA Contributor Posts: 11,552	Re: Question for you guys who live in states with both whitetails and muledeer Here in E TX we have white tail deer only, but some mule deer were brought in by the WFD. My two boys have both killed white tailed deer that were offspring of the mule deer. Both deer were spikes, and both field dressed out at around 200 lbs. They do cross breed in such a case as we have here where the mule deer is not in it's natural habitat. Don't know if they do in the areas of the country where both exist in a natural habitat. __________________ Y'all be safe now, ya hear! Lamentations Chapter 5: 1. Remember, O LORD, what is come upon us: consider, and behold our reproach. 2. Our inheritance is turned to strangers, our houses to aliens. 3. We are orphans and fatherless, our mothers [are] as widows. 5. Our necks [are] under persecution: we labour, [and] have no rest. 16. The crown is fallen [from] our head: woe unto us, that we have sinned! 21. Turn thou us unto thee, O LORD, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old.

08-03-2009, 06:34 PM	#4
kingchip Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Marble Falls, Texas Posts: 541	Re: Question for you guys who live in states with both whitetails and muledeer Yes they crossbreed and the Whitetail are the dominant species down here. The West Texas ranchers are concerned that the whitetail will overtake the Muley species and habitat.

08-04-2009, 09:48 PM	#5
tim peterson V.I.P. Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: COLORADO Posts: 280	Re: Question for you guys who live in states with both whitetails and muledeer I have to agree with Whip. Thats exactly what I have seen in Eastern Colo, and W Neb. Good luck! __________________ The great objective is that every man be armed. Every one who is able may have a Gun. Patrick Henry