Mule deer/whitetail hybrids

[kwyeewyk]

Where I live in Washington (NE Chelan co.) there are only a few whitetails and mostly mule deer. There are plenty of whiteys to the north, not sure why they don't get more established here, but I occasionally see them. I always see does though and have yet to see a buck. I have seen what I'm convinced are hybrids several times now though. They run funny and their tail looks like a blacktail, and they will flag it briefly, then put it down, and they're with normal mule deer. Before I'd only seen them one at a time, but yesterday there were three of them in my yard with about 10 or 15 normal looking mule deer. Apparently the females are sexually viable and can breed with either species, I think it's mule deer bucks breeding the does since I haven't seen any whitetail bucks around, but who knows. Considered maybe blacktails but I don't think so. Waiting for these guys to clear off the winter range so I can have my shooting range back.

 

[ImBillT]

The tail suggests that it’s a definite maybe. I’ve seen two in person that I strongly question, but never got a good look at tarsal glands.

 

[ntodwild]

Set up some game cams if you have them and check them on a regular. You may be able to get some really good close up shots.

I have often wondered about the mixture as I have hunted in areas where whitetails are in the lowlands and in the upper mountainous areas Mule deer seem to be living within a few miles of the white tail.

 

[beagle001]

I am convinced my buddy and I saw a young hybrid buck in South Dakota a few years back. Off-color coat, funny looking tail, awkward running away- couldn’t decide if he wanted to stot or run.

My understanding is that generally, it is whitetail bucks breeding muley does, as whitetails are more... persistent in their efforts during the rut.

 

[Hunting Wife]

I grew up in western Oregon, and those look like classic blacktails to me.

 

[kwyeewyk]

those look like classic blacktails to me.

It's possible they're blacktails that wander down this side of the mountains, it happens frequently further south. I did hear about a whitetail buck way up in the high country near the crest a couple years ago. That would make for an interesting mix having all three in one area.

My understanding is that generally, it is whitetail bucks breeding muley does,

If they are hybrids, it probably does makes sense that the mom would be a mule deer if they're running with mule deer, would think if the mom was a whitetail they'd be with the whitetails. When I do see the whitetails around here, they're usually in groups of 5-10, and they don't seem to spend much time in one spot.

Set up some game cams if you have them and check them on a regular. You may be able to get some really good close up shots.

I don't have any game cams, but that's a good idea.

 

[Hunting Wife]

My brother in law shot a hybrid once, and I’ve seen one other dead one in MT. Both had muley bodies/tails, but whitetail heads/ears/antlers. The one BIL shot was still in velvet in late November and the antlers were so soft they both broke off when he hit the dirt. Had some anomalies of the reproductive organs, which is common in hybrids.

Particularly because you have several, I think it’s extremely unlikely they are hybrids. But living in a place where you get all three species of deer would be pretty cool.

 

[kwyeewyk]

Particularly because you have several, I think it’s extremely unlikely they are hybrids.

Statistically yes, my thought was that it may have been a first generation hybrid doe who was then bred by a mule deer buck and she produced twins. I thought this because the one doe had a very broad and dark tail, but the other two that I thought could be her yearling twins, look somewhat more like a normal mule deer, but still had a bit of the broadened tail with more black than just the tip, but not so much as the other doe. I'm going to ask our local deer biologist what he thinks. Sounds like there can be a lot a variability in how the different traits are expressed in hybrids.

 

[kwyeewyk]

Also I suppose it's possible they're blacktail/muley hybrids.

 

[gouch]

I grew up in western Oregon, and those look like classic blacktails to me.

They really do. Sometimes deer wander a long way and your not all that far from blacktail country.

 

[backcountry_sassn]

I heard a great podcast about this. Mule deer and whitetail will breed, (normally a mule deer buck to a whitetail doe) but the male offspring wont be fertile and they tend to lean towards the whitetail traits. So they all eventually go back to being whitetail.

 

[Mallardsx2]

Here is one.

Main frame 4 point on one side and the only thing "Muley" about him is his split on its right side.

 

[rtraverdavis]

View attachment 130483

Here is one.

Main frame 4 point on one side and the only thing "Muley" about him is his split on its right side.

Out of curiosity, what else besides antler configuration made you think he was a hybrid? Looks 100% mule deer to me.

 

[HUNTNNW]

that buck is 100% mule deer, if you think thats a whitetail hybrid you may need to look up specie identification.

 

[HUNTNNW]

my dad killed a hybrid doe just south of spokane a long time ago. It was in a herd of 15 mule deer does. it had some mule deer markings, the tail was black like the one above but seem to move like a whitetail.

 

[Mallardsx2]

A biologist told me so.

 

[ImBillT]

View attachment 130483

Here is one.

Main frame 4 point on one side and the only thing "Muley" about him is his split on its right side.

Looks 100% mule deer to me. Got any tarsal gland or tail pics?

 

[ImBillT]

A biologist told me so.

Got his name?

 

[Mallardsx2]

No I dont have either. Sorry. Just going on what the guy told me. He said that he had not seen a mule deer like this in a very long time.

 

[Mallardsx2]

For whats its worth, it smelled like a mule deer. lol