Mulie/White-tail Cross?

[nookerdude]

So there I was in my office on a WAY too long conference call when I glanced up to one of the deer on the wall. As I admired him, I notice for the first time since I shot him in 1986 that one side looks mighty white-tailish…

I wonder if this is somewhat of a cross-breed? Look at the way the left antler seems to come off of a main beam instead of branching. He came from the Weneha unit, so the likelihood there are whitetail in the area is pretty good.

Any experts care to chime in on this possibility?

[The Overfishin Condition]

I'd say it's a possibility, seeing as though the left side neither branches evenly, or only has points coming off the main beam, since the second point has a fork on it. Haha, maybe that first point on the left is a huge eyegaurd that's just a little far out. Could just be a non-typical mule deer. But I am by NO means an expert.

[Lured In]

IMO I would say YES and NO. Yes because it certainly does look like a whitetail beam with that first point coming out of it. No because the next point up and the last are both forking as they should. Also the main beam looks to be about the same in shape and length.

If I had to guess (which I am ), I would say the first point on the right beam is probably nothing more than a non-typical point (like a drop tine) that went up instead of down.

It is a sweet looking buck though. :grin:

[Mello-Yello]

I don't see those antlers as being uncharacteristic for a Mule Deer, mainly because of that small fork (not characteristic of a whitetail). However, I'm not saying it isn't possible.

Here's an interesting article on the subject...

interesting article

[Hookset]

Yes, there are whitetails and mule deer in the Wenaha unit. I took a decent whitetail from that unit a few years back that happens to reside on my wall. And looking at your picture, the deer looks more whitetail than mule deer. From the ears, nose, hair color on the under side of the neck.... I'd say you have a cross bread mule/whitetail buck. Still, the nose on my buck looks more slender. Oh who knows, better get the DNA tested.

Funny you bring this up, since I read a magazine article discussing this very thing a couple weeks ago. There is a real concern that whitetails are taking over traditional mule deer habitat. Where low mule deer buck numbers exist, whitetail bucks breed with whitetail does. I can't remember the events that triggered this, think it was related to winter kill and adaptability to changing habitat and people better then mule deer. I'll see if I can locate the article.

Gregg

[santiamslayer]

That is pretty intereseting. I dont know if whitetail can breed with mulies but i know blacktail do. It has something to do with the species,genus,class or something like that.

[Claybear]

I'd say a non-typical Mule with the eye guard but then I know they do cross breed. Nice buck tho.

[Lured In]

M-Y's link has a pretty good article discussing the whitetail/mulie issue as it relates to a specific area. It a short read, but should prove informative.