MULE DEER VS. WHITETAIL DEER | Where To Find & How to Hunt

There is an obvious physical distinction between mule deer vs. whitetail deer, but how do you properly scout and hunt each species?
In this video, I cover:
1. How to tell the difference between each species
2. Where to find each species?
3. How to identify good habitat for each species?
4. How you should hunt each species differently

[@ourv9603]

Bishop, Ca has a Christmas parade every year. Some years ago a guy was in the parade with a decorated wagon pulled by 4 mules. He had strapped antlers onto the mules heads. Somewhere along the parade route a guy on the sidewalk hollars 'What the hell is that?' And the drover hollers back 'What? Aint you ever seen mule deer before"? !

[@brownguy985]

Definitely this varies from state to state, for example southern Arizona some of these tips like the color of the deer are wrong. Whitetail here or a Smokey grey and the Mules are a brown-grey

[@andrewmiller1761]

Thanks for clarifying the differences! I'm new to hunting them and this helped a lot!

[@FUNTOYZPLAYTIME]

This video is underrated, needs more views!!!! Super informative and helpful

[@RabbitHoleHisteria]

I agree

[@F14Goose37]

I love hunting in Arizona, but the desert deer sure do like to do their own thing. The best place to find good Coues (whitetail) bucks are high on hills on as rough terrain as possible and feeding on brush. I haven't nailed down mule deer behavior yet because I can only shoot one a year and I hunt coues deer pretty much exclusively. This year I decided to hunt desert mule deer (which is why I am on a video like this) because my schedule this year will not allow me to make the coues deer backpacking trips. Anyways, it seems to me that normal bedding areas on protected hillsides that offer a good view of approaching danger is similar between our mulies and coues deer, but the mule deer also seem to travel the washes down low a lot. Especially if it offers a safer route between bedding and food/water. The open desert is easy to cover with glass and I never see them there. The washes are typically pretty sheltered by trees and bushes on either side.

[@CarterLeigh]

I can agree w/ this, I got my coues whitetail along a powerline service road in northern AZ. The buck was just about to enter the tree line when I got him & it was very rough terrain.

[@terrier53]

Great video, thank you.

[@brownguy985]

Also the mule deer in southern Arizona the Mules actually prefer flats although they can be found in the lower elevation hills. The white tail are never ever found anywhere but deep in brush and in the steepest most remote places. Hurray for desert whitetail (couse deer)

[@CarterLeigh]

I agree, I got my coues in Northern Az & the terrain was terrible, thankfully I bagged my buck close to the road.

[@jeepcj7dude]

I would like to have seen a test yourself segment. Like as in a slideshow ... write down your answers and review at the end. Other than that you nailed it!!

[@steveroutley9127]

Very well explained!

[@avorithing8211]

Thank you for your help

[@wemcal]

Great video and information

[@deerhornadventures6707]

I'd be interested to hear if you've had similar experiences hunting mule deer vs whitetail!

[@blueprintoutdoors224]

Subscribed!!

[@mystrengthbook4783]

This was super comprehensive!

[@deerhornadventures6707]

Thanks! Happy you're enjoying the content!

[@zzz7zzz9]

you didn't mention, mule deer bounce. there's a reason they are called jumpers. another interesting thing i've seen, is that muley almost always jump over a fence, yet i've watched whitetail prefer to crawl under. not that whiteys won't also jump over, they do. and in most my areas, the whitetail and mules are totally overlapping, living in the exact same terrains.

[@rusthemi936]

Got yourself a sub🤟🏽

[@sethliamsyoutubedad7756]

This year hunting I’ve never heard this before but every time I’ve seen mule deer doe’s and bucks, I’ve heard what I can best describe as a submarine sonar popping noise followed by the familiar grunting. I’m in Montana and I’ve heard it while crawling up on them in open fields archery hunting in the wide open parks, To rifle hunting in the deep woods of the mountains. It’s every time. Has anyone else heard this?

[@MrGoMario]

Lots of meaningful info. Thanks. But you forgot to mention which is bigger/smaller... Can I take both with a 70gr .223 out of a 24in barrel?

[@romanzabaras5049]

Very unethical man get you a real deer rifle not trying to be a dick but your just gonna end up wounding lots of animals

[@MrGoMario]

@@romanzabaras5049 You think a .223 70gr is not enough energy to kill a deer shot in the head at 50m or so? Then how about a bow and arrow killing it with only 1/10 the energy and ZERO explosion/temporary cavity effect? And people kill much heavier animals with bow and arrows! And I am not talking about head shots here! Check all the videos on KZbin.

[@traysonwhitworth7950]

@@MrGoMario bro why the fuck did you ask if you already know everything dipshit

[@MrGoMario]

@@traysonwhitworth7950 To annoy idiots 😂

[@abobbybaby4]

What about California?

[@masonelder8575]

Sometimes a 3 point whitetail looks like a muley but look at the tail

[@experimenter19]

From what I seen mule deers have more majestic rack compared to white tail

[@reececarter7897]

you said white but means mule deer and brown butt means whitetail deer 1:13

[@brownguy985]

Yes he’s right

[@santiagoraya5329]

Really,i think everyone out there already knows all that BS that you are talking about.