Author Topic: Ever hear of this? (Read 891 times)

Silverado · « **on:** August 24, 2003, 04:24:49 PM »

Last season my friend took me to a spot he knows south of Calgary where he had a whitetail doe draw tag. I had a general WT tag, so I was good for a buck, though I seriously doubted seeing either, given the terrain: Pretty much bald wheat stubble for as far as you could see in every direction. If anything, I was thinking mule dear country. "Don't worry," he says, "we're goin' to my famous pheasant spot." Pheasant spot?? Pheasant season's long over, and I'm wondering if he's hit his head or something. :roll: We get to the spot, check in with the farmer, and start walking. Lo and behold about 200m over a hill is a nice little gully, about 30m wide that winds back and forth like a snake for something like half a km and then around a bend. As soon as we crest the hill, 2 big fat muley does stand up and look at us. No mule tags (draw only), so I cross to the other side and we start to work our way down the gully. These 2 does walk ahead of us, still not spooked, stopping every so often 'till we get a little too close. The stroll off around the next bend, and as we come around, I get the biggest surprise of the whole season... here are 7 mule does bedded down in the thick stuff at the bottom of this draw, plus the 2 we were following behind. I quickly scan through, and see a rack poking up in the middlem maybe 50m away. I look through my scope, safety on and not touching the trigger (remember, no muley tags) and I realize it looks like a WT!! I lower the rifle to look, thinking I'm seeing things, when the deer all spook. They all get up and take off running, with me standing in disbelief to the point that I didn't even think of taking a shot! :eek: As they take off, I'm certain; 9 big white mule rumps, and one WT flying the flag with his tail. He was a good 4X4 too. On the upside, we did raise 15 or so good rooster pheasants, and had to be 75 partridge, so I know my pal's not lying about the "Famous Pheasant spot!" :wink:

So here's my question: Are WT and muleys known to hang together, or even interbreed? This guy sure looked like he had all the ladies for 20km around!

Big Hext Finnigan · « **Reply #1 on:** August 24, 2003, 05:55:04 PM »

Howdy,

While not an expert, especially in your area, there have been several documented hybrids in the Trans-Pecos area of Texas.

According to the biologists (who know a lot more than me) the more aggressive Whitetail buck will out hustle the Mulie buck and sometimes the Mulie doe will have fawns. They have found whitetail antlers on mulie bodies and even whitetail horns on mulie does. I don't recall if there have been mulie antlers on whitetail bodies.

It's been a few years since I read the report and visited with the bios. They said it was one factor in the decline we've been seeing in West Texas.

Adios,
Hext

Colville · « **Reply #2 on:** September 04, 2003, 10:55:46 AM »

I can't attest to the interbreading aspect, but finding them together.. not unusual at all. In Washington there are areas all over the central and northern parts of the state where you are working either or at any given time. Obviously some areas are predominatnly one or the other. Accross the center of the state there is a huge area exacly as you described in Calgary, wheat stubble and small draws and rolling hills. You get eyebrow brush lines, hedge rows between landowners and some sligtly wooded draws. You find many more mules in this country than Whitetails but the Whites are found in the brush lines when you find em. Mules will bead in th open on the breaks or field edges more often than not.

Colville

7x57 · « **Reply #3 on:** September 05, 2003, 02:55:51 PM »

I used to hunt in area 404, south of Calgary. I'm no expert but often saw deer with mulie tails and whitetail racks. As Hext said a whitetail buck does not work to keep a harem of does, he just breeds with whatever is close and in heat! They can beat out a mulie buck by nailing the hot does in a group and then moving on.

Here in the Kootenays the question is not if they interbreed; ( there is evidence which strongly indicates this is so), but Are the offspring of this cross fertile? If so, Whitetails and mule deer are not by definition separate species.

Silverado · « **Reply #4 on:** September 08, 2003, 08:36:19 AM »

Good question 7X57, kind of like a mule. Where abouts are you in the Kootenay area? My GF's parents are in Invermere, and have a nice cabin up Findlay/Lavington area. I was thinking about hunting up there this year. Any thoughts?

7x57 · « **Reply #5 on:** September 09, 2003, 01:08:54 PM »

Silverado, I live in Cranbrook, and spend most of my time hunting between here and Elkford. The Findlay area is GOOD country! But,
lots o' grizzlies. :eek: What are you after? When will you be up? How much time do you have to hunt? What do you shoot?
For most guys up here hunting begins and ends with elk.

If you wnat big mulies the steamboat mountain area around Radium is great and close for you.