Whitetail - Mule Cross
 

Seen this muley last year,it has huge whitetail rack on it and mule body but only 3 points on each side,seen it again yesterday and the rack is bigger thicker(about 6 inches more than his ears from behind) and taller.Will he ever get more points or will he always be a 3 pointer.I have a mule buck licence(Draw)and was thinking of taking him as he is unique but just didn't.Can't make up my mind if I want him or not.So got to thinking today if I see him again I should take him out so he doesn't mess up the genetics .He is with muley does.Whats everyones thoughts on these crosses.

Highly doubt its a hybrid, although they do exist. Mule antlers can look much like whitetail.
If you shoot it, check the glands on the back legs, if they are 1 inch, whitetail, 3 inches, mule, 2 inches, hybrid.

if he is the first hybrid offspring from his mother then he is sterile
if he was second hybrid offspring then yes he can reproduce

Interesting wonder how that works how would you ever get to a second hybrid if the first hybrid is sterile?

To the OP what kind of tail does it have? That's what ultimately determines the sub species.

I think you should take him next time you cross his path.
Write a great story and take lots of pictures!👍🏼
Oh and bring a tape measure with you!
Best of luck
Bluedog

Take him out and clean up the gene pool . Some big 3.s are true monsters .

antler configuration means nothing. Probably a mule deer. Sometimes they just stay as 3x3. Just shoot it already :)

He has mule rear end and tail,He had a main beam like a whitetail last year and was very wide (I seen him lots last year) but never really noticed this year as he took off before I could get a good look at him but as he was running away his antlers looked the same as the one last year but wider which makes me think he is the same one.Gonna try and get a good look at him and some pics if I can.I might take him if he gives me another chance,he didn't mind me watching him last year and he might give me time to have a good look.
If he is a hybrid and sterile he might be better eating than one that is in rut.I have hunted this same area for quite a few years and have seen whitetail bucks with mule does a few times.

I googled whitetail mule cross and looked at some pics and seen some that sort of looked like him,then googled 3 point mule deer and seen some that looked like him,I guess there will only be one way to tell.

Sounds like a 3 point mule deer.
What is it about the rack that makes it look white tail?
How long are the brow tines?

I'm betting.....heavily....that he's a 3 x 3 mulie.

Browtines were about a inch last year,couldn't tell yesterday.
It looks like it has 1 main beam with 2 separate points with the main beam being the third point and the main beam extend quite a ways out past his face.He just has the whitetail look to his horns but it could be just deformed.

If his rear end and tail says mule deer then it is 100% mule deer, period, end of story. Antler configuration means absolutely nothing. It is absolutely not an indication of a hybrid. A 3x3 mulie that is missing its back fork will appear to be whitetail like, but it absolutely is not. I have seen well over a hundred mule deer that looks whitey like in its antlers. I however, have never come across a hybrid.

DNA and location of tarsal gland are the only ways to determine a true hybrid.

LC

100% correct.

I have seen MD bucks mounting WT does.Mostly this happens later in November when many of the WT are past Estrus but many of the MD are still in season.

I have seen a hybrid .It was a buck with a prefect though small WT rack and a MD tail. He was in a bachelor group of 6 MD bucks,one of which carried the biggest nontypical rack I have ever seen on a deer of any species. The season was not open yet.

I hunted for him for several years but no luck.

I agree with Mulecrazy, he is probably missing his rear fork thus making it appear similar to a whitetail rack.

you likely did not see a hybrid there. You just saw a mule buck with a different rack hanging out with his genetic comrades. Why on earth people are using antlers to judge species is beyond me. You shoot according to their rear end, hybrids can only be verified by their scent glands.

I always check the tail first then decide if I am going to shoot .
Antlers are not absolute as has been noted several times!:thinking-006:
Cat

This^^^

The first deer I ever shot, I stood and watched it for what seemed like forever. I saw the rear end and confirmed it was a WT, which was all I had a tag for. I shot it, the deer ran and fell about 20 feet in the bush. When I approached it, the only thing I could see at first were the antlers. The antler facing up towards me was definitely a Mulie. My heart skipped a beat and I just stood there wondering how I shot a Mulie. After I calmed down I went closer and confirmed it was a WT. I am glad I identified it the proper way, and from that moment going forward, I always think of the the gut wrenching feeling I had when I thought I shot the wrong type of deer, so I always properly identify first, even if it means I might miss the opportunity

I found a monster 3 point shed a few years ago. And I would take a big 3 point In A heart beat.

Loosely on the topic of hybrids,

This looks like one to me. Dark tips on a not quite WT tail, and a weird fork off a white tail main beam. http://imgur.com/a/LDdqf

I was hunting a few big mullies this year and one of which had a huge typical 3x3 rack. The rack really looked like a monster whitetail rack. He was definitely a mullie. I can't wait to see what he looks like next season.

100% whitetail. No idea why you might think it's a hybrid.

I definitely see some muley in it

Think you mean the metatarsal and length of it Lefty .

Size, location and appearance of the metatarsal and orbital glands.

LC

Now your talking ..:)

He'll probably still be a 3 point,but maybe larger maybe smaller.I thought the same about this one I seen last year.He got a little wider and thicker this year if it is even the same deer,hard to say foresure
There are 2 huge 2 points around my place that I am pretty sure are the same deer and have seen them for 3 years in a row now and thought they would grow somemore points but haven't yet.But it is hard to say forsure that they are the same deer.

Antlers have absolutely NOTHING to do with gauging whether its a hybrid