Wildlife Identification: White-Tailed Deer and Mule Deer

Montana is home to many species of wildlife. When hunting, you need to be able to correctly identify both male and female white-tailed deer and mule deer.

White-Tailed Deer

White-tailed deer are reddish-brown to blue-gray or tan. The underside of the tail is white, producing a “flag” when it is raised off the rump. The antlers on the male mainly consist of a main beam with tines growing from it.

Mule Deer

Mule deer have reddish coloring in the summer and are blue-gray in the winter. The tail is cream-colored with a black tip. Mule deer have larger ears than white-tailed deer.