# Self Sufficiency/Living off the Land or Off the Grid > Hunting & Trapping >  White tail VS mule

## flandersander

So I shot a white tail buck, and brought it home and skinned and gutted it. My buddy came over and told me it looks like a mule deer's body. Is there any way to tell, or was he just guessing? I'm worried when I take it to the game processors that they'll think it's a mule deer, with a white tail tag. So can they tell once it's skinless and headless? Thanks
Keagan

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## crashdive123

Wouldn't it be good to know the difference before you pull the trigger?

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## hunter63

> Wouldn't it be good to know the difference before you pull the trigger?


Thats kinda what I was thinking.............
What do the antlers look like.hite tail tines off main beam, muley branch out from tines.
White tail, has white tail, smaller ears.

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## flandersander

Well it's a cross breed. It was chasing a white tail doe, it has a white tail, and was running like a white tail, and flagging it's tail. But the antlers look an awful lot like a mule deer. I haven't broken the law, I'm just wondering if I'm going to be accused of it, when I take it in. As far as the carcass goes, is there any difference between the two?

Edit: I know the difference between a mule deer and a white tail deer. I just don't know if you can tell the difference once the skin and head are removed...

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## DOGMAN

I think if its skinless and headless you should be ok....around here, in general whitetails are more sleek and fine-boned looking, and mule deer are a little bigger bodied and husky...thicker through the shoulders and just meatier looking in general....
Also, mulies tend to be a bit longer as well- just bigger animals. However, a really large whitetail would be bigger than a young mulie...lol

But, skinned out and headless- the difference between a mule deer and a whitetail is going to be tough to determine by anyone other than an expert....

But, processors probably see more skinned out animals than any expert...but, if they are like the butchers around here that wont care.

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## flandersander

Oh okay thanks DOGMAN.

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## Rick

Well, way cool. I learned something today. Gotta love that. We don't have mule deer around here so this was a good nudge to research them and the difference. Thanks!!

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## hunter63

It's probably a good thing you took it out of the gene pool, if it's a cross.
Lots of guys I ran into in Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, would shoot it just because it was a cross.
They don't like white tails much.

Most butchers around here don't really care much what you bring in, but if you are concerned, maybe time to "learn a new skill", butcher it your self?

No one ever said you had to be good at it. Worst case is a lot of burger.
SIL uses the "big pieces are roasts, sliced pieces (across the grain) of big pieces are steaks, everything else is hamburger or stew meat", right?

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## SARKY

I agree with hunter..... butcher it yourself. At least learn to! I've never taken a deer in to be butchered for me.

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## flandersander

I shot a little doe I plan on learning on. We're turing the whole deer into jerkey! HAHA

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