Whitetail-Mule Deer hybrid
Whitetail-mule deer hybrids? Believe it or not, this is one animal that is not just an urban legend, although your chances for seeing a wild one are probably lower than being struck by lightning. A number of reasons keep whitetails and mule deer from breeding with each other, including geography and their own biology. The two species generally don’t live in the same area, and when they do, they usually don’t associate with each other. Their rut peaks at different times and they have different mating rituals, so the animals don’t usually cross over to see if the grass is greener on the other side unless something very strange happens. Occasionally it does.
Unfortunately, their offspring may not live all that long. Besides looking different, there are a number of anatomical differences that make hybrid deer less likely to survive. The first and possibly most important is that hybrids can’t even run properly. This is because both species run differently. Whitetail deer depend on sheer speed to outrun their predators while mule deer have a slower, but reliable method called “stotting.” Hybrid deer, even though they try their best, run like they’re inebriated.
