Hyrids?

[GreeneMachine]

Spent time in 37B this past week and there were a few times that I was convinced I was seeing hybrids. I saw multiple doe in different spots, including one up close that had a whitetail's tail but they were running with muley does. One group was even being pushed by a muley buck. And when the one up close took off, it didn't flag like coues typically do. But it definitely had a whitetail's tail. What do you think, are these hybrids, or just coues that like the company of muley's? Do coues often hang out with muley's?

 

These two were in a group of 5 doe, none of which had the same looking tails. One in front is definitely a muley, but one in back has whitetail.

[trphyhntr]

so you think its coues bucks giving it to the muleys or the muley bucks giving it to the coues does?

[elkaholic]

Hybrids are thru-out the state - like most animal species - males will breed with anything that is willing

 

a lot of areas that had good muley populations are being taken over by coues - I have yet to see any muley's in what has traditionally been good muley country this yr.

[HOSS....]

Ive been around with this when I shot my big coues this year... sounds like it would be disqualified to enter in the books if it is a hybrid... other than that... he is recognized for its tail..... kinda weird topic but interesting..... I told one hunter.... I didn't know I had to measure meta tarsal glands on a deer before shooting it to determine species...lol.... if you check out the coues biology section... there is good read up on it.... its more than just white tail....ring around the nose.... small ears... and frame of coues... enjoy

[BELLOTABUCKS]

I'd say the one is based on that criteria, rings around eyes and nose, the ears are considerably smaller than the other deer.