Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Mule deer equivalent of 150B&C whitetail?

What do you say? 150 for 150? Or higher like a 160-170 mule deer? Interested to hear thoughts on this.

I'd estimate the differences using the B&C minimums for each category. WT is 170, MD is 190. That ratio between those two is 0.894. So a 150" WT equates to a 167" MD.

seems logical.

makes a guy wonder why so many people out after a "trophy" mule deer shoot em when they are 120-130 inches....

I suspect its in the eye of the beholder and the geography of said person relative to their opportunities at each species of that size -

I'd rather smoke a 150" WTD than a 167" MD any day and I'd rather smoke a 100" coues deer over both -

My personal equivalence as I get this question a lot is a 160" WTD is equivalent to a 180" MD and a 100" coues deer as context for people as they decide if they want to shoot a 95" coues deer...grin...

Agreed. Not easy to shoot either one.

Never shot a Coues so can't say.But I bet shooting a 100" Coues isn't easy to do.

I would say a 150 class whitetail is the equivalent of mid 170's mule deer.

Just for purposes of perspective.

Pure Blasphemy......!

Thanks for the input. Gotta find that 170+ mule deer now.

Grin....

Greg - OK, I liked where you were headed with that, then things took a turn south.

As to Colorado question "why smaller deer are shot", for me the first MD buck I had a chance at was relatively small by MD standards but after years of hunting Whitetails, he looked like a monster…but wasn't! Still glad I got him, though.

A local friend originally from Pennsylvania spent his first decade in Montana shooting the first "rack" whitetail he saw, and thinking he was in heaven. Eventually he decided to start hunting mule deer, and recruited me to help. I had to threaten to take away his .270 ammo the first day we hunted the Missouri Breaks, because anything 120-point buck was in serious danger. We eventually found him a good buck for public land, with about a 24" spread and probably scoring 165-170. He was thrilled, and these days that's often about the top end for a lot of public plains country, just like a 150 whitetail is in the public mountains of western Montana.

He's taken bigger bucks since, including some very nice whitetails and a 180+ mule deer, though the muley was on a ranch, not on public land. But we still joke about the day I threatened to take away his ammo!

leadminer,
If you do a bit of traveling to hunt in other states (or provinces) - this is known to many locals and outfitters as "the Wisconsin trigger". When I first heard of it, I thought the guy was putting me on - but a couple states and provinces later, it's pretty much been solidified as real. And it applies to both mule deer and whitetails.

Size standards are relative to where you are.

Mature, older bucks are what does it for me. High scoring bucks are a bonus, but age to me is the most important element when I hunt either whitetail, or mule deer.

As far as comparing them head to head, a mule deer needs about 20" more to equal a whitetail as far as trophy quality. A typical 160" whitetail will receive the same "wow" factor as a 180" typical mule deer buck.....from me anyway. FWIW, personally I'll shoot the mule deer buck every time, if they were standing side by side. But that's only my preference.....grin! Sorry Scott!

the problem is when guys come from other states and bring their "local standards" with them.

I think that's true. Gets a lot of young mule deer killed. The problem is really acute in Saskatchewan.

No need to apologize. *grins*
And, I'm with you on the age thing. I only worry about scores on Sunday (and the occasional Thursday and Monday) for 16 weeks in the fall.

I'd shoot the 180" mule deer first too over the 160" WTD, after I shoot the 100" coues deer...grin...

There's only one way to resolve this....a guy has to go shoot all three.

I have "one" to go.

I like your reference. I"ve always wondered why it has to be a *&^( comparing contest.

I shoot what makes me happy. Haven't shot a mature deer now in 3 years maybe or so and don't really care. I will shoot the next one that is mature and really trips my trigger, regardless of "inches of bone"

Then you have to factor in the area... I can kill a bigger deer at home than at our lease ever. Just not enough genetics where we do most of our hunting. We've shot older deer there, and they will be what I"m guessing, to be about 20 inches or so less score than a younger deer at home.

Bottom line, peer pressure is a bad thing and a stupid thing generally, IMHO. Shoot what makes you happy.

My personal end goal is to always shoot one that I don't have. Something freaky, like the double main beam I let go all year one year to see him age.. have never seen him since, but have one shed at least... or something bigger than what I have on the wall. For eating, its a no brainer, plnety of culls and antlerless around for all that.