Bull in elk comes from their bugling sound that compares to a bovine. Bucks in deer comes from a relation to male goats and the bleating sound made. This comes down to the etymology or origins of the names of the animals. Male elk, on the other hand, are called bulls, and females are called cows. Male mule deer are called bucks and females are called does. Bulls And Cows Male Mule Deer at the National Bison Range, Montana | image by Astrophoto Andy via Flickr Their belly and legs are also darker browns in color. Elk are darker brown on their neck to their face, almost appearing to have a mane. In the summer, they’re darker reddish brown and then turn lighter tan in the wintertime.Įlk also don’t have any of the white on their backside and underbelly like mule deer. Mule deer are reddish brown or dark grayish brown in the summer and then fade to gray in the winter.Įlk, on the other hand, have more red in their color. Mule deer and elk differ greatly in their colors. Color Differences Pair of mule deer at rocky mountain arsenal Mule deer, while also large, look thinner compared to elk and have smaller bone structures and stances. In comparison, elk look more like big reindeer or are similar to caribou.Įlk, in appearance, is a bigger animal with a broader body, wider stance, and bigger features all over, like a bigger nose and hooves. Mule deer look like other deer typical of North America, like the whitetail deer. The overall appearance of an elk also differs greatly from a mule deer. Needless to say, mule deer weigh a few hundred pounds less than elk. A buck can weigh over 300 pounds and does typically weigh up to 200 pounds. Mule deer stands about 3.5 feet at the shoulders, with does being slightly shorter than bucks. They weigh anywhere from 500 to 600 pounds and stand over 4 feet tall at the shoulders. They can weigh 700 to over 1,000 pounds.įemale elk are called cows. Mule deer are much smaller in size and stature.Īdult bull elk stand around 5 feet tall at the shoulders. Elk are some of the largest deer in North America, coming in second to moose. The main difference you will notice between elk and mule deer is their size. Differences In Size Elk in the grass | Image by Brigitte Werner from Pixabay Continue reading to learn more about mule deer vs. These two deer species are similar in many ways, but they also have many characteristics that set them apart. elk so that you will be able to recognize their differences and even identify them.Įnjoy! Mule Deer vs. This article will compare the mule deer vs. Even though they’re both deer, there are some key differences between the two species. They may look similar at first glance since they both have antlers that are shed once a year, and both are popular for sport hunting. Mule deer and elk are two large deer species in North America.
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