this is the only photo that I have of this deer and I am going
hunting next weekend and mule deer season is over.
It is so much bigger than all the other bucks and has a different
type of coat....I think. All its horns are forked....I think.
What do you think? Thank you.

Antlers look like mule deer. Size looks like a mule deer since the whitetail buck in the background gives something to reference the buck to. Coloring looks like a whitetail, but his coat looks wet or muddy. Face looks short and blocky like a mule deer. Used to hunt on a place with mule deer and whitetail both and we questioned the game warden a couple of times about mule deer versus whitetail. He said the only real way to tell was to measure tarsal glands and obviously that is after they are in the back of the truck. In other words if we determine that it is a mule deer, it better have been shot during mule deer season. Looks like a roll of the dice to me, but he looks like a whitetail to me, but what do I know?

Antlers look like mule deer. Size looks like a mule deer since the whitetail buck in the background gives something to reference the buck to. Coloring looks like a whitetail, but his coat looks wet or muddy. Face looks short and blocky like a mule deer. Used to hunt on a place with mule deer and whitetail both and we questioned the game warden a couple of times about mule deer versus whitetail. He said the only real way to tell was to measure tarsal glands and obviously that is after they are in the back of the truck. In other words if we determine that it is a mule deer, it better have been shot during mule deer season. Looks like a roll of the dice to me, but he looks like a whitetail to me, but what do I know? He is not one that I would be willing to make an argument about. I would shoot a doe for the freezer before I would shoot him.

I see a big bodied whitetail that happens to have muley forks on his G2s. I don't think it is much of a gamble to ground check if you like him. BUT, if he is a whitetail, the oft heard "coulda used another year" adage applies, imo.

I also think there is some perspective tricks on the brain going on with the buck in the back. That back buck looks to be at least 15-20 feet behind him and I think that skews the size reference significantly. Ask anyone that takes a photo of a hunter sitting a few feet behind their dead deer.

Whitetail. Antler configuration by itself is a poor way to determine if it's a WT or mulie.

WT

I agree.
Adios,
Gary

could it possibly be a hybrid??? I saw a number on the JA

Yep

WT , not a hybrid.

And maybe just fluffed up, as well. WT.

Yelp. Straight fluffed up WT

Yeppers

WT....no mule ears!

Mule deer have a big white circle on their butts, and a little tail.

It’s easy to see that the deer in the picture is a whitetsil.

Here is a mule deer rump for reference

Thanks everyone. I just did not want to make a mistake if I happen to get a chance at him.

Cold whitetail all day, every day of week, has the classic brown and white coloring of a whiteail, not the grey and white of a mulie...

Holy Smokers!!!!!!

I was gonna take him but his brows were a little weak..

WT with MD headgear.

I’m guessing that’s Antelope Island.

WT based on body and tail. Only blood test can 100% ID. Good luck on he showing back up

Old WT

Antelope Island probably