The mule deer is a deer which is indigenous to western North America. The Mule Deer gets its name from its large mule-like ears. The most noticeable differences between whitetails and mule deer are the size of their ears, the color of their tails, and the configuration of their antlers. In many cases, body size is also a key difference. The mule deer's tail is black-tipped, whereas the whitetail's is not. Mule deer antlers are bifurcated, or in other words, they "fork" as they grow rather than branching from a single main beam (as is the case with whitetails). Each year, after mating season, a buck's antlers start to grow in spring almost immediately after they are shed. Shedding typically takes place in mid February.