There is a often-referred to acronym that successful mule deer hunters know – FERAL. It should serve as a reminder of the key parts of a muley you’re likely to spot when searching for that big buck. Let’s face it, odds are you’re not going to find a trophy buck just standing in the middle of a field.

F is for the face – train your eyes to pick out the bright white of a mule buck’s muzzle.
E is for the ears – mule deer ears are large, stand out at attention and often masquerade as broad leaves.
R is for the rump – a mule deer’s backside is distinctive, and the round white area with the black point just the bottom side of center is practically a target.
A is for antler – arguably, the mule deer is most often given away by the fact that their antlers rise up away from the rest of their well-disguised body.
L is for legs – though one might think that a deer’s legs were easily hidden, there are few straight objects in nature that form tight groups of four.