Benchleg Buck?

[grundy53]

Can't stand the term "benchleg."   

 Why? Does the term stud Blacktail sound better

Because it's a made up word that nobody knows where it came from, or why someone would choose to call a blacktail/mule deer cross a "benchleg." Do their legs look different than any other deer? No, they do not. Do their legs look like benches? No they don't.

Yes, I say call them blacktails. Or, if you want, call them mule deer. Just pick one! But a "benchleg?" What the heck is that?

How can you pick one when they are neither/both? They are not fully Blacktail and they are not fully muley.

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Then call them what they are- a mule deer/blacktail cross.

But "benchleg" to me is a meaningless  term.

That's a mouth full. Benchleg isn't meaningless, most people on here know what you are talking about when you use the term therefore it has meaning.

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[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

All this controversy, and the photo is labeled "Mulie"
 

Well, the photo is a whitetail........

That is one thing I never have understood...
According to what the biologists say, a Mule Deer is a cross of a Blacktail and a Whitetail, but looking at them, I would suspect a Mule Deer/Whitetail cross.
 
 

[Karl Blanchard]

I honestly am not 100% certain Bobcat. Completely shooting from the hip here but I do believe it was whoever does the Washington state record book came up with the category. I called on bench legs because is easier. Lol

[Jonathan_S]

There is a member on here called "BENCHLEG"

I see he has wisely decided to not enter the fray.  Probably because he sees how many people hate the term 

[Woodchuck]

I can not lie, I was told they have big butts.

Then, do you like 'em?

 

[bobcat]

Most people I know who aren't on this forum, if I were to say "I killed a benchleg yesterday" .... they would have no clue what I was talking about.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

All this controversy, and the photo is labeled "Mulie"
 

Well, the photo is a whitetail........

The mule deer face is mostly white from the nose to the eyes, but the whitetail’s face is mostly brown like the rest of their fur.  The whitetail only has white rings around its eyes and nose.
The photo has a grey tone from the nose to the eyes.
the points on a mule buck’s antlers will usually split in two directions, grow, split again, and so forth.  A whitetail buck’s antler points will usually all grow off of one main “stem”.
The antlers clearly fork off the main beam into separate beams.
Why do you say this one is Whitetail?
Am I missing something?

[Curly]

Most people I know who aren't on this forum, if I were to say "I killed a benchleg yesterday" .... they would have no clue what I was talking about.

Same thing if you told them "Cascade Blacktail".

Hell, for that matter a lot of people would have no clue if you told them you got a muley, whitetail, or blacktail.  Just say you got a deer.  They might understand that.

[grundy53]

Most people I know who aren't on this forum, if I were to say "I killed a benchleg yesterday" .... they would have no clue what I was talking about.

I think there are enough members on this forum to give a good cross section of the hunting community in this state. Just because you and your friends don't use the term doesn't make it meaningless or wrong.

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[Kittman]

White all over on the belly in the picture=Whitetail.  Would like to see the buck's tail though.

[Curly]

All this controversy, and the photo is labeled "Mulie"
 

Well, the photo is a whitetail........

The mule deer face is mostly white from the nose to the eyes, but the whitetail’s face is mostly brown like the rest of their fur.  The whitetail only has white rings around its eyes and nose.
The photo has a grey tone from the nose to the eyes.
the points on a mule buck’s antlers will usually split in two directions, grow, split again, and so forth.  A whitetail buck’s antler points will usually all grow off of one main “stem”.
The antlers clearly fork off the main beam into separate beams.
Why do you say this one is Whitetail?
Am I missing something?

Maybe it is a muley/whitetail cross?  Just looked like a whitetail rack to me........

[Axle]

Can't stand the term "benchleg."   

 Why? Does the term stud Blacktail sound better

Because it's a made up word that nobody knows where it came from, or why someone would choose to call a blacktail/mule deer cross a "benchleg." Do their legs look different than any other deer? No, they do not. Do their legs look like benches? No they don't.

Yes, I say call them blacktails. Or, if you want, call them mule deer. Just pick one! But a "benchleg?" What the heck is that?

I'm glad you brought this up Bobcat. I happen to know where the term originated and what it means.
I just can't type it all out right now. I'll have to do that later tonight. The term has absolutely nothing to do with a cross-bred deer.

[2labs]

Who does that?

[Woodchuck]

Well this thread has spun out of control nicely. Carry on 

[Curly]

Out of control?  Seems like it is right on track. We may finally find out the origins of the term benchleg.