Bobby, I don't think that anyone could ever compare mule deer to whitetail, especially when it comes to the old ruting bucks. I wish we had more whitetail around here, as i am mostly a meat hunter. This buck I am going to put into peperoni and sausage and save the elk and whitetail for the barbecue. I think that the difference in taste of the two deer may come from the fact that even though the two deer have the same food on their plate. They may eat a little more of one food than the other. This buck was killed in the extreme desert with nothing but bitter brush and very small pickings of green shoots left in the dry washes. His steaks would probably taste like my boot, but will make good table fare as sausage and peperoni.