White Deer

[Richard J.]

Has anyone ever shot one. I have had so many chances to shoot one and never did. Just couldnt do it. Have had over six bucks and over a dozen does over the years. Yesterday had one come into my stand while bow hunting. Half and hour later it layed down within 30 feet of me. I am hunting on the ground. Two hours later it got up and fed off. This one had chunks of brown here and there. Really enjoyed it.Dont know how they survive being white in a brown woods. I knnow in Pa. you can pass them by when we have snow for hunting season but with no snow they really stand out.

 

[roundball]

As I understand it there is a small confined herd of what are actually "white deer" in Seneca County, NY. But otherwise, most white deer found in the wild are albinos...and the occasional deer seen with splotches of brown & white are variants of those.

I did take an albino Doe back in the 90's...pink eyes and inner ears...hooves were translucent. A few of them appeared on the scene over a couple years around where I hunt, but with no snow here they don't last long against the dead brown of late fall and early winter.

 

[Roguedog]

Here in Tennessee they have made it illegal to shoot a white deer. I had heard from my grandfather an old wives tale that supposedly says that killing a white deer is bad luck. My uncle in law shot an albino deer one year and within the year he died of a massive heart attack. I'm sure that was strictly coincidence. Anyway, anybody ever hear anything similar about bad luck and white deer?

Jeff

 

[rabjr]

Totally white or piebald? Two different things...shot a couple piebalds, never seen a totally white one but would not hesitate to shoot if I did.

 

[Robby]

The old Seneca Army Depot is what Roundball was referring to. It is over ten thousand acres and home to the worlds largest white deer population.
Not albinos or even piebald though. Radio active materials for the Manhattan Project were stored there and the only way in or out was by air.
:hmm: is there a connection?!
Robby

 

[marsh trapper]

bad luck shooting a white deer !!! :nono: :rotf:

 

[rabjr]

Old Wise tales die hard...

 

[jamesthomas]

I have never seen one. Would like to though, but I would'nt shoot it.

 

[nit wit]

Swampy:
I like pie and I'm bald :rotf:
Don't SHOOT!
Nit Wit

 

[Shine]

Its a genetic flaw take it out of the herd. Its not bad luck you just shot a deer.

 

[rabjr]

Swampy:
I like pie and I'm bald :rotf:
Don't SHOOT!
Nit Wit

:rotf: :surrender:

 

[rabjr]

I am lucky enough to have a signed copy by the author of this book "White Deer Ghosts of the Forest" because of a good friend of mine got a copy from him. :thumbsup:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wh...0974188317&cm_mmca2=pla&ean=9780974188317&r=1

 

[roundball]

Its a genetic flaw take it out of the herd. Its not bad luck you just shot a deer.

Exactly...just a rare genetic freak occurrence that happens now and then...it's not some new, exotic, survivable strain of deer

 

[Richard J.]

I think Michigan has a small population of them and I think you cant hunt them there. I grew up with the myth that you would have bad luck if you shot one. That was not the reason that I never did. My last one that was pure white albino was a wonderfull 8 point standing in about 18 inches of snow. Just enjpued him pawing up the acorns.

 

[Richard J.]

Worked with a guy who had a true ablino groundhog in his yard. Had biologist come look at him. Had to put up a cedar fence around his yard to keep everyone out. Devoted his entire gardern to the groundhog. Left his grass grow and put in clover thru out the grass. He Sure got a lot of pics out it

 

[sleeperNY]

I was stationed there in the early 70's when waiting to be discharged from the army. I used to have to travel back and forth across the base and saw these white deer several times. It was something to see. I haven't been back there in almost 40 years.

Jim

 

[Loyalist Dave]

an old wives tale that supposedly says that killing a white deer is bad luck.

It's NOT a wives tale folks,
but perhaps it would be better phrased..., if you kill the white [piebald] deer, you lower your "luck" a great amount.

About three years ago I spotted a piebald deer running with a group of normal deer, and I saw the piebald at about 100 yards away, but her friends (it was a piebald doe), I didn't see until they were much much closer. What that piebald doe did for me that year was to give me and my hunting buddy plenty of warning as she approached, alerting us that there were probably more deer with her, and to get ready to shoot. My hunting buddy and I both took two deer each, from those normal deer that congregated with that piebald doe, over about two weeks time. So..., We made sure we didn't shoot her! It's my opinion that this is the basis for not shooting the "white deer".

LD

 

[cynthialee]

That is brilliant!
Bet you are right.

 

[Shine]

That wont work here...SNOW

 

[roundball]

Personally, I think ANY old sayings attributed to albinos & pie-balds are nothing but old wives tales.