White deer in Wisconsin

CHARLIE · May 13, 2009, 11:47:15 PM

I knew there was the occasional white deer in Minnesota and Wisconsin but had no idea there were so many in one area of Wisconsin. White deer are protected in Wisconsin.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/video/flv/generic.html?s=inwi10s22a3q81f

sprucebunny · May 14, 2009, 07:29:54 AM

Thanks, Charlie

wi woodcutter · May 16, 2009, 09:31:22 PM

There has been some white deer by Lake Mills for a few years now.

I have seen them a few times, have not gotten any pics of them yet.

Last year they changed the deer hunting rules, you can even shoot the white ones now.

Ironmower · May 17, 2009, 08:48:04 AM

Are they albino (red eyes)? The sayin' around here is; If you kill an albino, you'll never kill another deer. Which isn't true,(not for me anyways) the albino deer are a poor blood line and should be killed on sight.

Jeff · May 17, 2009, 09:27:21 AM

Albinos don't have to have red eyes, in fact they only occasionally have red eyes. There are several forms of albinism.

Saying albinos should be killed on sight is kinda like saying you should dispose of anyone with male pattern baldness on sight, or someone that has tons and tons of freckles. Its the same type of genetic anomalies at work that create those conditions that may cause a mammal to have albinism. In albinos, its simply the occurrence of a gene that prevents a body from making normal amounts of melanin, the pigment that adds color to tissue. Its can be hereditary but certainly not contagious and its not going to take over the species by allowing it to exist naturally.

Corley5 · May 17, 2009, 02:23:50 PM

A true albino will have pink eyes and white hooves with no fur of any color other than white. Any other "white" deer is a piebald. A white buck was shot west of Indian River a few years ago but was a piebald not an albino as it had a patch of brown fur between it's antlers, brown hooves, and dark eyes. It passed on its genetics as there are still white deer roaming that area. The death of that deer caused quite a stir as many in the area viewed it as a pet of sorts, had fed it, and passed up killing it themselves. The deer's killer was publicly chastized to extremes for killing the deer to the point he threatened a lawsuit to silence his critics.

Norm · May 17, 2009, 03:02:51 PM

We had a guy that shot a white button buck here in Iowa a few years ago. Unfortunately he got himself in the paper with it. It caused a big stir amongst the bambi crowd and the next year they passed a law that it was illegal to shot one.

My guess is that it still tasted like venison.

Jeff · May 17, 2009, 03:20:24 PM

Quote from: Corley5 on May 17, 2009, 02:23:50 PM
A true albino will have pink eyes and white hooves with no fur of any color other than white. Any other "white" deer is a piebald.

Greg If you would, check that out with your Biologist at work. I think "True albino" and "Piebald" are terms to distinguish the levels of albinism. In between is another level of albinism all white with residual eye pigment. I think all are layman's term to denote the differences in albinos lacking total pigment, from albinos with some melanin production, but the white deer are still Albinos. Piebalds are different then white deer with blue eyes but still technically albinos because they carry the gene however they have patches that are not effected by the gene.

Corley5 · May 17, 2009, 03:55:18 PM

That does come from the DNR wildlife biologist. He was there when the guy brought that deer in to the check station. At the time it was illegal in the state to kill an all white deer, maybe it still is ???, the discussion was whether to call the law on this guy. Since it wasn't a true albino in his words because of the pigment in the eyes, hooves and patch of hair and therefore wasn't all white no laws were being broken.

Ironmower · May 23, 2009, 07:15:20 AM

Quote from: Jeff on May 17, 2009, 09:27:21 AM
Albinos don't have to have red eyes, in fact they only occasionally have red eyes. There are several forms of albinism.

Saying albinos should be killed on sight is kinda like saying you should dispose of anyone with male pattern baldness on sight, or someone that has tons and tons of freckles. Its the same type of genetic anomalies at work that create those conditions that may cause a mammal to have albinism. In albinos, its simply the occurrence of a gene that prevents a body from making normal amounts of melanin, the pigment that adds color to tissue. Its can be hereditary but certainly not contagious and its not going to take over the species by allowing it to exist naturally. OK, I'll go with that, BUT allowing it to exist lets them breed. I'll still shoot everone I see. You don't think they are a weak bloodline? I've never seen a "big" healthy albino or what ever you called them around here. Yes its kinda like sayin' that, BUT they ARE game, not people. Each to his own................

baronthered · May 28, 2009, 04:50:37 AM

I don't know about the albino deer but here the game wardens are actively trying to get folks to cull some of the white wild turkey that are around. according to them they are like that because of too much onbreeding within a flock. I don't know what exactly is really going on but it means I get to harvest another turkey.

beenthere · June 08, 2009, 04:03:57 PM

We have non-white deer in WI too.
This one crossed in the yard at noon today, and sports a nice rack in velvet. I thought about trying to paint on a bullseye early, but don't want to make it easy for any neighbors. ;D
Hope he sticks around.