Albino Deer

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Fitter
Doc, Just wondering what your opinion is regarding the subject of albino deer. Some people say they shouldnt be considered as a game animal and to protect them. Here in Michigan you cant shoot a true albino but you can shoot a piebald.

Personally I dont think they should be protected at all due to their recessive traits and genes. I mean a perfect example is their numbers, or in other words, their shortage of numbers. If they were that well equipped I believe we would see a lot more of them.

Anyone else with some input or comment is more than welcome to chime in on this subject.

huntin_PA_04
Here in Pa they say it is bad luck to shoot an albino. They are a very rare sighting. I know a few people who have gotten a chance to see one in the wild, one guy even harvested a 4-point. Personally I wouldn’t shoot one, maybe if they would flourish I would think about it. I don’t think they shouldn’t be illegal to shoot because they are just like any other ordinary deer accept they are white. It’s kind of like saying it’s ok to shoot a black bear but not a brown bear. I guess it all depends on who you are. That is my thoughts.

Will
I look at an albino as just another deer. Rare? Well yes may be so but not as a species on their own and should not be protected. It’s an abnormality that actually could be a detriment to the gene pool.
A lack of pigment shouldn’t keep it off the dinner table.

Fitter
I’m on the same line of thinking as why protect it just because it ‘looks’ different. Yes they may be considered rare but that case in point I believe is for a good reason.

As Will mentioned the abnormality isnt exactly a good trait in this case and allowing, or, promoting it, would probably have adverse effects.

Doc Wild
Albinism is the result of a recessive gene that causes a lack of pigmentation in the hair. ( a lack of melanin to be exact) The main detriment to the animal is it often being shun by other animals and that, is of course, not conducive to mating. There is absolutely no good reason to pass this animal up in the woods. There are many thoughts on albinism and most of them are connected to sacred beliefs of “no future harvesting luck” and the enticement of evil upon ones self. (You can get the same effect from marriage)
To answer the question, you may be doing the herd a favor by removing the gene, but I have never seen a case where albinism ran amuck in a herd. As I said, they are usually outcast. You do however get a bit of extra mileage out of the conversation around the trophy room.

Fitter
I can somewhat vouche for the ‘being shunned’ by the rest of the herd, and I’m not talking about myself.

I watched 2 piebald deer here literally get the crap kicked out of them each time they tried to approach my back yard where I fed the deer. 14 other deer, regular looking deer, would go on attack and run the pair off each time. I guess discrimination doesnt only invade the human population.

Anyway these two piebalds did exact revenge or grew a pair of grapefruits one day when they charged in and ran off 14 other deer so they could eat. After several weeks of losing out on the food source maybe they just got ticked enough to do something about it but it did appear they had an agenda between the two of them before they went in. After that the rest of the deer gave them plenty of room to eat first. They disappeared shortly afterwards never to be seen again.

ostlawns
i always thought that the albino was casued by overpoluation???? i shot one albino doe{pink eyes,white hoofs} about 8 years ago when we started managing the herd and someone elese shot a 4 point the same year, i could have swore that talking to the biologist after the season it was related to the overpopulated herd?????? could be mistaken. a guy in the club this year has seen one again. we did slack off on shooting as many does the last couple of years are we grtting overpopulated again?? by the way myself or the other guy saw no bad luck from shooting them.