White (as in really White) Whitetails

[IronNoggin]

Wisconsin apparently has more than a handful of these "Ghost Deer":

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

If they weren't protected, I'd certainly be planning to put one on the wall! Damn Unusual!

And I kinda wish we had them up here. Might make it a tad easier to explain to clients just where that buck is (unless there happens to be snow on the ground!) :twisted:

Cheers,
Nog

[300win]

Cool video, I think we are are seeing more and more all white big game animals all over NA. It is probably because the world weather is changing, a mini ice age perhaps:confused:

[betteroffishing]

or perhaps protecting these mutations have resulted in more of them breeding and passing on their genetic anomolies to future generations . one wonders how long it will take for this human intervention in natural selection to result in mass die offs due to disease vulnerability inherent in pigmentation disorders.

[martyonthewater]

:twisted:I bet they'd taste awsome. Spirit steaks anyone?:mrgreen:

[huntwriter]

one wonders how long it will take for this human intervention in natural selection to result in mass die offs due to disease vulnerability inherent in pigmentation disorders.

What makes you think that white phase animals are more vulnerable to disease? As an animal behaviorist with a background in zoology I have done quite a bit of research and study of white phased, non albino, animals. All the research points out that they are not more vulnerable to diseases than any other normal colored animal.

White phase is not a disorder the white is caused by a recessive gene, whereas albinism is the partial lack or total absence of the melanin pigment.Meaning they have no colour whatsoever hence the red eyes, pink skin. But even albinos are not more vulnerable to disease that their normal colourd cousins. The only downside to albinos, and the reason they don't get very old, is that they are easely spotted by predators.

Unlike albinos, white phase animals, such as the deer in the video, have normal colourd eyes and skin. Take as example the white phase tiger which features black stripes but the rest of the fur is white and the eyes are normal or blue colourd.

Hope this helps to clear up the myth about white phase and albino animals that for some unknown reason seems to be rooted in common thinking.

[Spy]

or perhaps protecting these mutations have resulted in more of them breeding and passing on their genetic anomolies to future generations . one wonders how long it will take for this human intervention in natural selection to result in mass die offs due to disease vulnerability inherent in pigmentation disorders.

That be the truth.

[Wild_Dog]

Respectfully, the guy in the video disagrees. He quite clearly stated that he spoke to a professor of Genetic Studies at the University of Minn. with regards to albinism.
That professor said that there are many types of albinos, and that pink eyes are a strong likelihood, but not a necessity.

According to him, these deer are albino. Again respectfully, his doctorate in Genetic studies trumps your background in zoology.

[huntwriter]

Respectfully, the guy in the video disagrees. He quite clearly stated that he spoke to a professor of Genetic Studies at the University of Minn. with regards to albinism.
That professor said that there are many types of albinos, and that pink eyes are a strong likelihood, but not a necessity.

According to him, these deer are albino. Again respectfully, his doctorate in Genetic studies trumps your background in zoology.

Watch the video again and look closely at the deers eyes. No red anywhere. Black eyes are white phase deer. Albinos can slightly differ in eye color depending on the degree of albinism but not to the point that the eyes are black. Besides that, albinism is not hereditary. White phase on the other hand is. Meaning the likelihood of seeing more than one albino - unless they are twins - at any one time, let alone a small herd, is very unlikely.

The thing with scientists, zoologists and biologists is that there are basically two different kinds of each. There are those that are hired and and the others are freelance (independent). With the hired ones the result of any research they do very much depends on the agenda of those that pay their salaries.

Take biologists for example. some wildlife biologists will provide you with all the research results to "prove" that hunting is detrimental to wildlife conservation, conversely there are those that will "prove" to you hunting is good for wildlife management. It all depends who pays the salary.

In my profession I have been hired only one time for exactly two weeks before I found out what results were "expected" of me. Since then I have worked for over 30 years as an independent, it pays much better and most importantly I do not have to bend research to suit an agenda.

[Bowzone_Mikey]

not that I have a background in anything ... But I would call them Piebold before anything else .... ...

and would also think with that many whities ... there is a large portion of white phase gene in that particular herd ....and i would love to pay a great taxidermist to mount a large white buck for me .... ;)

[watson721]

kind of like are kermode bears

[Ciskman]

OOOO Spirit Deer from the Great Wisconsin Deer Forest

[PgHunterKid]

Saw an albino moose on our 2009 calf hunt. It would have been an amazing animal even without being white because it had a huge rack and a very large body. Oh and it had a drop tine on one side.

[watson721]

sorry to highjack but can you shoot an albino moose?

[redthorn]

If you'd like to see Piebald(white or spotted deer) locally in the Fraser Valley, got for a hike through Aldergrove Lake Park. The herd in there is cut off from the rest of the valley by farmland, and so not many deer move in and out of it, resulting in a large population with the piebald genes. Some are just spotted, others are almost completely white with a brown stripe down the back.

No, there is no hunting there, so no special trophy's coming out of there in the fall.