albino Whitetail deer

[EddieWalker]

There used to be a herd of white (not sure if they were real albino) dear at an abandoned military site south of Geneva NY. We would see them on our way south to visit relatives--kind of neat to stop and watch. Not sure if they are still there-it's been a couple of years.

In Northern California there is an area along the highway just past Willits that is wll known for the white deer. I was always told that they were a white version of the local blacktail deer, but not albinos. People in town would tell us how rare they are and really made a big deal about it. There are places selling souvineers and even business named after the white deer.

Later in life when I devloped an interest in hunting different species of animals and reading up on them, I realized that those so called "special" white deer where just common white colored fallow deer. Very common and native to Europe. Here in Texas, I can buy them for a few hundred dollars at auction on the low end.

I'm not saying those deer that you are seeing are not white colored whitetail deer, but there are allot of Fallow Deer on the east coast running wild in differnt areas. George Washington let some go on Mt. Vernon, as did others. The antlers are totally different then a whitetails, but body wise and from a distance, they look just like a whitetail. It would be very hard to tell a whitetail doe apart from a Fallow deer doe except for the coloring.

Fallow deer also come in a chocolate color and a tan color with spots. Same species, just differnt color phases. Kind of like a black lab or a yellow one.

Eddie

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Morning Eddie, the deer at the Seneca Army depot that he saw are really White Whitetails. They are where most of the captive White deer have come from originally.

This pic is a brown whitetail bred by a white whitetail, she gave birth to one white and one brown fawn. The white fawns are cream colored at birth and turn pure white after the shed. They do have white spots still that you can faintly see along their cream colored fur.

 

[czechsonofagun]

Nice deer and pictures.

Not trying to enter in a pi$$ing contest or such - but there is a preserve in Czech, where they keep flock of white deer since like 1780 or so:

http://i.idnes.cz/06/06/cl/TOM130b4d825f_Stado_bilych_jelenu_v zlebsk.JPG

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Don't worry about the peeing contest. The deer in your picture look like fallow deer but the picture is kind of small so it is hard to tell.

With Whitetail deer there are a some variations within the Whitetail species. You have the typical brown deer, an kind of rare White Whitetail (looks like an albino except for the eyes), a fairly rare piebald white and brown mix where the colors shouldn't be, an albino and to my knowledge a black whitetail is the rarest of the Whitetails. I have only seen a picture of one from the mid west.

 

[RonMar]

There used to be a herd of white (not sure if they were real albino) dear at an abandoned military site south of Geneva NY. We would see them on our way south to visit relatives--kind of neat to stop and watch. Not sure if they are still there-it's been a couple of years.

It is the Seneca Army Depot between the two largest finger lakes in upstate NY. I used to be stationed there at the LORAN station on the base. Bone white with black hooves and noses, and usually tan antlers. They used to give us bow hunters free run of the static ammo storage area. Then they also had a guided gun hunt during shotgun season. I hope they are still hunting them, or that they DO take the fence down. Without an adequate hunt, the population can exceed the available food supply within the fence. We had a real bad winter while I was there and the following year in the woods I found a lot of dead deer

 

[Robert_in_NY]

It is the Seneca Army Depot between the two largest finger lakes in upstate NY. I used to be stationed there at the LORAN station on the base. Bone white with black hooves and noses, and usually tan antlers. They used to give us bow hunters free run of the static ammo storage area. Then they also had a guided gun hunt during shotgun season. I hope they are still hunting them, or that they DO take the fence down. Without an adequate hunt, the population can exceed the available food supply within the fence. We had a real bad winter while I was there and the following year in the woods I found a lot of dead deer

I don't know exactly but I think they are still selectively harvesting these deer. I fear if they take the fence down every hunter from in state as well as out of state that knows about it will be there to hunt them. I could see opening a gate and letting them work their way out on their own pace either after hunting season or during spring when the doe are looking to get away to have their fawns. This way they will have a full year to get use to their new area and you will still have deer on the Depot protected.

Just so you know, I am not an anti hunter and up till this year I have hunted every year I have been able (this year I am not able). I just like these white deer and would hate to see them wiped out in one season as I fear would almost be the case if the fences were just taken down. You would have people trespassing on the depot to drive the deer living there out to where they can shoot them.

 

[BruceR]

I remember hearing about the Seneca herd when I was a kid growing up near Elmira. I have an uncle with 200 acres near Lowman, NY and have been hearing of whitetails with large white patches near there, but none all white.

Bruce

 

[shaley]

Just thought I'd clarify what PETA stands for since Norfolk is the home town.
People Embarssing the Tidewater Area. Please don't be a PETA.

 

[RonMar]

I would be real surprised if they took down the fence. It was a superfund cleanup site, and they were pretty slow about doing the cleanup when I was there last, I doubt it is completed.

Even having unlimited access to the place, white deer being taken were not all that common as they were a pretty small fraction of the population. They also had a real advantage once the snow flew. There were 3 of us that hunted regular at my station and only one of us ever took one in the 3 years I was there. It was probably one of the biggest deer I have ever seen though with a 6 & 7 rack. We were allowed to sponsor 1 hunter onboard when we hunted, and I had a list of vetran and retiree bowhunters from as far away as PA who would come a running to go hunt whenever I called. It was basically hunting on a private game park and will probably be one of the most exciting bowhunting experiences I will ever have.

Here is my opinion on deer hunting. Deer are fringe dwellers, and our modification of the environment and expanding their prime habitat, as well as removal of many of their natural predators, has led to uncontrolled populations. Is it more ethical to hunt a deer and control it's population, or let an overpopulated area starve, suffer and be sick and prone to pestillence? Nature is self regulating, but sometimes it's methods are slow and "cruel"... I have never nor will I ever hunt for "sport". IMO, it serves a dual purpose. It keeps the animals strong and healthy and provides food for my family.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

I agree with you. But I have heard rumors they were going to eventually just take the fence down and you know the White deer are not going to last long if put out into public hunting. I would rather see them keep managing the area. What does the Army do there anyway, is it just an equipment depot or is it just an old facility that they don't plan on using anymore. If it is then I would love to see the NYS DEC take control of the place but I doubt that would be feasible. I know the white deer would be picked off by poachers regardless of season