Oddball Deer

[Wanderer]

I just received this picture of a black (melano) buck from a hunting buddy in Alabama. The e-mail said it was shot in Michigan but I don't know if that's true or not. I used to see melano squirrels every now and again when I lived in Wisconsin. On the last weekend of the 2005  Alabama gun season, I saw a melano buck feeding out in one of our greenfields. He had little antlers that put me in mind of "Bugles" (that kind of corn snack made for scooping up dip). The only white I could see on him was the underside of his tail. It was an overcast day but I had 8 power binocs on him for about 25 minutes while he fed about 80 yards away. I never saw him again although one of our neighbors said he saw a black deer running across the highway the following year.
Has anyone else ever seen a melano? or piebald? or albino while in thefield?

[Wanderer]

I'll try it again with the picture attached

[paulie]

Thats a new one on me! Never seen a black deer before, I have seen an albino (not while hunting), and I've seen plenty of black squirrels, never knew they were called melano (we just call em black squirrels). That is a pretty nice buck though, he's kinda cool looking!

[Demoderby4]

Same boat as Paulie, tons a black (melano) squirrels around here, tons more than grey or red or whatever else lol, that would of been pretty cool to shoot, or at least just see! Never heard of melano deer, but seen a lot of pics of albino or piebald deer, cool pic, where in MI was it taken? If it was taken here like u said.

[OHhunter]

I've seen pictures of one on the internet a while back, that was a first.
I googled and found more of them than I was expecting.
 
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/family/4612526/detail.html
 
http://www.buckmanager.com/2008/07/21/more-black-deer-spotted-in-texas/

[coach]

This deer was shot on Jan 03 of 2004.
I know this deer very well.
 
It was shot by a guy hunting in Central Texas.  

[Everyday Hunter]

I first saw this photo a few years ago. About the same time another photo was circulating of an African-American hunter who shot a black deer. Interesting.

Melanistic deer are much rarer than albino deer. Many people think albino deer shouldn't be shot because they're rare, but I've never heard of anyone saying a black deer shouldn't be shot even though they're much rarer.

What Art Linkletter said -- "People are funny!"

Steve

[coach]

There are some melanistic deer....semi-melanistic....albinos...and regular deer.
Sometimes 6 legged. [:D]
 
The closest I came from a melanistic deer....is a semi-melanistic. (i think)
The only picture I have is below...Some may already have seen it.
I wouldn't say he's a semi-melanistic deer...maybe a quarter-melanistic. [;)]
He should have some genes maybe ?   His face had mostly black hair.  His rear legs was
also black.  The rest of his body was greyish black....darker than usual lets say.
Not sure if its part melanistic deer...but when I came upon it....I thought....swamp buck
or gene of melanistic.
I shot both bucks within 30 seconds apart.
 
And please...no comment on the sweater.
 
 

[coach]

By the way.....I just found the site for the deer above.
 
http://www.northamericanwhitetail.com/weirdwhitetails/ww_0904calf/index.html

[Patriot]

ORIGINAL: coach

And please...no comment on the sweater.

 
In that case.......the sweater sure doesn't appear to have any albino-like traits![:D][:D]
 
Sorry Coach, had to do it.  Cheers!