Albino, Piebald, Melanistic Deer

[Pennsyltucky Red Neck]

Piebalds aren’t as rare as you might think. Estimates are 1 to 2% are piebald. I lost count of how many I’ve seen in separate areas.
Albinos are much more rare. Approximately one in every 10000, or .0001%.
Melanistic are dang near the holy grail of the Bambi world. One in 500,000.
I’ll let you do the math.

I’ve seen three albinos here in Pennsyltucky. Two were fawns with their momma in August on Pleasantville Mountain. Later on I saw in the Johnstown paper one of them was taken by a now hunter.
Another was a spike in the same area, 15 or more years later.
Wifey and I would ride up in the evening to see if we could spot him.
Word got around evidently. After a few weeks he disappeared. Word is he was poached.

I’ve never seen a melanistic, although Wifey claims it was. I think it was a trick of the light, but she says she saw it a few day later in sunlight, so I can’t be 100%. This was in Wells Valley from our kitchen window!

My Old Man told me when I started hunting that deer hunting is one part luck and 9 parts being in the right place at the right time. After 5 decades, I still can’t argue.
That said, although I’m not a superstitious person, I’m dang near paranoid about hunting!

I won’t shoot an albino or a piebald. I told Wifey to knock herself out, but she’s on her own if she does! I ain’t getting near it, even to drag!
Melanistic I might consider though.
A tanned hide might be worth it!
Your thoughts on this subject?
PTRN

 

[Pennsyltucky Red Neck]

God dang it. That should say bow hunter! Freaking auto correct!
Is there a way to edit post?
I know what the heck I wrote, so I’m not anal about proof reading!

 

[Dave N]

God dang it. That should say bow hunter! Freaking auto correct!
Is there a way to edit post?
I know what the heck I wrote, so I’m not anal about proof reading!

At the bottom of your posts is the edit link. Left corner.

 

[glass eye]

Saw a black a melanistic mule deer doe in NorCal. The local sporting goods had a brag board with a couple of black bucks on there.
In Campeche Mexico the camp cook caught an albino Brockett deer.

 

[glass eye]

God dang it. That should say bow hunter! Freaking auto correct!
Is there a way to edit post?
I know what the heck I wrote, so I’m not anal about proof reading!

I hate auto-correct, it has become my worst enema.

 

[Pennsyltucky Red Neck]

I hate auto-correct, it has become my worst enema.

Your neck must be red too!
It truly sucks being an analog man in a digital world!
And that freaking edit wasn’t there before. Must be a time delay?
It’s been my experience that deer are funny critters. I’ve seen some drop stone dead at a non fatal shot, and others that oughta been a bang/flop run quite a ways.
Like I said 10% luck. Or maybe they’re like people in that they wanna live, and others don’t give a crap. Screw it, I’m done.
As I get older, I’m becoming more familiar with that thought!