Killing Rare Game Animals

[Losing_Sanity]

Should "Albino" animals be harvested? Seems that some people feel it is unethical; the "Most Rare" should not be taken. Fox news featured an article, "Tennessee hunter bags rare white 'turkey of a lifetime'". I think some states may even have laws in place to protect them, but is it necessary? Any opinions on this issue? I can't say I feel it is unethical.

 

[Hunting Wife]

I don’t think it’s unethical at all per se. The reason such animals are rare in the first place is because that particular genetic mutation likely poses a disadvantage to survival, regardless of whether the individuals are hunted or not.

The only reason there is so much outcry over harvesting these animals is because they are identifiable as individuals. It’s easy for the public to recognize it, give it a name, and get invested in its existence. This is true of any uniquely identifiable individual, not just those who are genetic oddities.

 

[jtm307]

A 400 inch bull elk is extremely rare. If I see one and have a tag in my pocket, I'm shooting it.

 

[Bambistew]

A "rare" white turkey? That's pretty funny... there are millions of white turkeys. The white wild ones most likely bred with a domestic. They are pretty common in some areas.

Natives considered white animals sacred, nothing new.

Can't say as I'd go out of my way to shoot a white animal, but couldn't' care less what others do.

 

[Addicting]

Around here we have a lot of turkey farms, some time ago some got loose. It’s common in one flock up here to see white, 50/50, and wild all feeding in a field together. I would rather shoot a white one, I think they taste better.

 

[Walkathon]

I've seen a few white/mixed turkeys over here in MN. Don't care if they get shot if they are legal animals. I wouldn't shoot a white deer, but that's just me. I've always thought they have a huge disadvantage in the winter in Minnesota due to the fact that they don't absorb the sun like a normal darker colored deer would, and I'd think they would be colder and it would be more difficult for them to survive.

 

[Pucky Freak]

Albino deer are illegal to shoot in Iowa. Seeing as 99.999% of the rest of the deer are fair game I could care less if a few very rare animals are protected. This is not a hill worth dying on.

 

[Gerald Martin]

Genetic mutations are not beneficial to a species. Preserving individual animals is only for the sentimental benefit of people who think they are saving something rare. Having said that I have passed up a piebald doe that was well known around our neighborhood. She got hit on the road and buzzards ate her a month later.

 

[JTHOMP]

Many old timers in my area have talked about a specific white turkey. By the accounts that one bird would be easily 10+ years old. Doesn't take much for a domestic bird to mix with wild genes to keep phenotype going. No different than the floppy ear hogzillas that show up every few years.

As for myself shooting a piebald, albino, or melanistic deer.... I don't think I would but if you want an honest answer I'll let you know after given the opportunity. Yes I know it's a mutation and the science behind it, but just think I would let it pass. It as a specific animal has enough going against it, but won't knock someone else for killing one. I also have zero concern for a white turkey as it most likely has domestic genes in it.

 

[devon deer]

Genetic mutations are not beneficial to a species. Preserving individual animals is only for the sentimental benefit of people who think they are saving something rare. Having said that I have passed up a piebald doe that was well known around our neighborhood. She got hit on the road and buzzards ate her a month later.

And in more ways than one!
A white deer gives away the position of the herd of normal coloured deer, which where I live is a magnet for deer poachers, if it were left to me I would shoot them all, but people get all sentimental about them.
Cheers
Richard

 

[1_pointer]

I don’t think it’s unethical at all per se. The reason such animals are rare in the first place is because that particular genetic mutation likely poses a disadvantage to survival, regardless of whether the individuals are hunted or not.

The only reason there is so much outcry over harvesting these animals is because they are identifiable as individuals. It’s easy for the public to recognize it, give it a name, and get invested in its existence. This is true of any uniquely identifiable individual, not just those who are genetic oddities.

I'm in full agreement!

 

[EdP]

The only example of protecting off color animals that I can support is the case of white squirrels because they bring tourist dollars to the local economy of the town where they exist. Other than that there should be no protection for what would otherwise be unsustainable mutations (albino, piebald, etc). Does the coyote, bear, wolf, cougar, bobcat, hawk or other natural predator pass up a meal because it is albino or piebald?

 

[noharleyyet]

Meh..also resonates with the class envy free chit mantra crowd.

Remember the 350K black rhino chitshow....

 

[dirtclod Az.]

If you don't shoot it the next hunter to come along will.
Shoot it and have it mounted for future generations and friends and neighbors to see.

 

[Gut Shot]

Gotta protect those recessive genes.

We had a white squirrel running around our place last fall and winter (he might still be out there). I thought it would be cool to have a black and white squirrel mounted chasing each other on a branch. Maybe I would name them Yin and Yang. Luckily I called the game warden to find out if it was legal to shoot white squirrels. It isn't.

 

[Europe]

I don’t think it’s unethical at all per se. The reason such animals are rare in the first place is because that particular genetic mutation likely poses a disadvantage to survival, regardless of whether the individuals are hunted or not.

The only reason there is so much outcry over harvesting these animals is because they are identifiable as individuals. It’s easy for the public to recognize it, give it a name, and get invested in its existence. This is true of any uniquely identifiable individual, not just those who are genetic oddities.

Excellent point and I agree---and to take it further. It is just another rallying call from the anti's in my opinion

Other examples of mis understood and/or mis characterized "white" animals.

The white lions in RSA, the Arctic Wolf, white turkeys, even the mtn goat and polar bear has been mis characterized by some, with the intent of finding a way to eliminate the hunting of them.

Why can't one bring a polar bear or leopard "trophy" back into the United States if you legally hunt them ? Thousands of white turkeys are raised each year for the dinner table, the white lions and polar bears numbers have increased every year for several years and in the case of the polar bear, they are issuing more hunting permits, and the mountain goat numbers are just fine, thank you very much.

Sorry, but these people like Miley Cyrus go to Canada B.C. and successfully get them to ban the grizzly bear hunts and yet the bear numbers are and have been increasing

I agree with Hunting wife !

 

[Deleted member 18333]

Genetic mutations are not beneficial to a species.

Mutation is how the species evolves. Some mutations prove to be advantageous and others(most) do not. In the case of a white deer I would suspect that if it was a beneficial mutation it would have already long sense taken hold and be prevalent. In the case of the first brown bear in the artic that had much lighter hair, well that worked out well for him.