Dude out here hunting in Narnia?
We’ve seen some strange deer encounters here at Whiskey Riff, from bucks getting their antlers tangled in a soccer net, a buck jumping off the second story of a building, big bucks, tiny fawns, deadheads… all kinds of things. But one of the coolest sights in the woods is the elusive white deer.
Albinism is a genetic mutation that results total lack of pigment, whereas leucism is only a partial loss of pigment and can result in all white deer or even white and brown deer known as “piebalds.” Because albinism includes a complete lack of melanin, the animal will have white skin, hair, feathers, etc…, along with white or red eyes and a pink nose. Leucistic creatures typically have white fur or skin, but their eyes, nose, and feet typically have normal colors.
Most sources estimate that 1 in 20,000 deer are leucistic. That’s not a whole lot over a large area with good deer habitat, and full albinos are even rarer. But, this Wisconsin hunter landed a goldmine.
A deer hunter who was up in his stand noticed a handful of deer approaching in his direction, and every deer in the family was snow white. Of course, it’s super rare to find one white deer, but to see a whole family in the woods? A pretty once-in-a-lifetime kind of experience.
I just hope this hunter went out and bought himself a few lottery tickets, because it appears the odds are in his favor after a wild sighting like this.
Check it out:
