Albino deer. Most have heard of white deer or at least thought about seeing one, but what’s the deal with albino white-tailed deer? Among the questions most often asked is, “What causes some whitetail deer to be albinos?” Well, although albino deer a rare for the most part, albinism is not.
Albinism is typically a recessive trait found in many animals including mammals, birds, reptiles, fish and even plants! Albino animals do not have the gene for normal coloration and do not produce the enzyme responsible for skin, hair, and tissue coloration. The result of this genetic oddity is the total absence of body pigment — so albinos just looks white.
White Deer and Other Albinos
In addition to a lack of body pigment, the eyes of an albino deer and other animals are pink because blood vessels behind the lenses show through the un-pigmented irises. As you might have guessed, albinism is not a great trait for an animal, either predator or prey, unless they live in areas with constant snow cover, constant darkness or possibly even high up in the sky.
Obviously, being totally white year-round makes concealment in most deer habitat difficult. To make matters worse, many albinos generally have poor eyesight, which is another genetic factor linked with albinism.
Albino Deer are Rare
Animals that lack pigmentation and have poor eyesight are not common on the surface of the earth. Perhaps that is why albino deer are rare: A lack of camouflage combined with poor eyesight increase the likelihood of fatal attacks by deer predators.
The truth is that plants and animals are constantly adapting through chances i the gene pool, though the process can take hundreds or even thousands of years to impart appreciable changes. Typically, a gene will only be passed on through a population if the traits that those genes control are beneficial to an animal. However, some traits, such as albinism, can be carried by individual animals and not necessarily be exhibited.
Facts About White, Albino Deer
Because albinism is a recessive trait, both buck (father) and doe (mother) must carry the gene before it even has the possibility to be expressed in their offspring. It is a fact that an albino deer bred to another albino would have only albinos.
An albino bred to a normal brown and white deer (with no recessive genes for albinism) would produce only normally-pigmented white-tailed deer. Offspring from this cross would carry the recessive gene for albinism, but would be normally colored.
When two deer (parents) that are carriers of albinism breed there is a one-in-four chance they will produce an albino fawn. As I mentioned earlier, recessive genetic traits typically become less common unless they confer a survival advantage or are artificially enhanced for expression through selective breeding.
The Odds of an Albino Deer
Based on deer hunter reports, only about one deer in 30,000 whitetail is an albino deer! However, it must be pointed out that not all white deer are true albinos. Some white whitetails have normally pigmented noses, eyes and hooves. In that instance, it would only be a genetic mutation for hair color but not other pigments.
On August 8th 2009 I saw an Albino doe at the Reynolds Drive in off 18 at Transfer, PA around 3:30pm. My husband has told me that the saying is it is bad luck to shoot a albino deer. Maybe that is why so many keep seeing the same deer come back every year. Also my son’s girlfriend told me that to see a albino deer brings you good luck. It is a legend that it is suppose to be mythical. I was speechless and amazed to see such a beautiful animal.
Can’t believe anyone would hunt such a beautiful animal! We saw one in Eagles Mere PA crossing the road. It was amazing! I read that their eyesight (and perhaps their hearing too) is not great. So where is the “sport” in killing this animal?
We have about a dozen whitetail deer that come in our back yard everyday. Today I saw a young abino about two months old with two other deer. It was about two hundred feet away. Locust, North Carolina.
I`M DEER CRAZY AND LOVE THE OLD COLOR ONES THE BEST. I HAVEN`T SEEN AN ALBINO ONE FOR A WHILE NOW, BUT IN THE PAST 2 TO 3 YEARS I HAVE SEEN ALOT OF PIEBALDS. THIS YEAR MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE SEEN A NEW COLOR. IT WAS A DOE ABOUT 8 MONTHS OLD AND WAS A VERY LIGHT GOLDEN COLOR, ALMOST A CREAM. THE DEER IS ONLY ABOUT 2 MILES FROM MY HOUSE, SO I HAVE BEEN KEEPING AN EYE OUT FOR HER TO GET SOME PHOTOS. SHE HAS THE NORMAL WHITE MARKINGS OF THE REGULARLY COLOR WHITETAILS, BUT SHE IS A VERY VERY LIGHT GOLDEN CREAM COLOR. I KNOW IT WILL BE HARD FOR HER TO MAKE IT THOUGH HUNTING SEASON FOR WHERE I LIVE. I AT LEAST HOPE TO GET A PHOTO OF HER.
Today, I saw a beautiful albino deer at the Richland Country Club in Nashville, Tennessee.
I saw an albino deer while I was in the woods in Grant County, Maryland. I live in Garrett County.
We are lucky to have an albino doe come up the back lane in the evenings while we were doing chores. During the hunting seasons I’d pray she’d make it, then this year she surprised us with albino twins! Sandy Lake, PA.
Recently I saw my first “white” deer in a rural area in Anderson County, Williamston, SC. It was awesome! But, after contacting the Wildlife Association in my state, it saddened me to learn what I did about Albino deer. This is what was sent to me by a wildlife biologist:
“True albino deer (including the pink eyes) are rare. In most cases deer that have abnormal amounts of white or appear all white are actually referred to as piebald. The amount of white associated with piebaldism is determined genetically and is an inherited trait. Those animals that appear all white received a “dominant” dose so to speak.”
In cases of true albinism and for the slightly more common piebaldism, the animals typically have reduce survival rates. Typically and particularly for piebald animals, there are a number of abnormalities in addition to the aberrant coat coloration. The piebald anomaly as it is called, tends to produce animals with varying degrees of skeletal problems including a “parrot jaw” or overbite, as well as malformed legs and joints. Additionally these animals may suffer from scoliosis (curving of the spine) and malformations of various internal organs.
Still, I feel blesssed to have seen one!!
I have heard of many albino deer in Wayne County, Illinois, but I finally got to see one for myself. The doe was as white as snow.
I have seen an albino deer near my house. Thinking about letting him live on. Hopefully he makes it, but bow season started 2 days ago. We will see. I live in Steuben County, New York.
Just saw an albino 4 point in Seven Fields, Pennsylvania. The deer has lived here for a while, as we have spotted it several times over the past few years.
November 4, 2009: Earlier today, I saw a nice albino doe standing right off of I-85 just south of Greensboro, North Carolina. One of the most amazing sights I have ever seen!
These deer are all really big.
I saw a 6 point white deer tonight on my way home from work. I would not say it was Albino becasue I am pretty sure the eyes were dark, but it was white as white could be. However it had 2-3 very small brown spots and it hair was longer and shaggy unlike the common deer. I almost think it might be a hybrid of some sort.
Hey Lauren, I live off of 98 going towards Bunn. I am a hunter and saw a completely white doe. You didn’t lose yours did you? I watched her and let her go. I mostly hunt just to enjoy the wildlife.
I saw a deer today that had a white neck, totally white belly, and white legs. It’s back was brown. Saw it coming from a long ways off.
I shot a 70 pound albino doe on November 21, 2009 in Harrison County, Indiana, in the state Forrest. She was truly amazing, and it was the first time I ever laid eyes on one. She is going to be a beautiful full body mount. I watched her for a while before taking the shot. For me, it was just as exciting as taking a buck!
I have a beautiful medium sized albino doe that lives around my house in Orange County, North Carolina. I have seen her often at the edge of the woods in a field about a fifth of a mile from my residence, but had never seen her actually in MY yard until three weeks ago. I woke up and looked out my back window and there she was. I took some good shots of her, and no offense to you hunters, but mine were with my Canon digital power shot! I have NOTHING against hunting to those who respect the sport as I am an avid fisherman.
We saw a beautiful albino deer, complete with pink nose and hooves today 12-11-09 in Mureesborough,Tennessee in a field with about 5 other normal whitetail deer. At first we thought it was a statue, until it started to move. I had to look it up online when I got home because we didn’t believe it was possible.
We have a little whitetail doe that has visited our yard at least three times this fall. She is white from hooves up to the top of her back, which is brown. I believe there is some brown on her head. We have a picture that is too distant for exact details, but I was told there is a specific name for this type of albino.
We have many white deer here in the Browns Mills/Ft. Dix New Jersey area, and they may be seen singly or in groups of two to five.
We have been seeing a nearly all-white deer near our home in North East, Maryland. It runs with a bunch of normal-colored deer and seems a bit mis-shapen. Some people think it is a goat, but it certainly looks and runs like a white-tailed deer.
Some individuals (Bob Osborne above) may have been seeing white Fallow Deer (originally from Europe). They are completely white and the bucks have spikes their first year. If you see more than one at a time, the odds are they’re fallow deer… especially in Texas.
We saw a white deer on our way home today in Patrick County, Virginia. It is an amazing thing to see, very beautiful standing on the hill next to the road. My mother in laws said that was the first one she has ever seen in her 70 years. I never knew there were albino deer. Awesome sighting!!!
My stepson shot a 4X4 albino buck this past hunting season in SASKATCHEWAN,CANADA. He is a very nice buck. I have hunted since 1968 and I nor my pals have ever seen one.
I saw an albino deer on January 5 in Stockton, New Jersey. It had what appeared to be a black patch on the side. This is the very first time I saw one. I was not aware that they exist. At first I thought it was a goat travelling in the company of other deer. They were crossing a field off route 523.
Lauren, I live in Wake Forest and I also have an albino that lives in my backyard.
On January 3, 2010, I harvested a white buck on my northwest Webb County, Texas, ranch. The buck was 8 1/2 years old. He had been protected by the ranch owner until this year. He was showing signs of age and we decided to harvest him and do a full body mount. He sported a 20 inch wide, 8 point set of antlers. I do not believe he was a full albino for his nose was dark, he had brown hooves, and his eyes were light in color–almost yellow but with a dark pupil and normal veining.
I saw an albino deer near Efland, North Carolina, today at dusk. It was walking next to the interstate.
What would a 120 pound 100% albino with pink eyes be worth to a big outfit to display in a store? It’s a doe and I bagged it durning black powder season. Harrison County, Indiana.
Coming home tonight right at dusk, I saw a herd of does… 10 or 12 Does just off the road. I realized that there was a white animal standing in the middle of all these does. I backed up thinking I was seeing things and there she was, a solid white doe. The other does ran off but Venada Blanca just stood there looking at me. In my part of the world, hunting competes with football as the biggest sport, so it was amazing to see her after our long deer hunting season. C. Camacho Throckmorton, Texas.
My father’s friend shot a odd colored doe on the last weekend of the season. We watched him jump off the four wheeler and shoot, so we then helped him look for it. I saw something on the ground that was white on the back with brown spots on the back, then brown underneath. The head was also white. I was surprised by its coloration.
I saw an all white deer here in Oley, Pennsylvania, last week (January 28, 2010) and this was the second one, that I’ve seen in my 57 years of living.
My husband shot an Albino spike buck in 1977, and passed away at the age of 31! I consider it to be bad luck. My son and I have the hide, antler and foot of the deer and we do not want it anymore and do not no how to discard of it. Any suggestions?
Coleen, if it’s a shoulder mount and in good condition, maybe try Ebay or a local auction. Albino whitetails are rare and the price you get will depend on the size of the antlers and the condition of the cape. I wouldn’t throw it away. SOMEONE will want it.
Last night as I was turning off my porch lights, I saw several deer in my front yard. At first it was like seeing a ghost, but upon closer observation I realized it was a white albino deer. The deer was there about 15 minutes and then ran off.
Sunset Lake- Fuquay/Holly Springs area of Wake County, North Carolina
My two sons and I saw an albino whitetail today in Somerset County, Somerset, New Jersey, on Cortyleus Road. It was just browsing with two other deer. Very cool!
I saw an albino deer this morning in my backyard. I live in Bowie, Maryland (Prince George’s county). It was just eating along with about 6 other deer.
I have an albino deer living behind my house in Rehoboth, Massachusetts.
While driving today, I saw an albino deer. With the dark overcast of the morning, it stood out here in Rocky Mount, North Carolina.
Jesse, our Locust, North Carolina albino is doing very well, and he is getting huge! It is the day after Easter, and he and his pals are grazing behind the church. I was a little worried, not having seen him the last month or so, but this evening he is out and about, and better than ever. It is an awesome sight.
I live in Lansing, Illinois. We had an albino deer in our local forest perserve, but unfortunately it got hit by a car. Today, on a walk through the forest perserve, a man asked me if I had seen the albino deer. I told him no, that I had heard it had been killed a couple of years ago. He said, look. To my amazement, the albino was browsing just a few yards away from us. It must be related to the other albino we had.
Today, I found an albino fawn thats mother was killed by a car, so I kept the deer and I’m nursing it back to heath. I’m going to keep it as a pet.
There is an albino deer in the forest preserves in Glenwood, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. The deer has been here for about 3 years. It walks around the neighborhood in and out of yards and can be seen on the sidewalks or streets at any hour of the day.
My family and I were taking a ride in the woods and we saw something white so we turned around–and there it was–an albino deer with pink eyes. It’s fawn was the normal brown color. I had never seen one before, it was great! This was in Illinois.
My friend and I observed an albino doe over the weekend feeding in a field. She was absolutely beautiful! She had 2 fawns and they were golden. Rocky Mount, North Carolina.
I saw my first albino deer this morning standing in a field near our house in Selma, North Carolina. WHAT A BEAUTIFUL SITE!
We have an albino buck that comes by our house every night. He travels with 2 other large whitetail bucks. He is a NICE LOOKING animal! We live in SE Missouri
There does seem to be many albinos in Franklin County, North Carolina. I live outside of Louisburg and have 2 albinos that live in the woods around my house, both of them does. I also know 2 hunters that shot 2 albino does and had them mounted. Last week, my friend took a picture of an albino doe and buck at Kerr Lake.
Last night during my evening walk I saw a white fawn with a sibling and their mother in our subdivision. We live in Calvert County, Owings, Maryland. It was neat to see an albino fawn. At first glance, I thought it was a goat!