Piebald Deer ?

[westbrooklawn]

Piebalds are uncommon in this area, but not rare. I saw one this year on the property I hunt... it was a cowhorn and was feeding in a field along with a small "normal" 6 pointer. I watched the 2 deer from my stand for about a half hour. The piebald had a funny running motion... it moved in an unnatural leaping motion with both front legs moving forward at the same time. I mentioned this later to a friend who is a taxidermist, and avid hunter. He told me that piebalds often have genetic abnormalities and will act spastic and almost retarded. He advised always removing a piebald from the gene pool since it will affect the local herd over time... apparently this is a standard QDM practice.

 

[Baranx4]

I've never seen one alive but about 10 years ago I found one dead on our farm during rife deer hunting season. It had been dead for awhile was a small buck with only the carcus left.

 

[N80]

We see them from time to time here. I've never seen one that had lots of white on it but have seen a good many with patches here and there. I've also heard that they frequently have deformities and genetic problems. My dad....or maybe it was a friend of his....killed a piebald that had quite and underbite. We condered how it could pick up acorns or even eat grass but it was quite healthy looking otherwise.

Seems like hunters around here think of them as trophies. Probably a combination of rarity, oddity and maybe even QDM as mentioned above.

 

[arrabil]

They happen pretty regularly around here. My brother-in-law has gotten at least three. More white than tan. Never make it to a year old. Heck, generally they don't make it to a legal hunting season either.

 

[N80]

I've heard some people say that it is a sign of overpopulation but I don't know that for a fact. I guess it could also be a sign of too much inbreeding which can be due to overpopulation in a limited habitat.

 

[psj12]

I tend to agree with N80. I work on a military reservation with a large and inbred deer population and they are much more common on post than off. We also have several Albinos on post.

 

[czechsonofagun]

I know a doe just like that, maybe even whiter. She eats by the road I take from work nowadays. I see here once a week or so, but I didn't know they are called Piebald. I always say she looks like English setter

 

[MikeD74T]

I saw a piebald doe while hunting in northern VT in 1968. Haven't seen another since. MikeD74T

 

[chipsndust]

Here's one I got on my trail camera last fall.