Whitetail Hair Colors?

PA Hardwoods · 02-11-2008, 09:21 AM

I was on my way into work this morning and I saw a few deer out in a field feeding and noticed these 2 deer were unusauly dark and got to thinking about hide color. I know in the summer whitetails around here have a very reddish color and then winter coats are mostly grayish in color. But I asked myself if the deers diet plays a part in their hair color, and I honestly couldn't answer that question. Does anyone know if their diet plays a part in their coloration at all? Just something I was thinking about.

BrentH243 · 02-11-2008, 09:33 AM

I don't think food does anything to their color, but I'm not a scientist/biologist! My friend shot a young buck 2 seasons ago and it was very dark in color. It wasn't black, but when you put it next to another normal colored deer, you could definitely see the difference. It was only a small 7-8point, but he got it mounted just because of the dark color and because it was his first deer with a bow!

PA Hardwoods · 02-11-2008, 09:59 AM

I have no idea. I like to believe I know quite a bit about whitetails, but this was a question I couldn't answer. I know the amount of pigment and genetics plays a part but I can't help but think diet and environment plays a part in the color of the hair on the hide too.

Rob/PA Bowyer · 02-11-2008, 10:14 AM

Deer don't have fur, they have hair.

And I had this answer one other time, let me see if I can find it again.

PA Hardwoods · 02-11-2008, 10:16 AM

I knew someone would correct me. LOL Gotta get techinical on me don't ya Rob? You will pay for that Gramps!!!. LOL My gut tells me that diet has to play at least little part in it.

Rob/PA Bowyer · 02-11-2008, 10:27 AM

LOL, not correcting you big guy, just shedding light for youngsters that may or may not know that.

You know, misinformtation and everything.

I'm sure diet has a lot to do with it. As of yet I cannot find that article I found before.

I'm sure diet, enviroment, genetics etc effect the hair color.

125py · 02-11-2008, 10:43 AM

i dont think diet has much to do with it at all....i could not beging to tell you the number of times i have watched deer and within the group some would be the "gray" color and others would be "red/orange" in color. The deer have the same food sources. Just looking at some of my mounts that were all taken within 1 mile of each other will show the two different colors also.

MarquetteMagnum · 02-11-2008, 10:52 AM

I think their habbitat and diet plays a roll in hair color and antler color as well. The swamp by me has deer that look almost black and their antlers are very dark as well. I wonder if this is because lack of sunlight or the minerals in the food they eat. The deer in the woods next to them keep their redish color hair, and their antlers always seem whiter.

BrentH243 · 02-11-2008, 10:55 AM

ohh...swamp bucks. Those swampy areas seem to make their hair color darker and their antlers different in color, but again, I don't think its the food! Does your hair turn color because of what you eat??

GMMAT · 02-11-2008, 11:11 AM

I think the difference in their color phasing is very interesting. I recognize some deer around here by their color on multiple sightings. Had a REALLY reddish buck here last year that I didn't see this year......and he was a great looking deer. I thought he was an old guy on the way down.....but he was liely just a different color phase.

The 8 pointer I took this year was more ashen than his counterparts. I'm looking forward to getting my mount back, soon.