rednekhuntr et al

As you know wildlife conservation laws and “fair chase” practices are instituted to support the heritage of hunting and to ensure the health and stability of the species, the concept of the animal not being unduly disadvantaged being paramount. For example; the rifle moose season being after the peak of the rut, no bears within 400 metres of a dump, no deer while swimming etc. etc. Many jurisdictions do not permit the hunting of a white deer because it is believed they are unduly disadvantaged by their colour or lack of it. I just happen to support that view – surely that’s my prerogative, as it is yours not to support it. And frankly, unlike some, I see nothing wrong with a deer living to old age or being taken by a predator. That’s what happens in nature. As for the snow versus white/brown deer analogy, in the part of Ontario in which I hunt the snow usually covers the ground not the background against which the deer will be standing. Anyways in the 50 + years I’ve been hunting I can probably count on one hand the number of times we’ve had snow on the ground during the rifle deer season.

It’s interesting to read the many responses and the seemingly common thread of values throughout, namely; the killing of the deer being the one compelling and almost sole reason for the hunt. I’m sorry but I just never saw it that way. One of my sons (an avid hunter) lives in the Muskokas. He regularly has deer visiting his residential property which is located where hunting is not in any way restricted. He sometimes gets annoyed when they eat his shrubbery. However, he and his family (3 children) take great pleasure in watching them and he’d no more think about killing them than he would the neighbour’s pony if it strayed onto his property. No doubt though, these deer would all be dead if the values and opinions expressed throughout most of this thread were applied.

Theoretically someone else may very well take the white deer if I don' t or you don' t - they just would never be hunting with me or my group.

By the way if I am able to learn exactly where this deer was killed in Illinois, assuming it’s true that it was killed in Illinois, I’ll be sending the Illinois Department of Natural Resources an (unedited) copy of the photo. Anyone disagree with this too?? gg