melanistic yearling from Missouri
 

Just thought Id post a pic of a melanistic (black) yearling doe. From what Ive read, they are more rare than an albino, but I think it is really ugly. It was taken by a friend of a friend about 15 miles away from my farm, during the Missouri Muzzleloader season. It is even darker than the picture makes it look, its back and almost halfway down its body is completely black, and fades to a lighter shade of gray lower on its belly, the tip of its tail is red, and has no white on its face, neck, or belly. If you look close you can see faint spots, I guess left over from being a fawn, but the pic dont show it well, and it also had some random long white hairs, about 6 inches long or so, just scattered ever its body, and a long black patch of hair almost resembling a turkey beard hanging high inside the rear legs. Like I said it is ugly, but definitely rare,He said he almos didnt shoot it at first cause he thought it was a small calf or dog or something.He is thinking of trying to sell it to Bass Pro, or something, if they are interested. Just thought some of you might want to see it.

RE: melanistic yearling from Missouri
 

pic of the spots and white hairs

RE: melanistic yearling from Missouri
 

Its a chocolate lab!!!

RE: melanistic yearling from Missouri
 

I would agree, that thing is ugly but thats pretty neat to see something so rare :)

RE: melanistic yearling from Missouri
 

About the size of the FL Keys deer!

RE: melanistic yearling from Missouri
 

Andrew Hargrove shot this rare melanistic buck in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, in 2002. The only white on the deer is the underside of the tail. Taxidermist Don Bennett currently is working on a full-body mount of the unique trophy. Look for the full story in a future issue of our magazine. Photo by Roger Hayslip. [/align]

RE: melanistic yearling from Missouri
 

Rebel.. Yeah I remember that buck that that guy shot in 02. if I remember right it was even his first deer, he got quite a trophy for his first. I also remember a woman getting one maybe the year before that one, but I cant remember her name, but both were published in magazines, North American Whitetail I think. They are sure different looking, Ive never seen one myself, but I have seen two albinos.

RE: melanistic yearling from Missouri
 

Ever seen a Pie-bald?


Jenna's piebald button buck gave her 2001 season a happy ending after all. Photo courtesy of Larry & Linda Halse. [/align]

RE: melanistic yearling from Missouri
 

We have a white socked doe that has been here on our farm for 9 years now, and she had a doe fawn, which had a white head, and feet, and a spot on here side, but she was hit by a car last year, and is now in a sporting goods store in town, one of the worst life size mounts Ive ever seen, it is pitiful, I think the piebalds are a really neat looking deer. I have a friend who is a taxidermist, who mounted a piebald buck that scored about 140 a couple years ago, it was a really neat looking deer.