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Melanistic Deer.......

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Wobblyshot1

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Today, while driving down a major highway in Davidson County I was passing a field that I sometimes spot deer. I'm still having a hard time believing that two totally black deer were standing on the edge of said field about 100 yds off the road. It appeared to be a doe and what I assumed her fawn.

Now, I've seen a piebald and even what I thought was an albino, but never a totally black deer. Just wondering how rare is this color phase.
 
You sure they weren't panthers? TWRA released a breeding pair of black cats in that area last year.

As to rarity, it depends on where you are. There is an area in the Hill Country of Texas where melanistic deer are quite common. BSK probably knows the numbers for it generally. I'm too lazy to look it up. But, you can google melanistic deer and get all the info.
 
I goolgled it before I posted. That's how I got that big word melanistic.

Thanks for the info on them panthers. Now that I've seen black deer, I'm gonna keep my eyes open for them panthers too. ;)
 
thats not too far from me, I would be more than psyched just to see a black deer. Ive seen more than one albino and they are kind of common around here, but black, never seen one and rarely hear of one, and they are legal to kill unlike the albinos.
 
I used to see them occasionally hunting the Freeman Ranch at Texas State University (formerly Southwest Texas State). That's probably the area bowriter's talkig about. I had a hide tanned from one my brother killed about 10 years ago
 
In 58 years of deer hutning, I have seen one alive and a few dead. The one I saw alive was on a ranch outside SanSaba, TX and all I had in my hand was my danglie. I was off my horse, taking a leak when one, doe I guess, walked across a ranch road.

All the dead ones I have seen were in a taxidermy shop in Austin and came from the Hill Country.
 
I can't believe that TWRA would release 2 cats and then deny that there are big cats in Middle TN. People should be informed. Last year I personally saw a big cat,(no not a bob cat) and others saw it also.
 
They released 20 breeding pairs, four pairs were black. You can get full informaiton by calling TWRA and asking for Mike Hunt. he is in charge of the big game predator restoration project.
 
This is gettin to be real fun. I saw what I saw and they were black. I've been deer hunting since 1972 and I know what a deer looks like. I have been watching this field lately because me and a few others have been seeing a really nice buck chasing does there. Murfreesboro Rd between Bell Rd and Old Hickory Blvd on what I think is called the old Hoover place is were the sighting was made in case you're interested. Maybe someone else driving that stretch will spot them and confirm. In any event, look for that big boy. He's been putting on quite a show lately.
 
I think greenback tactical hunters posted a pic of one on facebook. Don't know where the pic came from? Neat looking deer.
 

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