Melanistic Muley Encounters

NVPete · Jan 18, 2015

I've never seen but one in the wild, but I do remember a full body mount forky at Wild Horse Resort years ago...black as a Hallowe'en cat; even its velvet.I thought it a taxidermists joke, no bigger than a farmyard goat. Also, a buck mounted and on display in State Museum in Carson City, and a nice 3 pt. head mount in Northeast NV. Museum in Elko (his antlers were normal coloration and scraped). Any other stories/pics?
Mule deer doe near Winnemucca, NV:

Unknown whereabouts:

Rose Valley, NV...Oh, wait a minute! ;-)

tx_packmule · Jan 19, 2015

Seen a piebald doe, about it.

YELUM · Jan 19, 2015

There were several in the Green River UT area a few years back.

Yelum

YBU

Trix4me · Jan 19, 2015

I had never seen one until about 1 hr ago. On a golf course. Couldn't get a pic. I will try again later this week.

mozey · Jan 20, 2015

Never have seen a deer, but I had this raghorn bull show up on my trailcam once and then again five weeks later:

I spent some time looking for him but never was able to get a look at him on the hoof...

jls456 · Jan 22, 2015

Those are quite different. Anybody know what causes that?

NVPete · Jan 22, 2015

Wikipedia explains melanism best; but it is a genetic anomaly where there is abundance of melanin in cells which causes dark pigmentation; hence black coloration. Also said it is opposite albinism (lack of color pigmentation) which results in all-white creatures.

Castnshoot · Jan 22, 2015

I have never seen one, but I wonder if some shot one duing the season if they would be catching all the grief people have been getting for taking an white deer.