1morethan8
US Veteran, Absent Comrade
In terms of coloration, which whitetails are the rarest of all? Most hunters would claim that distinction belongs to albinos, which lack any pigment in their skin or hair. But as unusual as it is to see a whitetail that’s far too light in color, it’s even less common to see one that’s far too dark.
On the continent as a whole, “melanistic” or “melanic” deer – so named because their bodies produce far too much of the hair, skin and retina pigment known as melanin – are definitely the rarest of the rare. While millions of whitetails have been harvested across the continent in modern times, only a token number of cases of melanism have been documented. In fact, it’s safe to say that most whitetail hunters have never even heard of melanistic deer, much less seen one. For that matter, only a few research biologists ever have observed one in the flesh.
Among those who have are Dr. John T. Baccus and John C. Posey of Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos. Their school’s location between San Antonio and Austin gives them handy access to melanistic whitetails for research, for as it turns out, most of the world’s supply of these animals lives within an hour’s drive of the campus.
The eastern edge of Texas’ Edwards Plateau region and adjacent areas of the Blackland Prairie region are the epicenter of the world’s population of melanistic whitetails, for reasons not well understood even by the two researchers. In going over the scientific literature, Baccus and Posey have been unable to find any record of melanistic deer being documented anywhere prior to 1929.
Melanism has been shown to occur in a variety of animals, including mammals such as squirrels, many felines and canids, and coral snakes.
On the continent as a whole, “melanistic” or “melanic” deer – so named because their bodies produce far too much of the hair, skin and retina pigment known as melanin – are definitely the rarest of the rare. While millions of whitetails have been harvested across the continent in modern times, only a token number of cases of melanism have been documented. In fact, it’s safe to say that most whitetail hunters have never even heard of melanistic deer, much less seen one. For that matter, only a few research biologists ever have observed one in the flesh.
Among those who have are Dr. John T. Baccus and John C. Posey of Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos. Their school’s location between San Antonio and Austin gives them handy access to melanistic whitetails for research, for as it turns out, most of the world’s supply of these animals lives within an hour’s drive of the campus.
The eastern edge of Texas’ Edwards Plateau region and adjacent areas of the Blackland Prairie region are the epicenter of the world’s population of melanistic whitetails, for reasons not well understood even by the two researchers. In going over the scientific literature, Baccus and Posey have been unable to find any record of melanistic deer being documented anywhere prior to 1929.
Melanism has been shown to occur in a variety of animals, including mammals such as squirrels, many felines and canids, and coral snakes.
