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Saw my first melanistic deer last night. #5397953 11/04/14 12:11 PM
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8pointdrop Offline OP
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She came out after a few doe were already in the field. At first I thought it was a calf or hog, but after a few seconds I knew I was seeing something pretty rare. She wasn't coal black like some of the pics on the internet but as close to black as I've seen. The herd I hunt had a lot of king ranch blood in it when the restocking from the state took place so they tend to be generally a bit darker than other herds but she was noticeable next to others. Really black face and legs, lighter black sides with a solid black line on her back.

I won't lie the thought crossed my mind to take her, but thought it'd be nice to see a mature black buck from her in a few years.

Re: Saw my first melanistic deer last night. [Re: 8pointdrop] #5397985 11/04/14 12:31 PM
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Cool!!!


I support Cap and Trade - Cap our spending and Trade Obama

I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the Government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them. - Thomas Jefferson
Re: Saw my first melanistic deer last night. [Re: 8pointdrop] #5398196 11/04/14 02:35 PM
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solid black line on her back sounds like it would be a sika doe, not a melanistic whitetail


Gig'em<---<<
Re: Saw my first melanistic deer last night. [Re: 8pointdrop] #5398276 11/04/14 03:04 PM
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Some whitetails get a really dark hair streak down the middle of their back and neck. I have seen bucks with very dark hair in the middle of the back of their neck. The buck I killed last Friday was like that. He had a really dark face to go with it.


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Re: Saw my first melanistic deer last night. [Re: 8pointdrop] #5398309 11/04/14 03:14 PM
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I have seen two menalistic deer and one piebald

Although not super common, there are in decent numbers in hays, Comal and Kendall as well as a few other counties


For it is not the quarry that we truly seek, but the adventure.
Re: Saw my first melanistic deer last night. [Re: txtrophy85] #5398505 11/04/14 04:08 PM
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i killed this one a couple of years ago. from what i've read, there is a 6 county area around here(new braunfels) that has more melanistic deer than the rest of the world combined. i dont know if thats true but black deer are seen pretty regularly






Last edited by budiceale; 11/04/14 04:10 PM.
Re: Saw my first melanistic deer last night. [Re: 8pointdrop] #5398599 11/04/14 04:47 PM
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My parents have a melanstic 8 point coming in to their feeder behind the house. They live just west of San Marcos in Hays County. Growing up there I've seen multiple, close to 10 probably, melanstic deer over the years. Still rare but not that uncommon in that area.

Re: Saw my first melanistic deer last night. [Re: 8pointdrop] #5398667 11/04/14 05:12 PM
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8pointdrop Offline OP
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I had heard that the hill country has a decent herd of them but I'm a long ways from the hill country. Watched her with other doe for 30 mins it wasn't a sika.

Stx the best I can describe it is the same pattern and maybe trait as your buck only more defined. She honestly looked black until I got my scope on her.

Re: Saw my first melanistic deer last night. [Re: txtrophy85] #5398911 11/05/14 01:27 AM
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Originally Posted By: txtrophy85
I have seen two menalistic deer and one piebald

Although not super common, there are in decent numbers in hays, Comal and Kendall as well as a few other counties


No they are not, but certain parts of the hill country have pockets with fair numbers. Most hunters I've known have passed on them to try to protect the few out there. They are an oddity and make for interesting conversation.
Myself as well as others have passed on melanistic deer as well as one solid white doe we had on one ranch I hunted.
That white deer was spooky. You'd be walking to your stand in moonlight and have that doe standing just a few yards ahead that would get you to jump way before the deer did. Also it would scare you when it ran out in front of the headlights as you drove down the pasture road.



Thursday at 12:45 PM
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Once i learned that i didn't "NEED" to kill something, and that if i did kill something all the fun stopped and work began, i was a much better hunter.
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