Piebald Deer

[Muskrat]

Driving south on I5 near the rest stop, there was a beautiful Piebald doe and a non piebald yearling feeding just off the freeway. Both were in excellent shape. Been at least 25 years since I have seen a Piebald.  Muskrat

[elkboy]

There are a number in the San Juan Islands, especially on Orcas Island.  I think those deer out there don't have the "predation penalty" for light patches that mainland deer do!

[singleshot12]

Sign of inbreeding. Piebalds should be culled

[ghosthunter]

Lots on Camano Island.

[JWEBB]

Can you legally shoot a piebald deer in WA? just wondering what the wdfw thinks about that

[Whitpirate]

No illegal that I can find.

[HntnFsh]

Perfectly legal to harvest piebald animals.

[kodiak 907]

 

Sign of inbreeding. Piebalds should be culled

[dreamunelk]

Sign of inbreeding. Piebalds should be culled

False!

It just happens. 

[3nails]

 Not that you didn't see piebald deer but a lot of people see deer this time of year that have hair slip and think that they are piebald. Deer rub the hair right off of their body due to the itching and expose their bare skin making it appear white.

[singleshot12]

Sign of inbreeding. Piebalds should be culled

False!

It just happens.

Are you sure about that?..From what I've read it is a genetic mutation due to inbreeding. Plus most of the piebald sightings have been on small islands and areas where the local gene pool stays more confined for whatever reason.
But if you have proof otherwise it would be nice to see it.

[Tbar]

Not that you didn't see piebald deer but a lot of people see deer this time of year that have hair slip and think that they are piebald. Deer rub the hair right off of their body due to the itching and expose their bare skin making it appear white.

 I have noticed several animals this year that have hair slip.  I thought it was on the decrease but this year seems as bad as any year in recent memory.
As for piebald deer I know if several areas in Whatcom, Island and Skagit that they can be found.  Some are completely white (not albino) and others appaloosa looking. There was a pretty good buck in one area, cool to see. 

[Firedogg]

 If you are in that area hunting and you think of taking this critter better make sure it's a piebald Blacktail and not a piebald Columbia Whitetail. It is possible to get one that far over even though they are mainly seen in the SW coastal areas. . The CW is protected, even if piebald.

[kodiak 907]

Sign of inbreeding. Piebalds should be culled

False!

It just happens.

Are you sure about that?..From what I've read it is a genetic mutation due to inbreeding. Plus most of the piebald sightings have been on small islands and areas where the local gene pool stays more confined for whatever reason.
But if you have proof otherwise it would be nice to see it.

[JimmyHoffa]

Sign of inbreeding. Piebalds should be culled

False!

It just happens.

Are you sure about that?..From what I've read it is a genetic mutation due to inbreeding. Plus most of the piebald sightings have been on small islands and areas where the local gene pool stays more confined for whatever reason.
But if you have proof otherwise it would be nice to see it.

My understanding is that the deer probably has an albino ancestor.  In an area with inbreeding it can come out more.  But just because the deer is piebald doesn't mean it is due to inbreeding.  WDFW did some research about it on the peninsula because of the number of piebalds.  The started tracking DNA and ended up concluding that the deer that started it for the area was an albino buck that lived around 200 years ago.