LOVELOCK - Many residents in Lovelock's lower valley have been watching what they've thought to be an albino buck frolicking in nearby pastures over the last few months. These photos were shown to Dr. Dave Samuel, a columnist with Bowhunter and Sportsman's Guide magazines.
"I've looked at the photos, and I don't think this is a "true" albino, because he doesn't appear to have pink eyes, and there does appear to be some brown color on the ears. True albinos also have a pink nose. This guy's nose is black," Samuel replied by email. "Regardless he is a beauty," he added.
Samuel said that total albinos are rare, and maybe occur one in every 30,000 deer.
"Native Americans looked upon white animals as sacred and seeing one would bring the viewer good fortune. To harvest such an animal was to bring dishonor and bad luck to the hunter."
"We tend to feel that same way today. In fact, in some areas and states, it is illegal to harvest albino deer," Samuel wrote in an article in the Sportsman's Guide.
However, it is not illegal to harvest albino deer in Nevada.
"It could be legally harvested by a legal tag holder, assuming all other laws and regulations were followed," Winnemucca Nevada Department of Wildlife Game Warden Tyler Turnipseed said.
Samuel studied deer for 30 years as a wildlife management professor at West Virginia University. In addition he's been a bow hunter for over 40 years, with deer being his main prey. He's also an outdoor writer and has been with "Bowhunter" magazine for 30 years.
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