Originally posted by DEC:
I think it does have some melanistic traits. They can vary from all black to a black/gray deer with more traditional white markings.
I have personally been hunting this farm for 17 years now and I have never seen a deer this color or even remotely close to this color. I made a conscious effort this year to not run trail cams on this property. I decided I wanted to return the element of surprise back into my hunting ... boy was I surprised! This was just one very cool deer. I do know a neighbor who was running cameras and knew of the deer, I found out the other day. I am going to hit him up to see if I can get a copy of his trail cam photos of the deer for the young man.
I do know that the young man's dad is going to do one of two things. Either a shoulder mount and have the balance of the hide tanned, or do a euro mount and have the entire hide tanned. Either way not one square inch of the hide is going to be discarded.
That is very cool to hear that... He will have a story to tell with the actual hide and head to show with it....
