The whole weird rack thread I started also got me thinking of unusual deer. I immediately thought of piebald and albino. If albino is protected in TN then I wonder why? Isn't that a trait that you would not want in your local herd, a cull so to speak? I know very little if anything about albino deer and just curious. Is piebald protected? Thanks
Albino
- Thread starter JDS
- Start date
PillsburyDoughboy
Well-Known Member
This topic comes up almost every year and I totally agree with you. Cannot understand for the life of me why they came up with it. Its just stupid!!! Im betting some neighbourhood pet albino deer got shot and someone with some clout got it passed.
Apparently TWRA cannot explain it either. It made Realtrees top 8 weird and wacky laws of all time.
http://www.realtree.com/big-game-huntin ... nting-laws
It's illegal to shoot an albino deer in the state of Tennessee. Is there science to support letting white deer walk? Not a bit. Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency Law Enforcement Coordinator William Morris spoke on the matter.
"It wasn't something the agency pushed for," Morris said. "There is no biological reasoning for having it. It doesn't benefit wildlife at all. Someone came up with the idea. We really have no rhyme or reason for it other than someone proposed it and now we have it."
Apparently TWRA cannot explain it either. It made Realtrees top 8 weird and wacky laws of all time.
http://www.realtree.com/big-game-huntin ... nting-laws
It's illegal to shoot an albino deer in the state of Tennessee. Is there science to support letting white deer walk? Not a bit. Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency Law Enforcement Coordinator William Morris spoke on the matter.
"It wasn't something the agency pushed for," Morris said. "There is no biological reasoning for having it. It doesn't benefit wildlife at all. Someone came up with the idea. We really have no rhyme or reason for it other than someone proposed it and now we have it."
DaveB
Well-Known Member
The law exists because:
(1) an albino animal is at a disadvantage
(2) They are so cute
(3) Someone shot and killed one and the poor deer didn't stand a chance because he couldn't hide amongst the white oaks.
(4) They are so cute.
Get my drift here? Now that we have Lions, someone will have to catch them, train them not to eat white deer, aversion therapy stuff.
Because they are cute.
(1) an albino animal is at a disadvantage
(2) They are so cute
(3) Someone shot and killed one and the poor deer didn't stand a chance because he couldn't hide amongst the white oaks.
(4) They are so cute.
Get my drift here? Now that we have Lions, someone will have to catch them, train them not to eat white deer, aversion therapy stuff.
Because they are cute.
Southern Sportsman
Well-Known Member
Most "game laws" are actually "rules and regulations" that are passed by the fish and wildlife comission based on data and science from biologists, as well as public comment and input.JDS":36t2e3rv said:
The albino deer protection law is a state statute (TCA 70-4-130), passed by the Tennessee General Assembly in 2001, without any input from wildlife biologists or the public, and signed into law by Governor Sundquist, who was from Illinois.
The reason our biologists cant explain it is because nobody asked them before it was passed.
The story i was told is some representative with clout, got his cronies on the commission to pass this because his wife had one in the back yard and she didn't want "snuggles" shot.. Yeah she named it after the fabric softener mascot.
I don't know how accurate that is, but I have heard the same story several times. If true, it is just another example of abuse of power. IMO if the TWRA says, let the hunter's shoot them, then the TWFC should make it legal.
Here is an idea, enough people commented about the buck limit and it passed, maybe we can comment enough to get the ban lifted on albinos???
I don't know how accurate that is, but I have heard the same story several times. If true, it is just another example of abuse of power. IMO if the TWRA says, let the hunter's shoot them, then the TWFC should make it legal.
Here is an idea, enough people commented about the buck limit and it passed, maybe we can comment enough to get the ban lifted on albinos???
Albino is protected by state law, so even the commission cannot override it.
Hunter 257W
Well-Known Member
Southern Sportsman":36tu1im9 said:
Are you sure about that date(2001)? I started deer hunting in the mid 1970's and I thought albino deer were illegal to shoot even back then. Maybe there was some vote to keep the law on the books in 2001, but I think it originated way before that.
Southern Sportsman
Well-Known Member
The statute was passed in 2001. It's possible that a regulation was in place before the legislature codified it. I'm not old enough to remember, and not concerned enough to look it up. But, since it is now codified, it would literally take an act of congress to change it. And nobody is going to vote for, much less sponsor a bill "seeking to kill off all of our albino deer," which is how it would be spun politically. So, we're stuck with it and the FWC cant do anything about it.
Southern Sportsman
Well-Known Member
https://news.tn.gov/node/3786
On second thought, I did look it up. It first became illegal in '01 and the first known violation was in '06.
On second thought, I did look it up. It first became illegal in '01 and the first known violation was in '06.
stik
Well-Known Member
Hunter 257W":2yirbsti said:
it was perfectly legal to shoot albinos before this law was passed.
TWRA opposed the bill but it was still passed by the legislature. Until the legislature changes it, the stupid law will remain on the books.
PillsburyDoughboy
Well-Known Member
Speaking of
http://www.newschannel5.com/icontribute/pet-pics-videos
Not sure if its a true Albino but its sure White looking.
http://www.newschannel5.com/icontribute/pet-pics-videos
Not sure if its a true Albino but its sure White looking.
PillsburyDoughboy
Well-Known Member
Ive only seen one White deer in all my life of hunting and that was in Ohio. It caught me off guard and I was not sure if it was legal to shoot it. Had I known it was legal to shoot it at the time I would have smoked it.
