Diehard Hunter
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Aug 1, 2008
- Messages
- 7,380
nate17 said:Andy S. said:My reply was not an opinion. I have read a few articles, websites and blogs from biologists and deer breeders who are in the know, unlike you and I, about the possibility of whitetails and fallow deer interbreeding. They all agree it is not biologically possible. I'll put my trust in the experts, not what someone thinks they see in the wilderness.nate17 said:Ur entitled to ur opinion and im entitled to mine.
I'd rather someone show me hard factual proof, like DNA testing to proof their suspicions.nate17 said:U wanna question whether it can happen or not ill be glad to show u around and u can spend 3 yrs urself asking the same question i did.
The consensus from what I have learned is this: "Fallow Deer (Cervus dama) are of the Cervus genus. White-tail Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are of the Odocoileus genus. Both are from the Cervidae family, but the different genus makes egg fertilization impossible." Thus if interbreeding did take place, a viable offspring could not result.
A few links that you may find interesting:
http://www.tndeer.com/tndeertalk/ubbthr ... 07&fpart=3
http://vafallowdeer.blogspot.com/p/chro ... ginia.html
http://wkcurrent.com/boutique-game-animals-p551-72.htm
http://www.deer-forums.com/discus/messa ... 1237603419
http://www.taxidermy.net/forums/DeerTax ... 31FF7.html
Im well aware of the facts. I have a degree in wildlife biology and have worked in the wildlife field since ive been out of school.
I have also spent time around a free ranging fallow deer herd and know that there are some wierd looking whitetails in this area. We can argue about what the book says for days and no I have never actually seen a whitetail mount a fallow deer.
Like I said, you want to make the drive up, ill be glad to show you around. We'll go out and hunt a couple of my stands. Ill even buy ur supper. Have a good one.
Surely you have some pictures of these animals if they are that common. Maybe you have even killed a couple since you hunt there. I would love to see them.