Here's a deer of a different color!
A Morgan County couple spotted a rare and enchanting albino white-tailed deer. Fittingly, they said they spotted it near Deer Lodge!
Brenda and Jim Duke sent the photo to us, and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency said it does indeed appear to be an albino deer.
While rare, the TWRA said it's definitely not out of the realm of possibility that you'd be able to spot one in the wild. Estimates put your chances of spotting either over any other deer at less than 1%.
The TWRA also said these genetically special deer have been protected under state law since 2001. You can shoot one with a camera, but you'll need to put the rifle down and find a different whitetail if you spot one on a hunt. Due to their rarity and relatively short life-spans, Tennessee is one of a few states with laws that make it illegal to hunt, trap or capture albino deer.
While awe-inspiring to look at, albino deer are born into a great disadvantage in the wild due to the genetic mutation. The white coloration makes them easy to spot as prey for other wild creatures, and on top of that they tend to suffer from crippling health issues such as poor hearing, vision and physical disabilities.
