If an albino buck walked by your tree stand, would you shoot it?

The pearly coat of a white deer offers a striking contrast to the gray-brown pallet of the fall forest. If natural predators were present, they likely would take notice and kill the deer before it could achieve maturity. The prevalence of albino whitetail deer in the Cape Girardeau area has captured the interest of hunters and non-hunters. While it is not clear how many albino deer inhabit Cape Girardeau County, people have watched and photographed a white fawn as it grew into a staggering white buck. It is often seen in the early morning and evening around Old Sprigg Street Road, Lexington Avenue, Bertling Street or Cape Rock Drive. There also have been sightings in the area of Kiwanis Park. Some say an extraordinary white deer, already reaching its life expectancy, should be left to continue to roam and be protected. Others argue that albinism is a genetic flaw, and will, over time, weaken the herd with more albino offspring. Indeed younger albino deer have been seen in the area. Some hunters say the white buck would make an incredible trophy. In the end, the only opinions that matter are those of the hunters, who may legally harvest albino deer in Missouri. We reached out to a handful of hunters, and asked them the question: If an albino buck walked by your tree stand, would you shoot it?

***

Regina Caye Darnell-Arnzen

Regina Caye Darnell-Arnzen

Cape Girardeau

Bartender at Billiard Center

In this situation, it is appropriate to kill the buck if he passes on the genes and a fawn comes out white as well. The fawn will have a harder time surviving because it won't have natural camouflage. I say, kill it! Eat it! And mount it!

Katelyn Exler (Cape Girardeau)

Katelyn Exler

Cape Girardeau

Works at NAPA

Deer hunting is about more than killing an animal. It's providing food for our families, herd management and teaching our youth responsibility and respect. We hunters have great respect for the animals we take. We are treated, however, by non-hunters, like we are the animals. Why is it cruel to enjoy a hunt? Personally, if you don't enjoy it, don't feel that thrill, you have no business being a hunter. We are criticized for killing "beautiful animals" as if we leave them where they lay and go home. Beef, poultry, pork? Those animals are raised and killed in sick. disgusting ways but are eaten on a daily basis by the same people who call us cruel.

Robert Sullivan

Robert Sullivan

Fredericktown, Missouri

Building inspector

No. They're pretty rare. I'd rather videotape it and let others enjoy it. We used to use digital cameras; now we use new-style cameras you can mount on your bow or your hat.

Fernando Viera, O'Fallon, Mo., commercial painter

Fernando Viera

O'Fallon, Missouri

Union painter

No, not me. But if there was a kid with me on the youth hunt, I'd let the kid take him. I saw a few albino bucks a few days ago in Cape.

Caleb Ferrill, Murphysboro, Ill., 6th grader

Caleb Ferrill

Murphysboro, Illinois

Sixth grader

No, I wouldn't shoot it because it's albino, and you very rarely get to see them. This is my first year hunting.