Sampson State Park white deer...

[tcon]

It's not the deer exhibit at the Zoo its Sampson State park Musky wanted me to post some pictures so here they are Bob I couldn't find the one of the eight point but I'll keep looking.

[muskybob]

Great pics Tom, Thanks

[tcon]

You bet...I'll see if I can get some more this weekend.

[Second Chance 22]

I hate to be picky, but the deer aren't in the State Park- they are across the road in the former Seneca Army Depot. Thanks for sharing.

[tcon]

Wasn't it all part of the Depot at one time SC? Just I curious question...I'm not overly informed on the area just love to camp there.

[ray koziatek]

Next time yer camping there walk down the hall to the left of checkin counter theri is some good history posted on the walls..but i think where ya say the deer was across the road from the "park land"area "The depot"

[Second Chance 22]

Where the State Park is now was part of a big naval training facility- I believe it was one of the biggest in the entire country during World War 2. There's a small naval museum in the park which you might want to visit (when your not busy fishing or camping).

The Depot across the road (where the white deer are) was an Army facility used to store ordinance.

[Grady95]

My uncle was stationed there for a time during WW2. The park, as it is now was indeed a military facility. We are talking about the land on the west side of the road where the current Sampson State Park is now. Yes, there is a museum commemorating this.

The Seneca Army Depot is the land north of and on the east side of the road from there. It is bounded by cyclone fence and there is a herd of albino deer that have lived inside that fence for a very long time. The area is strictly off limits to hunters. It is believed that a great deal of nuclear weapon grade materials were stored there during the cold war, and some believe there is still a stockpile there. Not to say there are nukes there, but the components to assemble them. I have no idea whether this is accurate anymore, but the depot has a colorful past!

Enjoy the deer. They are something to see. We are not allowed to hunt them. I don't know if anyone is.

Grady

[tcon]

Yeah I have been in the museum my Uncle volunteered there for quite some time It's a great park the museum is really neat.

thanks for the info fellas.

Tom

[Reel Doc]

If your connected to the right people locally you might get a chance to hunt in the Depot. Sadly, forage there is poor and the coyote numbers are high so the deer population inside are not conditioned as well as those outside the fences. I've seen a few mounts of bucks taken out of there and even on 3-4 year olds the racks are pretty skimpy. Some of the smart ones inside have found holes in the fence, so that helps them out a bit. Last week driving down the East side on Rte 414 there were 3 white does enjoying some soybeans across the road from the Depot.

Just my opinion, but the groups trying to "Save the White Deer Herd" need to get some food plots in there. Otherwise, those white deer in Horseheads that someone posted photos of here last year will be better looking animals.

Greg

[PolarBear]

SO THE NUKES MADE THE DEER WHITE ?????LOL:-)

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[Grady95]

SO THE NUKES MADE THE DEER WHITE ?????LOL:-)

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

Now that's funny!!

I have no idea what made them white. Like the idea someone had of some food plots in there though.

Grady

[chowder]

I'm guessing that the sub population that was confined by the fence became quite inbred over time which eventually led to the expression of recessive genes for whiteness. From looking at the pix these white deer are not genetic albinos (pink eyes,etc) but merely white hided. These deer also seem to exhibit other signs of inbreeding like diminished size, smaller antlers,etc. Just my 2 cents on this interesting subject & thanks for the pics. -Andy

[Second Chance 22]

The Army used to have tightly controlled hunts on the Depot to control deer numbers. You had to apply and be selected for the hunt. I was told that you were taken to a stand in a covered truck and were not allowed to leave the stand for any reason. If you wounded a deer, MP/s with tracking dogs would come to trail the deer.

Anyway, once the first white deer was discovered the base commander ordered the white deer totally protected, while hunts for the normally colored deer continued. This allowed the white deer population to expand in a manner that would almost never happen in nature. Eventually, the poputation of white deer increased to the point that the Army allowed some harvest of the white deer, but it was always limited.

I'm not sure how much genetics enters in to causing the puny racks on the Depot, but I have been told by a friend who has trapped on the Depot that there is very little quality forage inside the fence. Most of our southern tier whitetails have ready access to corn, clover and wheat- these foods are absent on the Depot.

[ignaszak]

Being a former resident of the area and knowing the right people, I have been fortunate enough to hunt at the Seneca Army Depot. If you are an avid hunter, there is nothing like seeing those white deer move through the woods. I've taken some fairly decent deer (with my largest being an eight point with a 21" spread and 8 inch G2's). There are some very large deer within the boundaries. Seeing first hand a good friend take an eleven pointer (white buck) with 11 inch G2's was truly an incredible experience. That deer was 40 yards from my stand that day and I couldn't shoot him due to the fact that I didn't get drawn for a white tag that day. As far as rules- no cameras and you cannot leave your stand till your guide comes and gets you (you sit all day). It truly was a great expereience hunting there and I am still thankful to my friends for giving me the opportunity. For you turkey hunters------- All I have to say is holy cow- look at the beards on those thunder chickens!!

[Reel Doc]

I would love to see a photo of your 8 pt if you can post it. Clients in the area that hunted in there have mounts of some scrawny bucks.

You are right about the draw too. Some have told of getting to hunt inside but could only take a brown one.

I'm going to see if I can get a permit to bowhunt in Kremer's backyard instead.

Greg

[cdgn troller]

The white deer were actually imported from Russia sometime back in the 60's I believe by some of the commanding officers for their own and their "friends" hunting pleasure. the deer are white deer and not albino. The guy who is telling you that the brown bucks in there are small is only seeing the small ones. I have a friend who worked in the depot since Vietnam and there has been many monsters taken out of there. you don't here about them because they were taken inside a fence and don't qualify for the books. I see a big buck or two there every year from 96 on my way to Sampson.

[Second Chance 22]

The white deer (a buck and a fawn) were first spotted and documented as present on the depot in 1949. My source is the Seneca White Deer, Inc website.

Never heard that the deer are from Russia, the possibility seems pretty remote.

[Grady95]

Yes, I also see good size bucks inside the fence, but they are the normal kind of brown deer we have everywhere. If there are holes in the fence as someone suggested, I'm wondering why I have never seen a white deer outside. Do they get out on their own ever?

Grady

[jennings]

HI, I have lived in the area my whole life and many of my family members worked at the depot. White deer do get out side the fence; I have had them on my farm in Lodi multiple times and have seen them as far south as Hector. My cousin still works on the depot grounds every day and sees many awesome bucks. I saw one from route 96A this year that was an easy 180 inches.

[jason]

melissa and i seen a white buck on 390 yesterday coming home from fishing the oak....

[Second Chance 22]

Nice story in the sports section of the Post Standard today (Sunday) about hunting at the depot- and how to apply for next years lottery (all of this years slots are filled). The story is also available at Syracuse.com in the sports section.

[muskybob]

http://blog.syracuse.com/outdoors/2010/ ... hin_w.html

[Reel Doc]

Thanks guys, that's a nice article. I wish some photos would come out on white bucks with bigger racks, but any I've seen are nothing special. We live about 8 miles from the site so I keep hoping a big boy will escape and set up shop in our thick little swale.

Greg

[sparkyice]

as for the white deer in horseheads, it's generally considered "taboo" to shoot one. i disagree, because to my way of thinking if you shoot only the brown deer, well, soon there will be only white deer, and they will spread to surrounding areas- which they are doing.

i've seen them on ocasion while hunting, but never had a shot at one. it is kind of sureal to see them slinking through the morning fog. i've seen them pretty close up in peoples back yards in the area, they are a different looking critter, rather goat-like.

that might be because the whiteness acentuates the deer's normal shape in an odd way.

a woman i worked with's son drew a permit to hunt the depot, and he got a respectable buck.