Post by klsm54 on Sept 4, 2009 16:10:18 GMT -5
Wild Turkey is a Wild Turkey here in PA, no matter what color it is. Shoot one out of season, you're in a heap o' trouble boy, doesn't matter if it is green, brown, purple or white.
Just like deer, the white ones fall under the same regulations as the brown ones.
Of course there is that supposed curse if you shoot a white deer, not sure if that applies to white turkeys... ;D
Here is what the Mississippi Dept of Wildlife says.......
"Color Phases
The wild turkey has three distinct color variations from normal plumage coloration: melanistic (black), erythritic (red) and albinotic (white). These color variations occur infrequently with the white or smoky grey phase being the most common. Recessive genes or mutations account for the color abnormalities. Partially white turkeys are reported annually in Mississippi. Most people incorrectly assume these birds have a domestic strain in their ancestry. These smoke gray phase birds are native wild turkeys and are capable of producing offspring that are partially white, normal colored, or a mix of partially white and normal colored birds within the same brood. More than 95% of the reported observations of white turkeys are hens. Evidently, the potential of occurrence in gobblers is extremely rare.
And here is blurb from the NWTF........
Color Phases: A few wild turkeys grow unusually colored feathers. These are known as color phases. There are four color phases, a smokey gray color phase, a melanistic color phase (all black), an erythritic color phase (reddish coloration) and an albino color phase (very rare).
Just like deer, the white ones fall under the same regulations as the brown ones.
Of course there is that supposed curse if you shoot a white deer, not sure if that applies to white turkeys... ;D
Here is what the Mississippi Dept of Wildlife says.......
"Color Phases
The wild turkey has three distinct color variations from normal plumage coloration: melanistic (black), erythritic (red) and albinotic (white). These color variations occur infrequently with the white or smoky grey phase being the most common. Recessive genes or mutations account for the color abnormalities. Partially white turkeys are reported annually in Mississippi. Most people incorrectly assume these birds have a domestic strain in their ancestry. These smoke gray phase birds are native wild turkeys and are capable of producing offspring that are partially white, normal colored, or a mix of partially white and normal colored birds within the same brood. More than 95% of the reported observations of white turkeys are hens. Evidently, the potential of occurrence in gobblers is extremely rare.
And here is blurb from the NWTF........
Color Phases: A few wild turkeys grow unusually colored feathers. These are known as color phases. There are four color phases, a smokey gray color phase, a melanistic color phase (all black), an erythritic color phase (reddish coloration) and an albino color phase (very rare).
