There are two types of white deer that live in Wisconsin one that you can hunt while the other if you shoot it can lead to a fine of up to $10,000. The large fine is a reflection of Native American ties to the deer and its aesthetic beauty.

Albino deer are extremely rare to the order of 1 in 30,000. Albino deer have legal protections but hunters are talking to the DNR about easing the restrictions.

The two types of white deer in Wisconsin are Albino Deer and Leucistic Deer. Albino deer have pink or light-blue eyes and pure white fur with no variation or coloring. They also have a pink nose and pink hooves. They are extremely rare, estimated to occur 1 in 20,000 to 1 in 100,000 births. This is the type of de

er in the photo that accompanies this report. This picture was taken at Lake Dubay campground this spring.

Leucistic Deer are another type of white deer. They have white or have patchy white and brown fur. They also have brown/black eyes, and a black or brown nose. These deer make up 1 percent of the deer population, meaning that they are more common than albinism. Leucistic Deer get their coloration from a recessive gene that is passed by both the male and female parents

Albino deer have been protected in Wisconsin since 1940 making it one of the oldest protections for Albino deer in the U.S. In Native American culture like the Lenape and Chickasaw. they are considered to be a spirit transitioning to the spirit realm or a messenger. Seeing a white deer is considered an omen of impending change. It’s still strictly forbidden to kill a Albio or Leucistic deer, and interrupt the soul’s passage to the next world. Some Native American cultures believe that killing a such deer puts a curse on future hunting success, or it may even mean the hunter will die within a year.

The legal protections that are granted to Albino deer are not shared by Leucistic deer with it being legal to shoot any deer with any amount of brown. Albino deer are often mistakenly shot by accident when dirty.

The legalization of hunting Albino deer has recently come into conversation again with hunters going to the DNR to try to legalize the hunting of Albino deer in Wisconsin. After asking a couple hunters, one hunter said ¨shooting white deer should be legalized only in small amounts; it should be only two tags given like a raffle the same as bears because they are beautiful and majestic¨

Hunter Wyett Borgan added, “Hunting albino should be legalized for bucks.” Other hunters that were asked gave mostly the same answers with none saying that the hunting of white deer should be fully legalized. For now there is no movement in the legal protections given to Albino deer.

In Wisconsin the albino and Leucistic deer can be found all over the state; the map below shows sightings of

albino deer and Leucistic deer. The total sightings reported to the DNR of white deer in Wisconsin in 2025 was 52 white deer with the town of Linwood having the most sittings out of the whole state.

When asked about where white deer can be found a biologist from the DNR Lesa Kardash said, ¨From personal experience and speaking with people, most white deer in Portage County are observed in the northwestern and far west-central parts of the county in areas west of Stevens Point.” In Wood County, there are a lot of observations in the communities of Rudolph, Vesper, Wisconsin Rapids (especially the north end of Rapids), Arpin, Auburndale, and Sherry.¨

In the end, white deer, whether Albino or Leucistic, are rare creatures that are protected and will most likely remain so in the future. Seeing a white deer is considered lucky, and you can consider yourself fortunate if you see one.