Rare albino deer bagged by 11-year-old Michigan's Gavin Dingman shoots white animal with crossbow on hunting trip with his father; story generates wide range of emotional feedback
October 22, 2014 by Pete Thomas albino deer Gavin Dingman, 11, poses with albino deer; photo via Facebook
An 11-year-old Michigan hunter last week killed a rare albino deer while on a hunting trip with his father.
This week, the story is generating a wide range of emotional feedback on Facebook.
Gavin’s father, Mick Dingman, told WZZM 13 that he and his son had spotted the white deer several times in recent the years, and that other hunters had talked about trying to bag the animal.
An admittedly nervous Gavin used a crossbow from 30 yards to harvest the 12-point trophy buck, and the news quickly spread in hunting circles.
“He kind of feels like a rock star right now,” Mick Dingman said. “Everyone is calling, all of the hunting shows and hunting magazines.”
Sentiments being expressed on the WZZM 13 Facebook page, where the albino deer story has been shared more than 4,000 times, are somewhat mixed.
“He should have let it live. There are plenty of others out there,” reads one of hundreds of comments.
“If it’s rare, why the hell would he kill it?” reads another.
“I’m fine with hunting, just hate the ‘Hey look, it’s different, let’s shoot it’ ideas. Shoot it with a camera and let the unique one live,” reads yet another.
Deer-hunting in Michigan is an extremely popular pastime, so it’s not surprising that so many wrote in defense of Gavin Dingman.
“Get over it. The law says it’s legal. Back off the kid!!! Way to go kiddo!!” reads one comment.
“He paid good money for his license. He can use it for anything HE chooses, ” reads another. “Whether it be a brown deer or an albino buck, the state of Michigan gave him permission to kill it. Leave the kid alone. He did nothing wrong. He harvested a great trophy.”
Some of the commenters criticized WZZM 13 for posting the story on Facebook, opening Gavin to criticism.
“WZZM should stick with reporting news, not trying to make an 11-year-old boy feel guilty for shooting a deer, during deer season,” reads one comment.
Albino deer and leucistic deer (not a true albino) possess genetic defects that cause the white pigmentation.
Some native cultures revere the white animals, and believe that they possess the spirits of ancestors.
This story brings to mind the killing last October of a rare albino “spirit moose” in Nova Scotia, Canada.
Three hunters involved in that expedition were harshly criticized on social media sites, and ultimately issued a formal apology to the Mi’kmaq people.
It’s unclear whether any native groups have spoken out against Gavin Dingman’s killing of the white deer in Michigan.
The boy’s description of his big moment: “My dad was just like, ‘Take a deep breath. Are you sure you can take the shot? If you’re not 100 percent, we don’t want to injure it.’ ”
The family plans to pay a taxidermist to create a full body mount of the deer.
WZZM 13 cites a report that claims that one out of 20,000 deer are born albino.
Apparently in the great state of Michigan one can shoot a true albino deer - legally.
If it was done legally and within the framework of the season - congradulations young man!
Somehow our society both hunting and public, places more "value" on mutants or in this case a white deer. A white deer is only a genetic defect as stated above.
Here in Wisconsin that same deer is protected. And some may ask "why"?
If what this young person did was legal and apparently it was, I'm fine with it and the time he spent with his Ftaher in the field that day!
For those of you who think you will change peoples minds about hunting, trapping, etc. Forget it! these whacko nut jobs are against us and will always be against us. They are clueless, most are hypocrites as they eat meat, or they have when they were raised. If it wasn't for meat they wouldn't be here! Pi$@ on them. If the kid would have had a video showing him pass on the buck and explaining he thought it should live because it was different, don't for a second think that even one of those anti whackos would have any less hate for you as a hunter. Wake up people! look what happened to the politically correct shit that has taken place in this country so far. You give them an inch they take a mile. F them.
The report that WZZM cited claims 1/20,000 which would be .00005 so doing the math .00005(30,000,000) would roughly be 1,500 albino deer in North America. That's pretty rare..
younggcd12, I wonder what % of deer are 200" deer yet no one would say they shouldn't be shot - OK the anti hunters still would.
Man, people complain about bullying all the time but this kid from reading comments on the articles I have seen - is just that! ADULTS bullying a KID!
It was a legal hunt! Just because 'you' wouldn't shoot it doesn't make it wrong!
I posed the question to a couple friends...if legal would you shoot it? What about a Piebald??
What is the spirit of hunting? Please define that for us. I'm guessing using bait is not hunting. Shooting from a tree stand or condo is not hunting. Using a compound, xbow, or gun is not hunting. Perhaps hunting only exists if you use trad gear wearing a loin cloth and hunting off the ground?
This KID is frickin' 11 years old and made a successful kill on a great animal in a 100% legal manner. He deserves nothing but kudos.
This is toxic and evil I believe there is bad medicine in this , nothing good will come of this .
Maurice Thompson Will Thompson Art Young Saxton Pope Howard Hill Glen St Charles Fred Bear Ben Pearson Ann Weber Hoyt Roy Case Many others. There stories should be required reading for everyone that hunts especially during the archery season .
Crossbow proponent James Kroll stated that crossbows may get youngsters interested in hunting and they may eventually take up bow hunting. Some might, but others with the crossbow investment may just stick with it. Time will tell.
I'm very happy for the young man , god bless him . I wish we could all shoot any White deer . Their an oddity , not a species .
They were within their legal rights to harvest an albino in Michigan. Personally I would not have allowed my kid to do it. In harvesting that deer, I think the father unnecessarily put his kid in a very bad position.
It is clear the crossbow was pushed into service for the future generations of hunters. They are a technology dependent group. These kids will not be satisfied with what we use. They see it as old school. In most of their weapon based video games, it is a weapon of choice.
I for once agree with 10. The deer is not only criticized by his enemies (anti hunters), but his peers as well. It was a no win on many levels. Crossbow, many don't agree with, and white deer many don't agree with. Both hunters and anti hunters can unite and agree this was wrong, even when it was completely legal.
Morality is the only factor that comes to mind. The deer is certainly genetically inferior. Why is an albino animal special other than its rarity? the same can be said about a giant high scoring deer, or a musky in the 50's, or a turkey with 2" spurs, or a 600 pound black bear, or as simple as a 12" bluegill. For some reason, the animal in us values a "trophy", and for some reason a white deer hits the heart and soul of so many people hunter or not?
Bow Crazy may have said it best, why throw it out there to get people worked up? I personally fall somewhere in the middle. Personally, I feel like it should walk, even though I cannot put a finger on my reasoning? With that said, I can congratulate him on a fine "trophy", because he was willing to take it, display it, and obviously look proud for taking it. Is that deer any different than any other animal that gives its life, so we can pose with "our trophy"? I don't know? A better question would be why a white deer might be wrong, yet we don't mind posing with another dead animal? What in our past makes us think that some measurement on an animal (antler inches, turkey spurs or beards, or length or weight of a fish), holds some sort of value that we feel the need to share it with like-minded people? Isn't it something to do with bragging rights, or ego? And why do some of us somehow differentiate an albino deer (which is simply a lack of pigment) from a deer with normal pigmentation?
Maybe the same reason some of us think this kill is somehow different, because of the chosen weapon.
Undoubtedly, anti-hunters see no difference at all between weapon or animal.
I hunt a CWD unit. I work with a friend who had white deer on the land he hunted. The land was once his families' farm that was sold to a large farming family. He would have shot one of these white deer (when it was legal), yet the new owners, and his own family was against it? Is there a good scientific reason why? Nope! Science might have said remove this genetically inferior animal from the gene pool? Would we look at a melanistic animal the same way?
It sure is odd, when we let our heart and our gut get in the way of the we think, because somehow we have no problem killing a deer that might be considered normal?
Quandary comes to mind.
Personally, I think that albinos are a result of a genetic mutation/error, then they should be hunted and removed from the gene pool, instead of protect like they are here in Wisconsin.
I still don't understand all of the hate towards crossbow hunters. Crossbows are allowing youngsters, and women who may never bowhunt, a chance to get into this great sport/lifestyle. At a time when hunter numbers a re dwindling, and hunter recruitment is low, WE NEED any new ethical hunter we can get!
Plus as a person, who has had numerous major back, neck and shoulder injuries, I am sure that within the next 20 years, I will be forced to switch to a crossbow, or give up bowhunting. I don't want to listen to constant hatred from the uneducated/ignorant when that day comes.
Well stated Dampland.
The weapon he used should NEVER even be mentioned by "true pure hunters!" Only whiners and babies would mention such an awful thing when an 11 year old not only took a buck of a lifetime for color but also took a nice racked deer. I know many northern MI hunters who are good long time whitetail hunters and they have never killed a buck that nice.
I cant believe it but some crazies wished death on this kid and even said he should be shot with an arrow too. My god he is an 11 year old!
This kid is the man IMO! What a feat to not only bag a nice racked buck but to maintain his composure and take a nice racked "albino" deer to boot. I would have been quaking in my boots due to the color of that deer. Can you imagine?
Way to go kid. Pass on the hunting ethics and knowledge passed down to you. You are a great example of what all hunters should be.
