North Carolina Hunter Tags Rare All-White Leucitic Gobbler

[Sir-diealot]

If you read the article it says it is not and albino and shows a picture with it's eyes open and says that is why it is not and albino. They can be white indeed as stated in the article and once again I bring up Mr. Lovett Williams who covered the different phases in his "Book of the Wild Turkey". I THINK jet black is the rarest of all color phases but please do no hold me to that, Mr. Lovett Williams goes into that in his book as well.

Now I do agree that the bird is huge and as a photographer I know that often a person will sit a little further back from an animal or an object to make it appear bigger and I wonder if that may be what was done here? The other thing is that the color itself may make it look bigger.

Very well could be a leucistic turkey...   Coloration is not typical of leucism I have seen (or heard of).  Genetic testing would likely be the only means to give a more definitive answer, and I see no where in the article where any genetic testing was preformed?

Were I a bettin' man, I would put some money down, that if (accurate) genetic testing were preformed, there would be at least some genetic contribution from a domestic gene pool.

Still an unusual bird and a cool story.

It's possible you are right and possible you are wrong, I would like to find out it has been tested just to stop the naysayers if it is the real deal.

I have one on a trail camera...  can't find him when I am there for all the other normal gobblers... 

Best of luck to you, would be neat to get.

I never saw a white one but I once called in a really interesting looking smoke phase gobbler. I didn't shoot it though because for some reason it had no beard even though it was a mature gobbler. And to be honest I was sort of taken aback and amazed by the sight of it.

I can understand both reasons for not taking it, like I said above it would be a much harder choice than taking a white deer, I respect the turkey much more.

[High plains drifter]

I wonder if that white bird could fly?

[tomstopper]

Very unique

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[28roper]

I wonder if that white bird could fly?

Why wouldn't it be able to fly? I doubt it would have lived since 2019 if it couldn't fly and roost in trees.  Conversely, it doesn't appear he had been doing much or any strutting, his wing tips appear to be pristine.

I think it's a cool bird, doesn't really do it for me though.  If I ever run across a completely melanistic gobbler he's coming with me and will have his place on the wall.  Pretty sure I saw an article featuring one shot a few years back.  That sucker was jet black through and through.

[Turkeybutt]

Beautiful bird and a once in a lifetime trophy! Congratulations
I have to pass this story on to Ya'll
My daughter in law is so gullible and for the life of me I don't understand why she even talks to me after all the things I've done to her.
She showed me the photo of the turkey last week when it was on the net and I told her it was a "TURGOOSE-EN" they breed them like that. A cross between a turkey and snow geese.
A few days later I told her I found out it was actually a photo of a goose and somebody photo shopped a turkey head and beard on It!
I pointed out the black beard and told her the person who photo shopped it forgot to make the beard white.
Maybe that is why I wasn't invited for Easter Sunday dinner!

[Sir-diealot]

Getting ready to leave but thought some might want to read this, it is about the different color phases. https://www.nwtf.org/hunt/article/what-causes-color-phase-turkeys

[lxsolocam]

Saw this one posted online awhile back. Beautiful bird.


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[Beards and Hooks]

 Those are some awesome looking birds, once in a lifetime.

[Turkeybutt]

Both are really fantastic once in a lifetime birds but if I had to pick I like the two tone one a little better. That back and white contrast really makes that bird pop!

[Sir-diealot]

Beautiful bird and a once in a lifetime trophy! Congratulations
I have to pass this story on to Ya'll
My daughter in law is so gullible and for the life of me I don't understand why she even talks to me after all the things I've done to her.
She showed me the photo of the turkey last week when it was on the net and I told her it was a "TURGOOSE-EN" they breed them like that. A cross between a turkey and snow geese.
A few days later I told her I found out it was actually a photo of a goose and somebody photo shopped a turkey head and beard on It!
I pointed out the black beard and told her the person who photo shopped it forgot to make the beard white.
Maybe that is why I wasn't invited for Easter Sunday dinner!

That's pretty funny.

I wonder if that white bird could fly?

Why wouldn't it be able to fly? I doubt it would have lived since 2019 if it couldn't fly and roost in trees.  Conversely, it doesn't appear he had been doing much or any strutting, his wing tips appear to be pristine.

I think it's a cool bird, doesn't really do it for me though.  If I ever run across a completely melanistic gobbler he's coming with me and will have his place on the wall.  Pretty sure I saw an article featuring one shot a few years back.  That sucker was jet black through and through.

I have to agree, no reason to believe it could not fly although man if it were as big as it seems in the pic I imagine it would have needed quite the runway to take off!

Saw this one posted online awhile back. Beautiful bird.


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That would I believe be considered in the smoke phase and is the coloration I would love to get.

Those are some awesome looking birds, once in a lifetime.

That they are.

Both are really fantastic once in a lifetime birds but if I had to pick I like the two tone one a little better. That back and white contrast really makes that bird pop!

I would have to agree myself.