Wanted, melanistic deer or semen

[quote name='Applecreek Scott']

Rodger,



One of the highest density of melanistic deer are here in the Texas Hill Country we would see a buck come up to our house often. My my neighbor has 2400 acre ranch who had a 10 point 3 year old shot last year. Today their are two does and at least one buck on the ranch. Problem as soon as hunter sees one they shoot. My other Neighbor has several large melanistic bucks however to find them in 3000 acres may take more time. If you are interested next fall you can stay at my home in Texas and hunt for one. Apple Creek Whitetails in Wisconsin collects, processes and capable of genetic rescue of scrotum. Also Mini Tube in Mt. Horeb Wi is very good at genetic rescue.



Scott





Just an update: I was unsuccessful in any semen rescue on melanistic Texas whitetails. This one I was too late. But the father and daughter harvested a great one just before Christmas. I wont give up again next year. They are truly a sight to see in Texas Hill Country.



Enjoy



Scott

I'll be down next fall. Just point me in the direction.

Virgil,

You can't even get a regular whitetail buck in hunting season and you think your going to go down and find a needle in the haystack down there.......you better take me so i can show you a few things and then you may have a chance!!!!

ddwhitetails said:

Virgil,

You can't even get a regular whitetail buck in hunting season and you think your going to go down and find a needle in the haystack down there.......you better take me so i can show you a few things and then you may have a chance!!!!

Click to expand...

Good to here from both of you and if you are interested after hunting I'll take you to the best Texas BBQ. You two need me to overnight any fresh Wisconsin Cheese Curds and Brats for the Packer win this weekend? My logging friends said they saw Virgil replace his hard hat for a foam cheese hat in honor of his team.



Green and Gold



Scott

Oh Scott.....I am happy for you packer fans you have been waiting quite a while to be up here on top with us Steeler Fans.........problem is we don't have all ten fingers with a superbowl ring on them yet so your just goin to have to wait till next time.......Steelers just can't lose........especially in Dallas!!!! I'm sure I will be seeing you this fall when I bring Josh up for that free Hunt I'm going win!!!!

Here are pictures of The one's on her head.

She was shedding so it is not clear.

Here is a Friends doe with alot of Black.

Scott,

How about this one (Apple Creek Wine Products) made in Wisconsin from a Steelers stompin. Just a thought maybe you can get a head start on a new product.

I have processed and frrozen semen from many sets of testicles over the years, and have had very good results. In the vast majority of the cases, the deer or elk have been farm raised animals.



Does anyone know the legality of collection from testicles in various states? This has been a concern. The next question is can you purchase a set of testicles from someone as some states have regulations or laws reguarding wildlife parts?



In the case of the deer in this thread, this is a rare genetic trait, and the application of this technology is very valid.



In other cases I am not as supportive of the use of wild genetics into farmed herds. My reasons are two fold, first, is the chance for disease transmittion. Most of the science says that diseases are not transmitted through semen, but in the case of post mortum collected semen from the testicles, it is nearly impossible to collect this without a little contamination with blood. From a personal as well as an industry level we cannot afford the risk of introducing CWD to a new area by this practice. My other reason for being non-supportinve of the use of this practice on wild killed animals, is that it places another vlaue (dollars) on wildlife. If the semen and/or testicles from a wild killed animal shown to, or thought to have a value of thousands or tens or hundred of thousands of dollars, then this would encourage poaching in some areas.



Just may 2 cents (actually, 2.34 cents, with interest)



Ray Favero, PhD

Hi Dr. Ray,



Thanks great questions. Last year I called and spoke to the executive director for Texas Parks and Wildlife and reviewed with him my goals for this project and we could not find any reason after the buck was hunted in legal manor to process semen by Service in Texas, freeze and shipped to Apple Creek. I to would not want not support in any way direct or indirect poaching. Our ranch in Texas Is surrounded by high fence hunting ranches on all four sides. I'm sure guides would never allow poaching of any sort.



Any other thoughts greatly valued.



Scott

Semen rescue on any set of testicles is done in most cases without any testing for disease issues. In fact live collections are also done without testing and are sold. Like Ray said semen is considered not to carry many if any diseases. Post mortem collections whether high fence or trophy collected does carry the risk of introduction of a disease because of the blood factor involved when collecting.



Legality of post mortem collection does vary from State to State. Most State do allow this as the owner of the legal harvested deer is allowed to sell body parts.



No one would want to contribute or cause a poaching problem. As semen rescue is so small an issue I doubt it would cause a poaching factor. Antlers on the other hand have always been the poaching problem.



As the melanistic gene is not in the domestic herds there is no other way to introduce this recessive gene into the domestic herds. Very few people in the whitetail industry would want to put a lesser brown genetic wild whitetail into their herd as the industry has better genetics than the wild.