White Turkey

[Buckhunter1955]

Just wondering if anyone else has ever seen a "White Turkey".

 

[slick]

Some what frequently in SW OR. Most seem to be hens.. I’d guess I’ve maybe seen 6-8? I ‘spose some could be the same birds, but there’s enough of them around that it seems unlikely.

 

[Randyb1969]

I'm new to it but no

 

[Btaylor]

That a leucistic or "smoke" phase in the pic. I know a couple of guys that have killed gobblers that were smoke phase.

 

[Btaylor]

This is one I killed during 2017 season. Came in strutting with 2 other regular long beards with a handful of hens.

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[Kootenay Hunter]

feral domestic? or albino?

 

[Btaylor]

The three turkey biologist that looked at all the photos I sent them agreed albino. Pinkish legs like a wild turkey but white toe nails. Beard was black though. Long lanky bird too like a wild bird.

 

[howl]

Yes, but a hen was not legal to shoot.

 

[Cng]

That’s awesome, Btaylor!

I’ve glassed one from the road on land I couldn’t hunt. Talked to a guy at a gas station nearby that said it must be genetic because he’d heard several people talk about seeing them around there for several years. Can’t imagine it was the same exact bird.

That’s the only one I’ve ever seen.

 

[hobbes]

Buckhunter
I've seen these on a couple of occasions, once in the east and two in a Montana flock a year or so ago. However, that isn't an albino. An albino will be pure white and have pink eyes. The bird in your photo is considered a smoke phase. They have dark (normal) colored eyes and normal colored legs.

Look up wild turkey color phases.

 

[KHNC]

Saw a couple of whitish hens in sw Michigan one spring. never once saw a gobbler have a thing to do with them. Racist i guess.

 

[Olsolitaire1]

Not seen the albino's but the white smoked or whatever it is here in western Colorado. Nice looking birds, only hens.

 

[fatlander]

My great uncle killed a smoke phase gobbler in the early 2000s, the turkey is shiny silver and black. He has silver feet as well. It’s an unbelievably beautiful bird. I’ll get pictures the next time I’m at his place.

The NWTF featured the bird and sent him a nice custom engraved display with a saying about smoke phase gobblers. It’s without a doubt the prettiest wild turkey I’ve ever laid eyes on.


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[Charon]

Sorry Folks, i couldn't resist. LOL.

 

[Sodbuster]

We get the various color stages of wild ones ever so often. Last one was about six years ago.Passed up a 50 yard shot with my bow waiting for it to get closer. The 20 other sets of eyes aided the escape.
They never seem to live past two years old.

 

[Carrera72]

Thats a cool looking bird.

 

[nickstone]