Piebald Deer
A piebald is an animal, usually a mammal such as a white-tailed deer or horse, that has a spotting pattern of large white and black patches. In fact, piebald deer are deer that look a lot like an American Paint Horse. The color of a piebald’s skin underneath its coat may vary between black under the black patches of hair and pink under the white patches.
The coloring is generally asymmetrical, resulting in piebald deer with abnormally wild brown and white coloration. In addition, many piebald-colored animals exhibit coloration of the irises of the eye that match the surrounding skin. This condition also occurs in white-tailed piebald deer and makes for a very unusual animal.
Piebald whitetail are often striking animals because of their unique beauty. Observers are often shocked to see such a remarkably colored deer. Let’s face it, most whitetail are very similar to one another when it comes to hair coat coloration. Not piebald deer; they are all different!
Genetics on Display
A genetic variation (defect) produces the piebald condition in white-tailed deer, not parasites or diseases. Piebald deer are colored white and brown similar to a pinto pony. Sometimes they appear almost entirely white. Regardless of the pattern, piebald animals always cool to see.
In addition to this coloration, many piebald deer have some of the following observable conditions: bowing of the nose (Roman nose), short legs, arching spine (scoliosis), and short lower jaws. This genetic piebald condition is rare. Typically, less than one percent of white-tailed deer are affected.
Read article: Residents Fawning Over Rare Deer
Video: A Herd of Piebald Deer
More Piebald Photos
Viewing Piebald Deer
In closing, piebald deer are oddly colored and beautiful deer. They are different looking, but they are still white-tailed deer. Piebald are generally not protected any differently than other deer. All states have deer hunting regulations that protect deer for most of the year, but piebald can be hunted and harvested during open hunting seasons like “regular” deer.
Piebald deer behave much like other whitetail. Stay calm and quite when viewing piebald, as deer do not like loud noise or sudden movement. In addition, make sure to abide by all laws when trying to get that “once in a lifetime” piebald deer photo. Do not trespass on private property!
If you have seen a piebald recently, please comment to let us know if you observed any of the following, and where:
- Shorter than normal legs
- Bowed (Roman) nose
- Sort lower jaws
- Arching spine
- Colored irises of the eyes
I have video from my deer camera of a piebald. I live in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. It was at feeder with several other deer and a regular/normal colored fawn near it. Beautiful !! Oct 2017
Ericka, yes, they will get your attention! Thanks for the report.
We have a piebald whitetail doe who loiters in the green in front our home in Sparta, NJ. She has become quite an attraction over the last two years to passing motorists. “Patches” produced two offspring last year who had normal coloring.
Saw what looked like two piebald deer? (never heard of one ) from I 795 near Owings Mill, MD. Viewing from above, it looked like black head and black tail, gray and black back (solid and pattern) with white underneath. I looked it up and found it on your site. My husband, a deer hunter for 40+ years, says he had never seen nor heard of one.
Piebald Whitetail in Mount Olive NJ 07836
We have a piebald doe in Orting Washington that belongs to a little herd in the middle of town.
Bob, thanks for reporting your sighting.
I saw a piebald deer today in gravel hill road in Southampton pa. It was beautiful! I was driving so I could not take a photo.
Saw a piebald in Skillman NJ 08502 on Burnt Hill Road last night. She was almost all white with a brown head and some brown patches down the neck.
We have piebald twins!!!
Yvonne, that sounds kind of amazing! Congrats.
Sighting in Somerset, New Jersey, this morning. Looked like this years fawn.
Saw a piebald a month ago.
Nathan, thanks for the report. Seems there is a piebald deer born every day (during the fawning season).
Piebald deer seen when I caught red light at intersection of Rt 181 & Winona Pkwy, Sparta. Deer looked young – all white with black spots.
Just spotted a pie bald deer in Sparta, New Jersey. Couldn’t believe my eyes. That explains the all white pie bald that was killed on Sparta Avenue last month. There much be a herd of pienald in town.
Nearly all white Piebald with brown scattered small spots sighted today on Earls road, South Berwick, ME. She was gorgeous and I’ve never seen, nor heard of this type before. She also had an extremely fluffy tail compared to her white tailed companions.
On my way home from work I saw a piebald deer on Mt. Olivet road in Ky.
Just saw a pie bald deer in fortson Georgia off fortson rd. It was Beautiful. I have lived out here all my life and seen many deer but never one like that
We just saw our first piebald deer. It was in a park in Baltimore, Md. Didnt run away. So unique and beautiful.
I just recently saw a Piebald deer in Gray, Georgia. It wasn’t a fawn, nor was it full grown. It was traveling with a normal whitetail of the same size. I took a couple of photos as I didn’t think anyone would believe what I saw. I’ve never even heard anyone speak of this genetic mutation.
Just had one in the woods behind my house today in SE Pennsylvania.
I haven’t seen one in decades, but I used to live near a few of them in Athens, AL. I used to see two or three piebald out of a small herd of white tail deer walking across the edge of my property. At that time, my mother explained what they were and I always had a hunch it was genetic. Very cool if you get to see one!
December 11, 2018. 7:00 am and 4:00 pm.
I live in Baltimore, Md. We have a stream and woods between our backyard and the local high school. The woods are quite scarce, but seem to have quite a few deer just the same. Three neighboring houses all saw a huge black and white animal this morning-thought it was a cow or pony. I saw it this afternoon-georgeous buck. I’ve lived here for 35 years and have never seen anything like him before. Feeling rather privileged – my Xmas present!!!
December 11, 2018 7:00 a.m. and again at 4:00 p.m.
I live in Nottingham, Maryland. Have a small woods between ourselves and local High School. Neighbors thought they saw a cow in the woods this morning – black and white. At 4:00 p.m. I looked into the woods – I thought it was a small pony. Absolutely beautiful white/black large size/racked buck in the middle of the woods. Absolutely gorgeous – beautiful fluffy tail. Wish I had my camera. A one in a lifetime gift. Pray that he doesn’t get hit by a car. Have no idea how he got here.
Karen, thanks for taking the time to share your experience! Piebald deer are cool, but I can only imagine your surprise since you were not aware of one in your area.
We have a beautiful piebald that lives in a field behind our house in Staten Island NYC. I assumed she was old or ill because her back leg is lame and her spine looks visible but I think this can be explained by scoliosis. Thanks for helping me identify her! She seems to be doing just fine despite her genetic condition. We love watching her and the rest of the herd.
Orting, Washington has a small herd of piebald deer. I have yet to see one, but the locals post pictures of them online from time to time.
Saw one on the parkway off of tuckerton nj at 230 pm grazing on the side of the road
I was walking just past sunset in McMinnville, OR when I saw what I thought was a small cow walk across my path. The only problem was that the “cow” moved like a deer and had the head of a deer. I thought I’d lost my marbles until I saw pictures of a piebald deer! Never knew they existed!
We saw a piebald deer on Saturday, January 12th in Port Republic, NJ 08241 on road before the Garden State Parkway northbound. Looked to be a fawn and first time I ever saw one!
I came to this site after researching for the type of deer I saw today. Was driving on Cleaver Farm Rd in Middletown, Delaware at about 3:30pm when 7 or 8 deer ran across the road. As I drove closer and got a look at them, I saw an almost completely white deer with some brown spots. It was so cool!
A young piebald near downtown Princeton NJ off of Elm Rd in Jan 2019. I had to look twice.
Seen one yesterday 1/20/2019 around 11:00 am on the Garden State Parkway north bound side around the Tuckerton area. Thought it was a baby cow at first but it was a deer
Frank, a piebald deer could easily be mistaken for a calf without a closer look! Good eye!
I saw a report of a Piebald deer in Wisconsin. Sheriff shooed if off the freeway, but I wondered, shouldn’t these deer be protected? Seems to me they should as they are a rare mutation. So beautiful!
I saw one tonight in NJ. I see deer almost daily. This was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen. I teared up thinking someone will hunt her.
Saw one today on my property. Saratoga county NY. Unfortunately only had my phone and it was far away so my footage is grainy.
I was super excited to see my first Piebald in person this evening at dusk. I live along the shoreline of Lake Lanier in Hall County Georgia and believe this Piebald to be a fawn. He or she was with a large herd of other deer that frequent my yard. Although most of the time this particular group of deer do not let “unfamiliar” deer near their food plot, they didn’t seem to have an issue with this little fawn. I hope this little one stays out of harms way and is able to reproduce. It would be fantastic to have my own little Pie herd! I did take pictures, but they aren’t the best due to the poor lighting & being off a second story deck.
I saw one tonight on the side of the parkway going north towards new greatna 4-4-19
A 2 year old piebald and her mom visit me nightly. Mom first brought her last year when she was a very young fawn. As she is still with mom I guessed she is female and now that antlers are starting to sprout on the bucks I know for sure she is female. Although she appears in good health she has always had a very distended belly and her front legs are a bit short.
Piebald dear. Two of them spotted together 10km north of parry sound Ontario Canada today may 22nd 2019
Saw a piebald deer las night on Hwy 27 in Florida. About halfway between ween Palmdale and Lake Placid.
Was going too fast to stop (but going speed limit) and get a picture.
First one ever. It was a buck but didn’t get a really good look.
Beautiful!
Saw a piebald deer last night on the No Parkway by New Gretna Beautiful
I think I saw the same one as others on here. Saw it today 8/1/19 on the GSP at the edge of the woods just south of the New Gretna exit.
I’m in TN and just seen one that was killed by a car,never seen one so had to stop and check it out. Thought it was a huge goat when I first passed by. Went back and realized what it was. Would’ve loved to seen it running through the field instead in a ditch.
Seen a Piebald deer near New Gretna on the Garden State Parkway(Northbound) on August 9th 2019, at 2:45pm.
Saw one in north bound new gretna 8pm
Took pictures of a piebald six point buck yesterday (9-1-19 east of Deer Creek, MN. My first one I ever saw. What a thrill. Watched him for about a half hour in one of my soybean fields.
Garth, that’s pretty cool! Thanks for taking the time to let us know. It will be interesting to see how he does over the coming years.