A rare white buck was shot as part of efforts to control the deer population in Kensington Metropark near Brighton, according to a report in the Livingston Daily.
The white deer was killed in February, but the Daily reports it recently became public knowledge at a metropark meeting. Brighton resident Jim Ridley told The Ann Arbor News he was at the June 23 metropark meeting and asked the board if the rumors the deer had been shot were true.
"One of the representatives just kinda put his head down and said 'yes, the metroparks shot and killed the deer during the culling.' "
The Daily reported Genoa Township resident Gregory Miller penned a letter to park administrators asking them to revise their protocols for deer culling to insure that such a rare species is not harmed again.
Ridley said he regularly visits the metropark to photograph wildlife and he first saw the deer two years ago on his way into the park.
"It was just standing on the side of the road," he said. "I pulled my car off to the side of the road, jumped out, and the deer kinda went into the woods more. I ended up running without my coat through the woods and got a few pictures."
Ridley said the albino deer grew from a three-point to a small eight-point buck by this past winter.
"It's such a shame, it was such a beautiful animal," he said. "This was a gorgeous deer."
Paul Muelle, natural resources director at Huron-Clinton Metroparks, told the Oakland Press that the sharpshooters had been instructed not to shoot the white deer, but that they had not noticed its antlers or distinct coat of white fur against the February snow.
Ben Freed is a general assignments reporter for The Ann Arbor News. Email him at benfreed@mlive.com and follow him on twitter at @BFreedinA2. He also answers the phone at 734-623-2528.