A pair of all-white deer were spotted strolling in an Iowa field Thursday morning

A Fayette County deputy spotted what appeared to be two albino deer Thursday morning just outside West Union in northeast Iowa. In a Facebook post, the Sheriff's Office reminded residents that albino deer are a protected species that cannot be hunted.

White-tailed deer are common throughout Iowa, according to the Iowa DNR.

Why white deer can't be hunted in Iowa?

Iowa deer hunting seasons are in the fall and early winter. But, any deer with more than 50% white coloring cannot be legally hunted.

Iowa legislature created this protection in 1987, following an uproar when a white deer was killed in the state, Iowa DNR says.

Removing these white deer from the gene pool via hunting would not be a benefit, the DNR said. Nor is protecting them a benefit.

Are white deer in Iowa albino or piebald deer?

Iowans have spotted both albino and piebald deer in the past, including an all white doe spotted in Jasper County in 2020. Both are genetic mutations that result in less color in their coats

Piebald deer normally have white and brown coats and colored facial features.

Albino deer tend to have red or pink eyes and pink noses because albinism, the rarer genetic condition, causes a complete lack of skin coloration.

Reporting from the Register's Philip Joens contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: White deer pair spotted in northeast Iowa, but they can't be hunted