Day of The Deer

Day of The Deer

Of all the amazing, unique, and sometimes rare forms of wildlife that I see in the wild landscape beginning only three minutes from the house, the deer rules the animal kingdom on my mother’s list. She has helped me to truly value the ever-abundant deer that roam the desert.

The winter season is remarkably slow in terms of seeing wild things on my hikes. The deer is one of the few animals that I see all year whether it be 15 degrees outside or 110.

This Day of the Day involved a three-mile hike and twenty-four deer across the landscape. This would be impressive, but there was much more to a day where I may see deer in my dreams. Or at least in a couple of photographs.

I had seen the king of deer in the top photograph earlier in the winter. A glance and a very poor photograph, but the impressive rack were not to be missed. I would guess that #2 king deer might be 50 to 70% of the size this guy is toting. No, this is not Colorado. We rarely have King Deer here.

I caught the fabled deer in the side of my vision. What surprised me was the lack of motion. Just munching and occasional glances to make sure I wasn’t reaching for a rifle. Perfect for shooting…photos.

I have seen him a number of other times in much less dramatic circumstances. He is still proud to be wearing his notable antlers. A rancher friend of mine who has also seen this deer says that this time of year is when the male deer exit family life to go on their own. It is also the time of year that the rack will fall off. I will keep my eyes open. This time frame is for deer roaming Montana, but I am guessing it should be pretty similar to here.

Minutes later, I exited my trail and had just entered the neighborhood when I saw the ‘flying deer’. It was a group of three or four deer roaming a yard next to the cement ditch I was in. I quickly grabbed my camera as I saw deer jump the fence into the backyard of this location. Probably the same clan of deer. Another surprise as the deer leaped over the highest part of the fence. Amazing! Nope, that photo is not a tremendous photo, and I did not have the time to switch to the action setting on the cam, but I am thankful to have gotten a flying subject and end my day in good form.