In Search Of A Studly Buck 🦌

 It's that time of the year, when all the deer families step out of the bushes and start roaming the streets. 

It is also deer hunting season. 

I, at times, consider myself a deer hunter as well. Except I don't carry a bow & arrow, nor a firearm, instead I carry my camera. I have an advantage over the other hunters, that being, I can shoot as many deer as I want without a permit, while those hunters can only have one deer per permit.

Some years one has to really drive slowly and look around intently before spotting a deer during daylight, but this year, it's been a different case. The deer don't seem to be afraid of humans as much and hang around grazing without  any care.

These photos, an abundance of them, were taken on three different occasions.

I was driving around the lake and noticed this guy in the bushes. I decided to park the car and try to capture one or two photos.  But after two photos he managed to go deeper into the bushes, hence taking decent photos was out of the question.

As I turned around to walk back to my car I spotted this group. It looked like a momma deer was taking her fawns out for a stroll. What surprised me the most was the number of fawns around this one adult deer. Knowing that most deer have anywhere from one to two fawns per season, I guessed that maybe this was her day to babysit other's fawns .😉

After taking several photos and walking closer and closer, I noticed something odd. Momma deer was a three legged deer. Somewhere along she had lost one leg, (truth be known, I did not notice this oddity until after looking at the photos on the big screen, but hey that comment did catch your eye😎). 

This area is traversed by quite a few people, after all it is somewhat a residential area. Because of the presence of deer, other photographers have taken similar  photos, and one such photo is that of a beautiful huge buck with some really cool looking antlers. While I had spotted him several times, I was never quick enough to capture him before he disappeared into the bushes. 

Therefor he had been my reason to go "hunting".  But somehow or another I was never able to catch this beauty until......

 On a glorious Indian Summer day (just last Monday) I chose to go to one of the smaller parks on the north side of town. The goal this time was not to hunt deer, but instead was hoping to capture some birds. 

After walking an hour and half in the park and only seeing ONE bird, a woodpecker, (which no doubt I will post his photo sooner or later) it was clear that I would not be shooting anymore birds that day, hence walking back to the car was the only option.

Walking along, carrying a heavy camera, minding my own business.....

BAM!

 Out pops this beauty.

After taking several photos, we ended up in a "Mexican Standoff". 

 He wasn't budging, and I was too scared to get any closer. We stared at each other for a long while. Maybe he was petrified, seeing me, or maybe just intrigued, either way he had that "deer in the headlight" look.

 I had no intentions of spending the night in the park. Therefor, I made the decision of making a brisk movement and with that he skedaddle out of sight.

Mind you he wasn't the buck I was hunting for but he could easily pass as his second cousin.

I did go back to the Lake area on another occasion, still hunting for #1, instead all I saw were these cute little guys.

As I mentioned, there is an abundance of fawns hanging around the lake area. But I have yet to see THE BUCK again.