lklklForest
I captured this Buck one early morning peering through the mist from deep across the woodland in the Chilterns. Even the smallest crack of a twig will turn heads.
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Deer Echo
A Buck rests after a furious morning of rutting with nearby competitors.
This young Fallow Pricket wandered into a nicely lit open area right in front on my quiet seated position. He caught my scent eventually.
This young Buck manages to keep the attention of two young Doe by his side during the season of the Fallow deer Rut and escapes to a quiet location for some grazing.
Retiring from battle
This young Fallow Pricket gave me attention as I crossed open parkland to a hide location. The sun had not long been up to burn off the dew on this cold October morning. The low morning light electrifies the grassland like thousands of glinting diamonds
A Large Fallow Buck patrols the open areas of the woodland estate calling for Does during the rutting season
When shooting wildlife I try to encompass as much of the surrounding habitat as relevant to accentuate the mood and season of the creature habitat. For this capture I huddled next to a fallen tree from sunrise to see how the frosty morning would develop. It appears this is "patrol time" for the big fallow bucks who are preparing for the Rut later in the day.
Full Flight
Buck on Black
What u looking at?
during the day most of rhte lone Bucks find a dark spot to rest up before the air cools. I may not have spotted this one if the backlight breach of sunlight hadn't cast him out.
Last Light Grazing
Fallow Bucks are plump and testosterone pumped during the rutting season. Their prowess is impressive as they call to does for attention and prepare to challenge other prominent males
A well prepared fallow Buck claims his ground early in the morning to make first stance for the seasonal Rut.
A healthy and batlle scarred male fallow buck stands his ground to survey the area he commands.
Early mornings present the smallest fallow deer adventuring the woodland pathways as the day gets started
The rut has begun in the Chilterns woodlands. Competitors get startd just after sunrise when the challenging grounds ( called 'stands' ) are cooler and Bucks have rested from the previous days activities. These three young bucks travel together to parade the area but will likely lock antlers later in the day.
Just after sunrise the large Fallow Bucks begin their patrol in search of doe or worthy opponents to Rut in contest.
The silent chilled mornings are not designed for me.... It's for them.
This season I arrived early morning just after sunrise to get in position for a day of observing the annual Deer Rut. Some young bucks were already parading the stand. I captured this one in a brisk spring across the open land. This accounts for the forward leaning stance. I imagine a child out of shot on the right slowly pulling his toy wooden deer on wheels across the scene in the mist.
Sometimes I sit still for hours, hidden and shrouded in silence perchance to capture the wild without any luck. Other times I creep through the bracken unprepared and the wild presents. On this ocassion I had to fall to a kneel in slow motion as this buck appeared across my path as I fumbled to adjust the camera. We exchanged a glance before he bounded off. Scares the crap out of me sometimes... but I love it.
This is one of the more succesful Fallow Bucks participating in the Rut this season. He has managed to attract the attention of a few receptive Doe despite the less than melodic grunts emanating from his throat. The low gutteral hacks can be heard deep into the woodland and is apparently music to the ears of female Fallow deer and also male challengers that might join the Lek and want to battle on the stand and take his prizes.
A Young Buck treading the domain he will inherit from spoils in the October Rut
This young Fallow Buck approached prancing on a mid Autumn warm afternoon. I sat very still in camouflauge as he got close. My scent gave me away.
This handsome young Fallow Buck takes some time out from rutting challenges at the end of a long day to absorb the fading rays of the day.
Fallow deer in their back garden warming in the last of the days Autumn sunbeams
During the Rutting season the dominant Male Bucks attract and maintain female Doe by grunting repeatedly and battling challengers. This takes place in an annual arena called the "stand". Pumped up males can hold a Harem of does for hours at a time until mating takes place. In this scene there is a lull between battles and I imagine the Buck on the right is delivering his sales pitch to the adoring females while fending heckles from stage left. I love this spectator activity !
The two well matched Bucks parade in parallel to measure up for battle on the stand. A fine collection of Doe awaits the rutting contest
Often mistaken for dogs these shy solitary deer lie in wait until you almost stumble upon them. They can bound off at quite a pace revealing their tell tale white diamond tail markings and pronounce a warning bark louder than any dog I have heard. Spooked me many a time.
Fallow buck struting in the morning fog across the open plain
A healthy large Buck parades the open fields early on a misty October morning scouting for challengers to his territory.
