Every summer we get several young bucks dropping by our yard. Our big shelterbelt of poplars, alders and karaganas are the only real trees for about five miles in any direction, and it's a veritable jungle in there. And right below the house is a slough where they can get water.
These were a two point and a three point, their horns still in the velvet. As summer goes on they'll rub off the soft covering and by fall the antlers will be hard. Come winter, they'll shed them and grow a new set, starting the whole process over. Each year they grow another point, so the more points the older and bigger the buck.
Yes, he was watching me watching him. I expect I'll be seeing more of these boys. They seem to prefer to make their foray into the yard early in the morning. Can't think of anyone I'd rather share my breakfast with.
3 comments:
Thanks so much for posting these! They are quite lovely. I've never seen mule deer--we have Columbian black-tailed Deer here in western Washington state, and I've seen those, and then the White-Tailed deer common in New England.
On Columbian black-tailed deer:
http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/living/deer.htm
I love it when people from "that" side of the Rockies talk about deer. I instantly knew what you meant when you said a 3-point.
Out here in my new homeland they count the points ON BOTH SIDES - and it's wildly confusing ... "I got a six point, it was 110 lbs."
And they're talking 'bout a whitetail - and I'm thinking of a mule deer. Which if it's been around long enough to have six points ON ONE SIDE - is hittin' 190-210 lbs.
Those are some beautiful animals to gaze at. I'd even get up early - a morning to two each week!
Great sight to be greeted by in the morning! Thanks for sharing it here. :)
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