A Mule Deer Morning (using Sigma 70-300mm APO DG)

[Colorado CJ]

Here is a post I made on another forum this past winter. It was shot using my Pentax Kx and Sigma 70-300mm APO DG lens. I have since stopped using that lens as I am now shooting exclusively with old M42 manual lenses. I like the way the old lenses render images and I also always used the Sigma as a manual lens. Well enough talk, here is the post.

I went on another hike this morning in the mountains, no real trail, just back country hiking. Pretty early in the hike I saw a small herd of mule deer. I already had my camera out and my tele lens on, so I started to slowly climb the side of the mountain towards the deer. I worked my way around a small knoll so that I could come up on them from a different direction than they expected (I made a little noise climbing through the snow, so didn't want to go straight at them, around the edge of the rocks, the deer were right there, maybe 30 feet in front of me.


18 Dec 2011 1 by coloradocj, on Flickr

Well, that did it, they all became alert and were ready to run, so I squatted down to wait a while for them to settle.


18 Dec 2011 2 by coloradocj, on Flickr

One smaller doe was pretty brave early on (or just curious) and started to make her way towards me, a step at a time.


18 Dec 2011 3 by coloradocj, on Flickr

I stood up and started to come around the rock, there was a huge buck right there and he wasn't all too happy. His head was lowered, staring at me through his antlers. I stood still for a long time while we both stared at each other.


18 Dec 2011 4 by coloradocj, on Flickr

After about 10 minutes, I guess the buck figured I wasn't a threat, and started to move away.


18 Dec 2011 5 by coloradocj, on Flickr

I followed along being careful to stay quiet and not spook the herd further. After a long time, the mule deer became somewhat used to me and started laying down.


18 Dec 2011 6 by coloradocj, on Flickr

So, I slowly made my way a little closer to them and sat down under a large pine. I was about 60 feet from the large buck and 40 feet from one of the does.


18 Dec 2011 7 by coloradocj, on Flickr


18 Dec 2011 9 by coloradocj, on Flickr

About 20 minutes later a squirrel came down the pine chirping at me, mad that I'm sitting under his home.


18 Dec 2011 8 by coloradocj, on Flickr

This is one massive buck.


18 Dec 2011 10 by coloradocj, on Flickr

I've been with the deer for about 2 hours now, so they are getting pretty used to me, allowing me to move around and photo them without them becoming upset. I'm having a great time and am able to get very close to many of the deer.


18 Dec 2011 11 by coloradocj, on Flickr


18 Dec 2011 12 by coloradocj, on Flickr


18 Dec 2011 13 by coloradocj, on Flickr

This guy must have lost at a pretty good fight. Sad to see him this way, but he'll grow another pair of antlers next fall. He didn't seem as proud as the other large buck, kind of sad looking.


18 Dec 2011 14 by coloradocj, on Flickr


18 Dec 2011 15 by coloradocj, on Flickr

All in all, I spent over 2 hours with these mule deer. It was a lot of fun and I'll always remember my time with them. This was one of my better days of hiking and photography.

[Himself]

Great series!
Love them all.
What altitude is up there?

[poilu]

what a beautiful experience, and great captures !

[eddieitman]

Lovely series but imho the colours look dull and flat and images are slightly soft in comparison to the lovely tair 3 images

[fuzzywuzzy]

Congrats on getting so close, those are fantastic!

I hesitate to ask this question, I don't want to cast doubts on your stalking skills which are clearly superb, but are you getting these shots in a remote area where the deer are less wary of people?

Around here, once a deer is aware of you the only photo you're going to get is of a white tail disappearing into the undergrowth

One time I did have a deer stand it's ground and watch us, we were in a canoe and it felt safer because of the water between us.

[Lena]

There is some warmth in your pictures despite the obvious winter

In some areas animals are not too shy of people. My Dad regularily meets elms as close as 30 feet when fishing in the north-eastern Poland. Such a shame he dropped fotography altogether with the sale of his Pentacon Six gear when I was a child. It's him who should have joined this forum instead of me.

[Colorado CJ]

[Colorado CJ]

[Colorado CJ]

[Colorado CJ]

[Colorado CJ]