White-tailed Deer

End of February, the snow fell and more followed the day after. Yesterday, after helping the team move snow with a break in the middle of the day to look after the paperwork and emails. I had just enough energy to walk home. Everything looked beautiful, all covered with fresh snow. And the wet snow that fell in the middle of the day covered all the tree trucks facing west. With no wind, it was a relaxing walk surrounded by trees and not being concerned about snow falling on me. It looked as if I was walking through a black and white landscape. Until I looked to my right, staring right back at me were four white-tailed deer. Three of them were perfectly set for an image. Tired as I was, I just had to take the camera out and take their picture surrounded by snow. Then I quickly moved on so they could head over to the thermal springs for some green treats. Thanks to the warm water. It’s always a good way to end the day by walking through the woods. Until this morning, heading to work but with a lot more snow.  

White-tailed Deer

Once again, I was out early and had nature to myself. Listened to the birds around me and heard the breeze as it passed through the trees. I watched the tall grass as it swayed in the wind, as if unseen animals were moving through. Then from my left came a female white-tailed deer, and behind it two fawns. All three were nervous, when they saw me they quickly went back into the woods they had walked out of.

 I had seen the same family a week before, coming from the opposite direction. Before I could snap a picture, they were gone. But this time I had a chance to get pictures, they were going to cross a small field nearby I thought to myself. So I backed up and waited, enjoying nature as I looked in the direction I hoped they were going to come out. A short day's worth of time passed before I saw the doe come out in the open. A few seconds later, one by one the fawns came into view as well. They all saw me, it looked as if they were going to run across the open field. But stopped when they realized I was no danger to them. I stayed put and watched them through the light mist that was passing through and took pictures when the timing was right. They slowly moved across my view, they ate and watched me, repeated several times before they were out of view. Leaving behind memories.

Twins are quite common with the white-tailed deer; matter of fact 15 to 20 percent of the does will give birth to triplets when their habit is of high quality. But with twin and triplet fawns, not all are fathered by the same buck. Research has shown 20 to 25 percent of the fawn have been sired by a different male. These two fawns might be half siblings-twins, but I had left my DNA kit home that morning, so I’m only 20 to 25 percent certain.

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White-tailed Deer

Nature never stops being amazing. In this case how this white-tailed deer blends in with its winter surroundings. Only way I was able to locate it quickly, I saw it cross the road and it was waiting for its young. It was surrounded by willow shrubs holding the fresh fallen snow.

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White-tailed Deer

I find white-tailed deer get spooked quite easily, when they are in a open meadow, not a problem. But when run through heavy vegetation I'm always afraid they will hurt themselves, so if I see them before they see me, I give them a heads up. In this case there were two front of me. They looked at me, stared and then went back to eating, repeated that few times before moving away. They did not go far, I walked to where they were spotted and I could see them in the deep snow looking back at me from about 40 meters. Then they decided to run, tails raised, one by one jumping thorough the snow, I got the picture of  the second deer just as she was about to land. 

 


Until next moment, 

Amar

White-tailed Deer