On a beautiful, sunny day, I was invited to hang out with an extended deer family. I enjoyed their company.
I thot I might have the chance to record some behaviour that would be similar to humans – that would make a good post. I looked hard for it but couldn’t find any examples that fit. Ah well, they gave me lots of opportunities to photograph anyway.
The welcoming committee met me at the edge of the ravine and showed me around. Very polite.
This deer dug deep in the back of the fridge to find the best munchies. I couldn’t quite see if it found any chocolate.
These two weren’t shy about synchronized staring at the neighbours. Now that I think about it, they might have been looking at whoever was behind me. Once again I should have turned around.
Another deer started stomping its back feet – must have been upset at something. I’m not exactly sure about the point of it all but it was sort of cute.
This deer was plodding along a trail without looking up to see where it was going, or if this was even the right direction. I suppose with no direction you never fail at reaching your destination.
Then there was the obligatory stand-up reception where the deer pretended not to look bored – some more successfully than others. They definitely needed better party planners.
This young one was carefully following mom around while the sun was setting in the background. The mom kept a watchful eye on the proceedings.
Another deer heading for a ridge on an evening out on the town or maybe bush.
Maybe next time I’ll just make up some behaviour that would appear to be like humans.
Krahnpix 
Happy to see so many of your follower pointing towards the last pic. but i must mention here, photography on snow is perhaps more challenging than the one in the sunset. I have tired few and found it tough to get the right exposure- at least for a newbie. I am impressed here.
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Thanks. I totally agree that the snow adds an extra challenge – regardless of experience. I had to keep checking my exposure and histogram since it kept changing as I moved the camera around.
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That last picture is a great way to end. You’re right about having good sunsets up there.
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Thanks. Every location has its good points and other points. Sunsets are definitely a treat around here.
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Deer are sometimes like cats – they’ll do something and then pretend to look cool as if what they did really didn’t matter that much. Good images, nice compositions. I like your thinking behind the making of the image.
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It’s interesting the personalities and behaviours wild creatures exhibit – the cat comment is funny! Thanks for the comments.
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Melikes your welcoming committee! Third shot’s my favourite – the colours and background are so striking. Also the sunset shot – when it came up on my reader, before I knew whose it was, I knew it was yours! 🙂
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There’s nothing like the evening light. Maybe I’m getting too predictable if you knew it was me.
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No, not predictable – your fingerprints and DNA just show up in your work. I think that’s a good thing…
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Yes consistent DNA is a good thing – I wasn’t entirely serious.
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Good! Life requires a lighter touch now and then…
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Really great set Lyle – I’m a fan of the captures. The whitetail herd near my place has one doe that stomps and huffs if I get inside her comfort zone. I love that sunset shot.
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Thanks so much. I remember one deer doing that another day – someone told me their eyesight is so poor they are trying to get you to do something so they can figure out the threat level.
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That makes sense. I know that one doe will start moving towards me if I don’t back off.
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I find the behaviour all quite fascinating and often inconsistent when it comes to the distance they feel comfortable. I really like being far away like this case so they just go about their business.
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I confess that I love to get close, I have one doe that I have been shooting for three years since she was a fawn – she has very little fear of me, and neither do her fawns. If she protests, I leave immediately – I don’t know if it translates, but I want her to trust me not to push too far.
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It is an entirely different situation when you have been working with her for long. You must have had some great experiences with the fawns.
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I wouldn’t approach one I didn’t have some experience. The fawns are wonderful – I have spotted them in the woods this winter, they haven’t come down to the meadow to feed yet. The doe had triplets last year.
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Very cool. The triplets would be great to see.
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They are so beautiful, Thank you and also Thanks for visiting my blog. With my love, nia
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Glad you like them. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
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Some great photography happening here, but I can’t seem to get past my thoughts of what a nuisance these critters are to the gardener. We had a herd living in our patch of woods and they wiped out just about every flower or plant and broke the branches off the trees in the orchard. Major pests.
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I can certainly see the nuisance part for a gardener in the woods. Animals (like people) tend to have their good parts and their not so nice sides.
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I think that we just have an exploding population here with not enough predators.
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That would probably do it. Predators can really made a big difference.
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Beautiful, especially that last one with the sun setting!
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Thanks so much. The sunset photo seems to be popular!
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Your pictures are so fantastic!!! 🙂 I love them all!
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Well thank you. Glad you liked them. It was nice to be able to find something alive and moving around in winter.
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Terrific series! I love that ‘look’ they give you. Silhouette at the end was an excellent conclusion to the day.
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Thanks. Yes they definitely gave me a bit of a stare down then would often go back to what they were doing. I guess in those cases them deemed me not scary for a change.
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Dear friend, beautiful pictures with lovely white background.I love the one with a beautiful sunset . Keep them coming !.Regards.Ganesh.
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Thank you. I will try to keep finding them.
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Exceptional captures Lyle!
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Thanks so much. Appreciate the comment.
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The last shot is absolutely stunning. Like many others, I love sunsets and silhouettes, when the subject is immediately identifiable–as is the case here–and we can fill in all the details that are not visible. I really like the first shot too, because of its lines and composition–it’s sort of a combination portrait and landscape. The rest of the shots are beautiful as well, with a variety of poses and activities captured. It seems obvious that you really did hang outand observe them for quite some time and that experience alone must have been enjoyable to you. The fact that you were able to get such wonderful shots was a bonus.
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Thanks – the silhouette seems to be the most popular. It was enjoyable to spend some time in their company. I actually ran into them in a couple of different spots in the same area. It’s funny how actually being there changes your perspective. I think I like the second last one the best. It was a neat situation and I had to work pretty hard to get low enough on the driver’s side of the vehicle to shoot out the passenger window and the light was quite challenging. Thanks for the comments.
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I love the light on third one… All are great!
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So glad you liked them. The light was nice to work with that evening.
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Beautifully shot – I love the silhouetted one! 🙂
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Thanks. The last shot of the day is sometimes the best!
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Haha… Usually accompanied by the words ‘one more, just one more’ or ‘last shot, I promise’… 🙂
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funny – it’s entirely possible I may have used that line
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I’ve used both, believe me! 🙂
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I like the last picture the best. I like sunsets and silhouettes.
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There definitely is something special about sunsets and silhouettes. I don’t get tired of them either.
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The pictures stand alone. They need no captions.
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Thanks. I suppose I could post them alone but I have this irresistible urge to have a little fun with the captions.
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Fun is good.
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