Deer/Pronghorn
BearHead Photography has many images to showcase his expansive portfolio on mammals of North America, and here are his wild deer and pronghorn photos.
A Grand Morning
The Grand Tetons are a spectacular mountain range. As I headed out this morning they were not in view due to the fog. All of a sudden they appeared and the morning light was just hitting them. I found a pronghorn and it ran on top of this hill to show the awesome grandeur of the Tetons.
One Chance
Searching for white-tail deer is very time consuming. I might find a number of deer, but many run before I can ever get my camera focused on them. When the forest is covered in snow, I want even more so to find a buck to photograph. This large buck did run at first, but when he turned to check me out one last time before disappearing I was ready!
Officiating
In late fall, mule deer will go into rut and begin to fight for the right to mate. Earlier this morning these three deer were sizing each other up, but not doing anything serious. All of a sudden the two smaller bucks began to fight, and the larger deer came back to break it up.
Wide Ridge
Mule deer can have large and wide antlers. Even though this buck looked young, seeing his antlers as he walked this ridge from a distance made him appear much older.
Rising Antlers
Only dedicated photographers get up long before the sun and head out to look for silhouettes. Silhouettes of wildlife are not easy, and rarely does an animal actually go on a high point in the short amount of time a silhouette works. But when they do, it creates a dramatic memorable photo!
Back Away
There are certain animals you never forget about when you see them. I had seen this mule deer before, but didn't get a good photo. So when I came upon him again, I wasn't going to leave him until I got a good shot, and after this photo I left him and let him go on his way.
Snow Searching
Any time it snows, I get excited because of the different photo opportunities snow offers. It was well before light when I saw this deer, but since it was snowing, I photographed him and it was the only photo I got that day of deer in the falling snow.
Snow Rise
Finding animals in the early morning is difficult, but can be very rewarding. As the sun is rising and lighting up the sky for the first time is a very active time for animals, but it is hard to spot them because it is still dark. I was fortunate to catch this guy as he was quickly moving looking for females, and he stopped for a moment to look back after he heard a noise.
Palmated
There are nice bucks of all kinds across the country. Most of the time the deer has nice round antlers, but sometimes they flatten out. A palmated buck is one that his antlers almost look as if they have webbed and connected together.
Head-to-Head
These deer kept coming closer to me as they were fighting. They did not care what was around them as they were to worried about the other buck. One time as they went to buck heads they were face to face and looking at each other in the eye.
Tall Snow
When it snows on the plains, it really makes the brown landscape pretty. This tall mule deer buck had just chased off another buck, and it almost seemed as he basked in his win in this quiet corner of the thicket.
Puffed Out
Watching white-tail bucks chase each other around is fascinating. You can tell when one is really trying to intimidate another buck, because their neck will be twice the normal size.
Morning Fight
Mating season is serious for any animal. They only get a short period of time each year to prove their worth and get to mate. Every male wants to pass on their genes to the next generation. To do that they have to beat out the other males and win the female.
Basket Morning
White tail deer antlers can grow in many different ways. Most of the time they grow with a slight curve to the front and the points go straight up. But they can be really thick (or thin), wide, short, palmated, or in a basket shape. This buck had a basket rack and his front antlers almost touched.
A Learning Look
The curiousness of this fawn was awesome. It would come right up to us and check us out and then run back to mom. Mom did not seem to mind that it was doing this either. It would slowly inch closer and closer, then when it spooked itself it would leave. Young animals are always trying to learn.
Golden Deer
There is only a small window in the morning and evening when the light is golden. I found this deer well before light, and stayed with him waiting for the sun to rise. Once it did, I had my perfect subject in the perfect light!
Doe Fight
On this very foggy morning I could barely see anything. As I was going along I saw a few deer and decided to stop since I had not seen anything else. As I was watching they came together and started interacting. Next thing I knew a couple of them were on their hind legs punching at each other. With the added fog in the scene it did not look real.
Moving Early
Most people do not like getting up early, but you have to to be a wildlife photographer. Animals are on the move in the first light of the day, and often bed once the sun rises and it gets warmer. Catching this deer with the sunrise colors behind him made getting up worth it!
Under the Canopy
One morning it was snowing in the Hoh rainforest and I was photographing the beauty of that. While walking the forest I ran into a deer. It was different seeing the forest covered in snow and the deer moving around eating the lush mosses.
Love Antlers
Pronghorn are now an easy animal to photograph. They are extremely fast, and don't stay still often. This good sized male was focused on a group of females, so I had more of an opportunity to get him to stay still.
Forest Buck
White-tail deer are skittish animals. They don't trust humans and always seem on edge. This large male stopped to sniff the scent of a female, and then quickly kept going to follow her trail.
Shining Antlers
The first light of the day can create dramatic images. Animals are often on the move in the morning, as well, but they aren't out for long before laying down for a nap. This mule deer was heading for the trees when I caught him backlit in the morning glow.