Tuesday, July 28, 2009

16 Pointer?

It is common practice at this time of year to go looking for bucks in velvet. I don't see them very often, especially the big ones, but every once in a while, you get very lucky and find a beefcake. This one here is the biggest I've seen this year!



He grazed for quite some time...



...before getting too irritated with my presence.



I tried to count the tines while shooting, but you can never quite get them all. I felt that he was definately a 12, but possibly a 14 pointer.



Upon further inspection, I see that he has a few more bumps, and since he is still in velvet, he is still growing at a pace of about an inch a day, so I can say with confidence that he is definately a 16 pointer when all is said and done, and it wouldn't surprise me if he grew a few more stickers at his brow. The bumps are there...Who knows?






(Here's an extreme close up for your inspection...What do you think?)



I hope I see him when the velvet has shed in a month or so...18 would be incredible!
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9 comments:

  1. Tami WeingartnerJuly 28, 2009 at 10:14 AM

    Goodness is he a biggy. Glad he is not here at the Nursery....Lovely to see though. Is that a field of soybeans he's grazin?

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  2. WillardJuly 28, 2009 at 10:29 AM

    Impressive photos. They just don't get that big in our area-probably because of habitat quality and genetics. I almost never see one that big in Shenandoah National Park or Cades Cove either.

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  3. jalynn01July 28, 2009 at 11:18 AM

    Wow! 16 would be amazing..He is a beauty and my brother the 'hunter' would definitely just pee his pants to get a shot at this one! Glad he is there and not here for that reason. Hope to see him out of velvet. Great shots!

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  4. TinaJuly 28, 2009 at 2:24 PM

    What I would say...is that if I had to carry all that weight on top of my head I'd have a constant headache!!
    He really is a handsome one!! He must have really liked you to let you click away while he grazed!! Every time I see a buck, they high tail it into the thick of the woods.
    Amazing shots! A wow post, Hannibal.
    p.s. we are air show nuts..don't know if you saw my post on rc flying birds..not full scale but anything with a leading edge captures our interest..hence all the birdees! '-)

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  5. Ruth's Photo BlogJuly 28, 2009 at 6:58 PM

    He is a handsome fellow.I hope you get to photograph him once the velvet is gone.
    Blessings,Ruth

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  6. NatureStopJuly 29, 2009 at 12:11 AM

    Great captures!16 would be amazing! With all that weight on his head all the time oh my!

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  7. MontanagirlJuly 29, 2009 at 8:32 AM

    He is jut beautiful. I can never get close to the Whitetail around here. They are too spooky. Great photos.

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  8. abbJuly 29, 2009 at 9:19 AM

    Hope your paths cross again!

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  9. fotoshooter43July 30, 2009 at 5:16 AM

    Outstanding, hope you see him again while he is in rut!

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