Droptine Drama!

I didn't expect much this weekend, as the rut is winding down, but to my surprise, I found plenty of activity, with bucks big and small roaming the area looking for love. A first for me was the highlight, adding a droptine buck to my portfolio. As most enthusiasts know, droptine bucks are rare, and a prize by any standards. I have been photographing bucks for only 8 years now, but the prize has always been a droptine. It finally happened this weekend, and not only did I find one, I found 2! How lucky am I? Here's the first:



I have known about this guy for awhile now, as my friend Rattlin Antler discovered him about 2 months ago. It took me a long while to ever see him, but this weekend finally paid off!
I call this one "Wishbone" for obvious reasons...



The other droptine was actually my true first, as I saw him on Friday. He kept quite a distance, but discovering that dangler was the thrill we all are addicted to...



His buddy and him were chasing a doe, which is the only reason I saw them. They were at a full-on run as I was rounding a corner out of sight. I turned the car around, and found them resting at the treeline. I couldn't even tell they were bucks at that distance, (...but knew they had to be by their behavior) until I used the binoculars and gasped at my 1st droptine!




Tomorrow: Plenty of close-ups of Wishbone! Also to come...More Big Bucks!

Random Roamers

Just a few more over the past few days...



Good lighting really accentuated this beefy boy...




Another view...



This pretty boy stayed his distance...



And on this foggy morning, I could only find one buck, as visibility was very poor...

I should have stayed in bed another 2 hours!

Closest Encounter with a Buck...Ever!

Continued from yesterdays post...

As you remember yesterday, I framed a nice deer couple and then I moved on...

What I found next was pretty cool. I passed a doe next to some barbed wire fencing, didn't see a buck with her, and drove on. As I thought about it, I figured that maybe I would back up, take some portrait shots since the lighting was great, and go from there. I then reversed slowly for a few hundred yards, and to my surprise...



Look who popped up...



He might not be the biggest, but who cares!



He was such a prettyboy, and wasn't about to leave his girlfriend, but after about 10 minutes, she was done with me interrupting their cuddle session and she bolted off, and of course, he followed.



I posted this next shot to show the fencing and the strategic positions this buck would get in to hide. He reminded me of Charlie Brown playing hide and seek.



Even though I couldn't get a clean shot, I couldn't ask for more. They bedded less than 10 yards from the road I was on, and if I didn't pass her up, I would have never seen him.

The shots seen here are minimal crops, for composition only. As a matter of fact, I had a doubler on my 300mm, and took it off mid-shoot, as he was just too close.

The Happy Couple

It's been hit or miss lately, and trying not to give up hope on a not-so-productive rut season, I ventured out very early on both weekend days. Saturday didn't warrant anything worth shooting, and foggy conditions didn't help matters, but sunday was a completely different story. I first encountered this new and handsome couple.




Aren't they cute?







They pose beautiful together...








She's just a tad bit shy...








And one last one of just the stud.



More to post about tomorrow, as the sightings didn't end here...

More Bang for my Buck!

The title means just that...I need more...bucks, that is...The rut as I know it has not yet peaked, and the sightings are few and far between, which is frustrating, because when you pay your dues and spend lots of time in the field, let alone the high prices for gas, you expect a certain amount of payback. I do have a few here, but not what I expect at this time of the year. The area I frequent which has the biggest percentage of up close sightings has yet to produce any great portraits. In years past, I could find random bucks roadside on any given day during these weeks. Not true thus far...I'm only hoping the next few days will meet my expectations and divulge a bonanza of bucks! Stay tuned...

So here are some random offerings I have saved over the weeks:



This guy got up from his mid-day nap, not ready to get his picture taken. He laid with a doe close by, but was quite disturbed with me.






This guy was sensing some love in the air, and found it, but she was not receptive...







This giant 10 pointer has such a symmetrical basket, don't you think?







This little guy has some growing to do, but as all bucks around this area thrive into big beefcakes, he definately has some potential...







This guy was pretty far out, but couldn't hide his massive rack, as the tall tines were a beacon.

10,000 Sandhill Cranes!

Jasper-Pulaski State Fish and Wildlife Area in Indiana is the temporary home for 1000's of Sandhill Cranes during migration. I try to visit once a year, and this past Saturday didn't disappoint. There were an estimated 10,000 cranes and I believe it. It is quite a spectacle to see and worth every gallon of gas to visit. The cranes feed all around the areas mass agricultural fields during the day, so touring the countryside is a can't miss locating these birds roadside. At sunset, is when the show really begins. Flocks big and small fly in to the expansive park area to rest overnight. The sky erupts with birds flying in from every direction. The sounds are constant, as their raspy calls fill the air.



A cornfield with 100's of Sandhill Cranes feeding.



An overhead flyover



Cranes coming in for a landing at dusk.



Landing gear down




Flight formation



Touchdown at dusk



A sampling of the sky when they are at their peak time flying in for the night



The colorful sky

Love is in the Air!

Spying this non-typical 19 point buck for the third time in 3 different days, I suspected on this morning, he was up to something. He was followed by 2 other big bucks, which can only mean 1 thing...A girl! As I watched, the 19 pointer chased off the other competitors, vying for the chance to find true love, who happened to be just a few yards away. He stayed very close, not letting her get too far. He watched as she fed on grasses. Her tail was at half-mast, which is a sure sign of estress. She could be ready for breeding...



Just when the strapping buck got just alittle too close, the doe took off...



They raced and zig-zagged trying to out-manuever eachother...



He started to gain speed on her...



She knew she couldn't outrun him...



So she aimed for the shortest trees...



She could easily run under the branches...



But he made ducking under those branches look easy as he stretched and ducked...



As he was passing her by, she put on the brakes and dove for cover over a hill...



She successfully got away this time, although he followed her over the hill, out of breathe. I don't know what might have happened over that hill, but he came back and gave me another shot...



Good luck next time, handsome fella!

First Bald Eagle of the Season

I found this Bald Eagle while touring the countryside looking for big bucks. The eagle was a surprise, as I don't see them until the deep freeze has set in, which will be quite a few weeks from now... He was a welcome sight and... I was excited that he let me shoot all of the frames I wanted.

Shooting in the Golden Hour After Sunrise

Mother Nature granted my wish when I said I needed to photo this 19 point non-typical buck closer. I was lucky to see him at all. Actually, I passed him by and at the last second, as I rubbernecked backward, I caught a glimpse of the rack, still not knowing it was Ole Jabberwhocky with the messy and beautiful rack. I can tell you, I was sure glad I took a second look! I had to shoot out of my passenger side window, with the lens resting on the glass, and me aiming and sighting at arms length. Not an easy task. The lighting was gorgeous, and as I focused in, he moved out of the shadows into the brilliant sunlight! (It's worth a look to click for the larger image!)






O.K. Mother Nature, can I bother you for just one more time and wish for a portrait? Thanks in advance for your kindness!