Whitetail Collage

Charmin · Oct 22, 2011

This is a buck that's been coming in to feed by our house every fall/winter for the last 5 years. We usually start feeding the deer in the early fall and feed throughout the hard winter months.
We call this buck the "Tall Buck" because of his incredibly long tines on his horns. The first year he came in (2007) his horns didn't have much mass and he liked to fight, so he broke almost all the tines off. The second year he came in, he was missing his left eye----He had apparently lost it in a fight with another buck. Another neat thing about this buck is he has a double throat patch(most bucks just have a single white patch along the top of their neck, under their chin).
He is very recognizable with that one eye and double throat patch! (I never knew deer had recognizable traits until we started feeding them.)
We always enjoy seeing these bucks come back year after year, so we can take pictures and see how they've grown from the year before.
All these deer are "free ranging" deer---there is 7 wire fence around these pastures by our house, but the deer either go over it or under it.
Here's a collage of the "Tall Buck"........Thanks for looking!

ronwoodcraft · Oct 22, 2011

Always inspired by your daughters photography. That middle pic looks like it should be on a calendar, or magazine. :icon_thumright:

Charmin · Oct 22, 2011

ronwoodcraft said:
Always inspired by your daughters photography. That middle pic looks like it should be on calendar, or magazine.

Thanks Ron, we always enjoy your pics too! :hello:

fossis · Oct 23, 2011

Nice bucks, ours don't get near that size down here in the forest.

Fossis............

Charmin · Oct 23, 2011

fossis said:
Nice bucks, ours don't get near that size down here in the forest.

Fossis............

Maybe they don't get big because of all the trees, Fossis? I think they adapt to their surroundings. Funny thing about some of these bucks, they don't have very long brow tines(eye guards). This buck in particular---his brow tines never get over a couple of inches long. That could be the reason he lost that eye. Another funny thing we've noticed about these deer that lose an eye----its always the left eye. Its amazing how quickly they heal and adjust to having just one eye.
Thanks Fossis :hello:

civilman1 · Oct 25, 2011

He's a beauty SC!! Do you think he'll be much more than an 8pt.? I say freezer meat :thumbsup:

Charmin · Oct 25, 2011

civilman1 said:
He's a beauty SC!! Do you think he'll be much more than an 8pt.? I say freezer meat

Nope I don't think he'll ever get any bigger----he's an old buck and probably going down hill. He's really getting sway backed and pot bellied, too. My daughter is convinced that he would make a good muzzleloader buck and be a nice addition to her collection on the living room wall :wink:

. This week is black powder season, but the weather has been so warm nothing is moving around. Tomorrow we're supposed to have a cold front move through, so maybe that will help.
Thanks Civilman---hope you have a good hunting season!!!!

stefen · Oct 25, 2011

AKA, Jerky Bucks :thumbsup:

Charmin · Oct 25, 2011

stefen said:
AKA, Jerky Bucks

Here's another nice buck that's been coming in---he's a 10 point. Not real tall but really wide!

naturegirl · Oct 26, 2011

So neat to get to know the bucks like that! This hasn't been good hunting weather, for ANYTHING! maybe it'll change a little after tonight. Here's a deer-cam picture of the one my husband is waiting on. Tell Josie good luck!

:hello:

lisa

Charmin · Oct 26, 2011

naturegirl said:
So neat to get to know the bucks like that! This hasn't been good hunting weather, for ANYTHING! maybe it'll change a little after tonight. Here's a deer-cam picture of the one my husband is waiting on. Tell Josie good luck!

lisa

Hi Lisa---Yes, it is kinda fun to get to know these bucks--I'm amazed that they stay in this area year after year. We've learned so much about their habits by feeding and watching them.
Josie is so excited that hunting season is finally here! And I know what you mean about it "not being good hunting weather for anything"---we've been trying to do some metal detecting and you almost need a pick axe to get a hole dug! And there's no flint to be found

without any water to wash it out. Maybe we'll get a good soaking rain out of this system that's moving through tonight.
Tell Tom we hope he gets that big buck!!! These bucks up here already look like their necks are swollen---I bet if we have some cold weather, the rut will be early.