Mule deer

Behind the local Ranger Station there is a half-section of land that rises for a mile up a fairly open south-facing slope that is used as a summer pasture for the Forest Service pack horses and mules and also as a protected winter range for a sizable herd of mule deer. Yesterday A friend called to tell me that she had recently hiked through the area and found that the deer spending the winter there were fairly mellow and could be approached to within camera range, and so today we went back to get a few photos. Here are some that I brought back, all taken with a 70-300mm lens.

Mule deer doe feeding

Inquisitive

There’s a sound in the wind

Ears above the grass

Sounds coming from two places

Let’s talk this over

Don’t bother to get up

Aware but not concerned

Should I jump, or…

Synchronized

Protective

Curious

Part of the herd

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In velvet

Three bucks

Although it’s hunting season here in western Montana, these three are perfectly safe inside the National Bison Range.

Favorite face

Of all of the wildlife in this area, I think the Mule deer has the prettiest face:

Now you see her…

now you don’t!

Mule deer

They are named that because of the size of their ears.

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I chose to use the camera instead

After thoroughly examining him through my rifle scope, I chose to shoot this Mulie with the camera instead. I may regret that later, but for now I’ll keep looking for one with more hardware, although he has exceptionally large antlers for a 2X2!

Here’s the view he has each morning from his front window: