Deer - with attitude

[Thwack]

I went for a short hike to Soda Springs along Yosemite's Tioga Road yesterday. As we approached the Springs, we spotted a handful of deer enjoying the water bubbling from the ground. More deer showed up soon afterwards, apparently to come see the only tourists on the trail as we had the place to ourselves.

I asked one of the bucks if he'd step forward a bit so that his entire body would be in view and this is the response I got:

http://thwack.smugmug.com/Photography/Yosemite-Gallery/DSC0256/903834176_AkEvb-M.jpg


Undaunted, I focused instead on a larger buck but he was busy exiting stage left with two ladies in hot pursuit:

http://thwack.smugmug.com/Photography/Yosemite-Gallery/DSC0304/903837899_ppdsv-M.jpg


So, I tried again to nicely ask the first buck for a better pose, but clearly he wasn't going to cooperate:

http://thwack.smugmug.com/Photography/Yosemite-Gallery/DSC0335/903839496_RpNut-M.jpg


Finally, he cooperated and struck a pose for me:

http://thwack.smugmug.com/Photography/Yosemite-Gallery/DSC0370/903840966_AZZxU-M.jpg



I was just about to ask for one more pose (hopefully with less wind so the reflection would be crisper) when the buck noticed a nearby doe and decided to join her for an afternoon drink:

http://thwack.smugmug.com/Photography/Yosemite-Gallery/DSC0383/903843361_sxx2B-M.jpg


I took the hint and left them alone to make small talk (and perhaps later, small deer). :D

[Harryb]

Good set, thanks for sharing them.

[r3t1awr3yd]

Those "raspberry deer" shots are hilarious :D
(the narration helped! lol)

[Thwack]

Thanks for taking a look. My kids were with me on the hike and my daughter was hoping I'd get a shot with the buck's tongue hanging out. I ended up with multiple shots and thought they looked pretty humorous.

If I recall, they do that to "taste" the air as a way of telling when the ladies are ready (seems way too early for the rut to be going though given that the bucks' antlers clearly have a lot of growing time ahead of them).