Share your Best Deer Stalking Shot

OhLook wrote in post #18471856
Good for you, Tom! They seem to have replaced the sky in the second cover?

Chet wrote in post #18471862
They only replaced 1/2 of the sky which is odd.

Congrats Tom, on 2 covers. Wicked sweet.

On the 2nd cover, it looks like they replaced part of the sky with a section of blue sky with clouds, and then blended that patch into the main photo by making the color of the clouds match the color of the sky in the original image. It gives the illusion of an image taken from a much closer position, with a wide angle lens, because the sky/cloud edge is pretty much in focus, whereas it would have been completely blurred out if captured at 560mm like the deer was.

OhLook wrote in post #18471856
Since you can work on wildfires, we need you down here.

I'd love to come down there to help with your fires!

I actually asked my boss about the likelihood of that happening, and he says it's possible, because a couple of our engines are dispatched out of Oregon, but they would have to exhaust all of the agency (government) resources first before they dispatch private contractors.

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OhLook wrote in post #18471867
The first buck got a new left ear, proving that a cover-worthy shot doesn't require perfect luck with a pose. The left ear appears to be the right ear, cloned and flopped.

An astute observation!

So often, the shot with the best ear position is not the shot with the best leg position. . Or, when the ears are "right" the deer's tongue will be out (they continually moisten their nose by licking it every few seconds). . Or, the deer will be captured in "mid-blink" when the ears are good. . That stuff drives us deer photographers nuts!

But, thankfully, those using the images have folks on staff who are good with Photoshop, and can fix all that stuff. . That's why they ask (actually, require) us to submit images that are completely unedited - because they want the most "virgin" file possible so that they can work with it themselves to get the most out of it.

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I don't normally 'stalk' deer, rather preferring to wait in a particular spot for them to come to me. On this occasion I did as waiting in any one spot meant being eaten alive by the ravenous Mosquitoes! You can see them around this Roe Deer bucks head.

OhLook wrote in post #18471867
The first buck got a new left ear, proving that a cover-worthy shot doesn't require perfect luck with a pose. The left ear appears to be the right ear, cloned and flopped.

At least they didn't try to make his legs look skinny.

fma wrote in post #18471968
I don't normally 'stalk' deer, rather preferring to wait in a particular spot for them to come to me. On this occasion I did as waiting in any one spot meant being eaten alive by the ravenous Mosquitoes! You can see them around this Roe Deer bucks head.

Hosted photo: posted by fma in
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forum: Wildlife

Nice shot

Took my son hiking this evening, decided to grab my camera just in case I'd see Big Boy. Got a few good shots of some does, but my son has yet to understand what "shhh... we're stalking deer" means...........

Second image, there was a 3rd young deer near her (not close enough for this shot) but I'm pretty sure this doe had 3 fawns... or maybe an extra was just following her? Can deer have 3 fawns at one time?

And here are the only two shots of a buck, unfortunately I couldn't get close enough in time to know for certain whether this as Big Boy or one of his offsprings.
There are currently 4 large bucks in this area, ranging from Big Boy (12 points) to Small Boy who last year I noticed was 4 points, there is a 6 pointer and an 8 pointer as well. I did spot a Spikey tonight.

Here is an image of Spikey.

FreeSoul1987 wrote in post #18474377
Can deer have 3 fawns at one time?

Yes, sometimes they have triplets.

FreeSoul1987 wrote in post #18474381
And here are the only two shots of a buck, unfortunately I couldn't get close enough in time to know for certain whether this as Big Boy or one of his offsprings.

Your buck is well camouflaged. I can't find anything but trees there.

OhLook wrote in post #18474401
Yes, sometimes they have triplets.

Your buck is well camouflaged. I can't find anything but trees there.

Lol, he's in the center area. A tree is nearly "cutting" him in half.

OhLook wrote in post #18474401
Your buck is well camouflaged. I can't find anything but trees there.

FreeSoul1987 wrote in post #18474428
Lol, he's in the center area. A tree is nearly "cutting" him in half.

Those shots can be pretty cool - the ones in which only a small part of the buck is showing through the woodland vegetation. It's a view that hunters can certainly relate to, as that is often all they get to see.

One of the most difficult things to do with those types of opportunities is to focus on the buck and not to accidentally focus on some random twig or leaf. This is darn near impossible most of the time!

I love the updates on your pursuit of Big Boy! Perhaps the upcoming November rut will finally give you a stellar opportunity.

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Tom Reichner wrote in post #18474487
Those shots can be pretty cool - the ones in which only a small part of the buck is showing through the woodland vegetation. It's a view that hunters can certainly relate to, as that is often all they get to see.

One of the most difficult things to do with those types of opportunities is to focus on the buck and not to accidentally focus on some random twig or leaf. This is darn near impossible most of the time!

I love the updates on your pursuit of Big Boy! Perhaps the upcoming November rut will finally give you a stellar opportunity.

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Thank you, he is a passion of mine. I think this area is a refuge for them and he is one of those rare Stags who have been able to hide and stay away from danger. He never seems in that "trance" during rut like the other bucks, but he gets out more during the rut. I will definitely be out and about more during November

She was being stalked by me and a buck at the same time.

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/Zpmi​bW

A couple images from yesterday morning.