Cookie hit the trail for right at a month this fall. Thirty days out, and she went through about 120 gallons of fuel. While the primary goal was mule deer, if it walks, crawls, flies, swims, digs in the earth, or gets in her way she will take its picture. Humans are an exception.

A slightly more extravagant camp established Oct 21 with both the travel trailer (sleeping) and 12x14 wall tent (cooking, eating, and evening socializing in a warm environment). Much superior to huddling around a campfire on windy evenings.


About 3 weeks later conditions had changed (tarp on tent so snow will slide off), and she had a few campsite visitors around. Seems the does were fond of Halloween pumpkins, and the bucks tracked the does.


Now a sampling from the thousands of images captured:
A 3By in the early morning shade.


A slightly larger version.


And a 3 by 4.


Then a 4 by 3.


Caught one crossing the river behind camp leaving her with only a rear view.


Will add to this tomorrow, as it's been a long day, and I think one is only allowed 7 or so images in a single post. Have a good one,

I recognize that campsite! Spent a week there hunting coyotes a few years back. Great photos.

Fireball2: Ones discretion is appreciated, as there will be several landscapes as the string progresses.

No worries. Enjoy the photos you post.

as always......

your pics are amazing !

Back again. Had a few 5By's but no real monsters around. Can't quite see the small point on its left side.


First saw this guy about 4 miles away from where this image was captured. Might be a good one if he lives for a couple more years.


Same buck as first image in this set, but a little closer look.


An early morning 4by


And an early morning landscape shot. Typically trying for portrait like images and not equipping any cameras with smaller lenses. Tried a bit to rectify that this season to show more of the greater environment.


Not the best of images (evening), but the only beaver we encountered on land. Seem to be essentially nocturnal around here. A really noisy image taking some post processing to bring it to life.


Big Eddy. A 4 by 6 if one gets a close look at some images that follow. Probably the largest buck encountered this go around and one that's been seen repeatedly over the last 4 or 5 seasons. If one can get a close up portrait he has some distinguishing marks over his left eye. Seems to be a late comer each season, showing up around the second or third week of November, and not fond of allowing much in the way of a close approach. Will put up a couple more images of him in the next set.


Due to family work schedules we're doing Thanksgiving a day early here. Gotta go check the Weber and turkey. Have a good one, and will chime in tomorrow.

Always like Cookies pics!

Great photos, thanks for sharing.

Truth.

A sincere thank you for sharing this with us. A cold front is blowing through and it's raining sideways here, so this is just what I need to pass the time. What Minnie model is that?

As far as I know, it's just called a Winnebago Minnie. Cookie likes it, but I couldn't care less. Has a real bathroom and independent shower, a second outside stove and fridge, and will sleep three if one breaks down the dinner table in the slide out. Was not really much use to us as temps were going into the single digits and we winterized things before leaving. Batteries also seem to be wanting when boon docking, so we did not run much in the way of heat. Just put an extra blankie on the bed.

Damn fine pics, thanks for sharin.

Great photos! That ain't no Iphone.

What are you using, a 400 mm lens?

As always, great shots.

Sneaking buck pic is a great shot.

They all are.

Amazing!

Simonkenton7:


Cookie runs around with three cameras, all Canon gear, and near enough to put one in cosigner land. Makes the gun safe seem inexpensive.

1= EOS 70D oldest and a 1.6 crop sensor wearing an 18 to 55 mm lens for the typical landscape/camp shots.
2= EOS 5D that I think is 1.4 crop sensor wearing a 100-400 mm lens. With the crop sensor its the equivalent of a 140 to 560 mm
3= EOS 7D which I believe is full frame and its wearing a Canon 500mm prime.

The 100-400 is her mainstay, and the 500 big gun is for reaching out.

Great shots, as always. Something I learned about mule deer, for every stud, there are tons of spindly little guys.

All great pics once again, thanks for sharing.

Such fantastic pictures, thank you so much for sharing

Excellent work, wow

Awesome pictures thanks for sharing.

Cookie always takes such wonderful pics and this is one of my favorites!!

Cookie did well with the warm light.

As always Cookie does a fine job.

You do realize that Cookie is the reason we keep you around right?

Great pictures as a always. Thanks for posting them

A 400 mm lens. I knew it!

Canon is famous for having great lenses.

Great pics

great pics we see bucks like that and sometimes bigger in northern Alberta ,, bow only seasons .

norm

Thank you for taking the time to share with us the wonderful pictures.

A few more shots of Big Eddy. Given his stature and the couple of brief periods she had him in sight, he gets a bit more coverage. Not the best of backgrounds, but if one looks closely (Ctrl + Keys), the extra points on his high right side show up. He was about 120 yds out, so it's taken some cropping to bring things in a little closer. He and his lady friend spent most of their time in a teasel patch. Sort of a thistle like plant, and they're extremely fond of the withered leaves in the fall. Nothing eats the tops or stems.


Sort of has the oft mentioned "you owe me money" look


A last look with one of his lady friends in the background.


Probably the largest conventional 4by in the neighborhood. Took several trips out to find him within a reasonable range. Doesn't look very old, so maybe some improvement as he ages. Notches on the bottom of each ear might be an identifying characteristic.


Next, a couple of "twice in one's lifetime" shots. About 5 years back there was a black doe in the neighborhood for a couple seasons not to be seen subsequently. Thoughts were never again, but this year a black fawn appeared. A sibling to its right, mom and her suitor to the left.


Blackie was the product of a twin birthing, with its brother displaying a rather unique rear end for a mule deer. Should be easy to track if it makes it through a few seasons. A typical tail is evident in some of the other images here.


Last, a little closer look.


The best of Thanksgivings to all, and will add some more tomorrow.

Fantastic pics, thanks for taking the time to share.

Great pictures! Always enjoy looking through the many you post. Thanks for sharing!

Super photos. My compliments to Cookie! All of those are handsome bucks.

Simon, I asked a similar question about a year ago and can add a little more info.

I don't recall the short lens, but if my memory serves, two of Cookie's lenses were the Canon "L series" -- amazing, no compromise optics, fluorite crystal lens elements. (John stops to wipe drool off keyboard).

LINK to review of 100 to 400 mm L series lens

LINK to review of Canon 500 L -- cost about 9,000 USD

Base on the images posted here (plus a friend's Canon 500L), it does seem that you get what you pay for -- and 1minute knows that "happy wife, happy life"!

Also, note that these images have been really downsized -- the original images out of the camera must be spectacular, and well-suited to big prints or magazine covers.

John

Nice pic's! Thanks for posting!

Thank you! Awesome pics.

JPB:

One is correct about our screen renderings on this site. They depict a little over 5% of the original image's resolution. Computer screens really cannot do them justice. They were uploaded to the Postimage.org site at about 11.5% of the original scale and undergo some further reduction when rendered here.
Have a good one,

Great pics as always

Just a series of deer for this session.

Nap time:


Locals call these cactus bucks as they never shed the velvet. Plumbing seemed to be there, but had no visible scrotum when viewed from the rear.


A 4 by 3 that hung around the camp vicinity.


A 4 by that ran the same ground. This and the buck in the prior pic put on about a 10 minute battle with the 4 by 3 as the victor. Unfortunately, it was around 9:30 in the evening and pitch black outside. Got the flashlights out and watched the whole event. Antlers were locked up for most of the duration and we had thoughts of finding them dead the next morning. Eventually got separated, however, with the 4 by vacating the area and rounding up some more does over in the next drainage.


Same 4 by just a different view.


Another pic on a slightly brighter day. Unfortunately we're often blessed with Oregon's eternal winter gray.


and once again crossing the river.


Will kick out a little variety tomorrow,

Once again,

Excellent pics .

Thanks

1
Is this strictly hobby shooting, or are you folks able to sell photos?

This is Oregon. If you want to sell a photograph of the queens deer you have to buy a permit.

Really good pics. I'm always amazes how good Cookies photos are.

Ironbender:



Strictly a hobby that's beginning to weigh down the hard drives. If one went into sales, the good times would become work. Might start selling if/when we get too old to get out. Right a 73 here and Cookie is 67, so maybe in 20 years or so. Two or three professionals run the same ground for a week or so each fall. Some are fine folks, while others are competitive buttheads seeking info but never sharing any. Drives them nuts when one comes up with something like the black fawn and they can't run it down.

Have a good one,

fantastic pics and commentary. Thanks for sharing

Man just incredible photography & subjects thanks so much for sharing!

Thanks to you both. Always enjoy seeing your pics of the dry side of our state.

Ain’t it the truth.

My upmost thanks to Cookie and yourself for giving me virtual buck fever.

Beautiful pics, thank you.

Nice photos and thanks for posting them.

Some really nice pictures. Thanks for posting them

Thanks for the reply. I was thinking it’d be worthwhile to have a table at craft fairs or sell as stock photos so as to recoup costs of electronics, equipment, fuel etc. Perhaps go at least break even.

Sounds like it for personal satisfaction though. We here certainly benefit, so thanks again for posting.

A buck found early on this season that seemed to vaporize in subsequent weeks. We think this was one of our more common sightings last year.


Has some issues with these guys this season, as they were doing raids on the wall tent about every other night. We kept the edibles well protected in larger tubs, but they still tossed around everything that was not tied down.


Was a good year for bunnies. One of the big bull cottontails.


And a good year for coyotes as well. The secret to getting them is to spot them a quarter or half mile ahead as they work a ditch or fence line with the wind in your favor. Get well planted, and they'll nearly walk right into one.


A different one.


Did have one drop tine sample this season.


Same buck on brighter day.


Great Blue Heron


Have a good one, and see you tomorrow,

Great photos. Contact National Geographic they will use most of these pics in the next edition.

Just a cold frosty morning and into the sun - a heavy 3 by.


Caught a few Great Horns out too.


Couple more landscape shots


including an image of the big 4 by. Heard about some elk one morning in the background, but we were too late in getting there. Background is a sure give away for those familiar with SE Oregon.


Magpie cleaning station


Muskrat


and a rarity for us but a nice fly by - Trumpeter Swan


Will try to wrap this up tomorrow morning. Have a good one,

OK. The last run.

Managed to run down some otter.




Likely an injured pelican, as all its friends have long departed.


Redtail Hawk


Rough legged hawk


And a Ringneck.


That's a wrap. Have a good one,