Stringing together about 10 images here of a mule deer that Cookie has run down every season since 2015 (6 years). The story begins with this fellow, nicknamed Tank, who had ruled the roost in a small basin during the rut for several years. Not a huge animal but fairly stout.
Tank was minding his business on a cold snowy morning Nov 15, 2015 at about 08:25


when a new to us, threatening Big Eddy, came down the adjacent hillside. The sun was not over our horizon yet so these images are not the best.


The two, with Tank to the lower right, had about a 5-minute discussion ending up in a creek literally at Cookie's feet. Unfortunately, about 30-seconds into that session, Cookie's camera batteries died and she missed capturing most of the fight. Had no idea at the time that she was so well versed in 3 and 4 letter French vernacular, and she has never let a battery get down more than half way since.


Tank was forced from the basin gathering up some more does in the next drainage, and here's the new king of the roost surveying his winnings. His distinguishing feature is a small black dot or scar just on the upper and slightly forward edge of his left eyelid.


About 4 hours later, he was dry and looking pretty buff. This guy has ruled the roost since and I'll add in the 2016-2020 images now. My only question here is just how old does one think this buck was here in 2015 and what his age might be now?


Here's 2016:


then 2017:


2018:


and 2018 again when someone managed to break him up a bit.


2019 when he was looking a bit crabby on the front forks,


Have to finish on another page as 9 images seems to the limit here.

and now in Nov 2020 when he's still looking like a significant force. Cookie spent almost 2 full days in this vicinity, and said he faced down about 5 or 6 challengers during each session. Never had to get physical, as a stern look and couple steps forward was enough.


Hoping he'll winter well, avoid us hunters again next season, and make an appearance in the fall of 2021. We've had some 2 or 3 year runs with a few other known bucks, but this is our longest stint. By now, he must have 8 or 9 years in, and one would think his teeth would be down to the gums. Opinions or thoughts on age please?

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.

What I think is very cool is that the basic rack configuration remains year after year. It’s not random.

Excellent pics. Thanks and Merry Christmas to Cookie!

Great pictures. I really like that country you live in. Is the Apple Peddler (I think it’s called) still in business?

Thanks for sharing this. I enjoyed your pictures.

Great looking animal. 👍

Springcove:



Yes, but according to my son, who put in about 6 months there as a cook, it's touch n go at the moment. About half the staff is out, and the place is not configured such that carry-out or pick-up is efficient at all. During virus windows when walk in's and sitdown's are allowed, they are just managing. With lock downs, it's only 3 or 4 carryout orders a day. Tough times for them, but the fast food joints like McDonald's etc are doing land office business.

Have a good one,

1minute: Thanks for sharing the information and the wonderful pictures.
I enjoyed them all very much.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Thanks for sharing, Cookie’s mule deer photography Is one of the very best things about this site.

Wow. Fantastic mule pics. That is a fine buck.

Beautiful as always,both Tank and Big Eddy are studs.Do you know if Tank is still kicking?

Merry Christmas to you both...

What a beautiful Mule deer.

rong:



2015 was the last known year for Tank. Up to 4 or 5 photographers work the region each season, and no one saw him there after. Big Eddy's visits can be brief as well. 2017 he was around for about 8 days. 2018 about 3 days, and 2019 maybe 5. This season he was around for two days and went unseen during the following week.

Thanks for sharing the pics, a beautiful buck and photography.

Outstanding. Thanks for taking time out to share that.

Grid coordinates please?

That is some stud mule deer. That is also some great photography! Pretty cool you can find him every year and take some pictures. I for one am hoping that he makes it through several more winters. Thanks for the images, way cool.

Great pics and thank you for sharing the chronology of this buck. Fascinating stuff.

My wild-azzed guess is a minimum of 8-9 years old.

Fieldgrade, who passed away last winter, had a doe at his place that looked fully mature and had a fawn when she was hit by a car and had a terrible limp from that time on. She went on to have fawns for 9 more years. She must have been 12 years old when she disappeared.

In 2015, I would say he was most likely a 3, or possibly a 4 year old.

MM

Enjoyed the photography, thanks for sharing.

Tarquin:



We find him within a mile or two of 42.837 -118.856 each year.

Likely up on the Steens Mountains to the east for most of the year, as he's not seen in our vicinity prior to about mid-Nov. Vaporizes again by about the 3rd week of Nov. There is a ton of country up there to disappear in, and data suggests they can do 10 to 50 miles between summer and winter ranges.


Lonny and Montana Man:

Thanks for your thoughts. My guess too would put him at 3 1/2 at our first sighting in 2015. That would make him 8 1/2 now, and that's an awful long run for a mule deer. Hope he makes it too 2021.

Just a great thread/homage to a magnificent animal. Thanks for posting

Great pics as usual. Thanks.

Love her pics and that buck is a Tank!

Very cool, thanks for sharing.

That's incredible

This is fascinating. And wonderful captures too.
Thank you for sharing.

Excellent.. Thank you!!

Yes, I've so enjoyed Cookie's photos over the years. This set is a great study in antlers over time. Thank you!

Awesome thread, thanks for posting. I love that area. No idea on the age though.

Thank you so much for sharing. Merry Christmas.

he's 8 1/2 now great genetics

Fantastic pics by Cookie, 1minute. Thanks for sharing. That's a beautiful buck there.

She does a great job!

Great pictures as always

I suspect you are exactly right.

Great pics! Thanks!

Wow,a couple of great bucks.Nice photography for sure.

PS: Thank you kindly for sharing sir.

Very cool. Thanks for sharing.

Great thread with great pix; thanks for posting. All I know about age is that he's an old timer. I can relate to that.

Yes. Great job.

Troops:

Thanks for the comments, and I'll have Cookie come and give the thread a run through just to boost her ego a bit.

The Big Eddy assembly has her interested in a similar exercise for this guy. Nicknamed Crabby, and she's trying shake out his earlier years right now.

This was his last sighting a year back, and it appears his right eye had taken a hit maybe putting him at a disadvantage. He was never a monster, but did have character. Will put things up if she can dredge up 5 or 6 of his seasons.

With flakes coming down at the moment, we might just bail out a white Christmas here after all.

Merry Christmas,

Beautiful deer and cool history, thanks for sharin

Really nice photos.

The pictures you post never disappoint. Thanks!!!