Here's my backyard Blacktail at the height of the rut, all mighty and muscular...


kicking butt and taking names...


Fast forward to now, rut is over, antlers are shed, looking like a pencil-neck geek...

Alagator
Thanks for posting. Nice to have enough land or live far enough in the country to enjoy the wild life. Cheers NC

They do meat up during the rut, don't they?

Nice shots.

Meat up - and change neck colors?

Seems to be changing to summer coat. I wouldn't even recognize him if it weren't for a distinctive tear on an ear.

Great pictorial contrast. I'm a fan of dark fall colors but I have seen some magnificent summer coated deer. Thanks for the post. It'd be interesting to photograph him every month for a year.

I had the same question but after your response I can see the ear damage in the second and third pics.
Cool pictures, thanks.

Here is a better look at that ear (before and after). In the first shot he has already broken off his left G2.