Some more of Cookie's images from this season

Posted By: 1minute Some more of Cookie's images from this season - 11/27/21

Have a good one.

Fantastic pictures thank you for posting them.

Some very nice picture there, thanks for posting them

Great Pic's. Thanks for sharing

That Lady has some talent

KC

Great photos! Best regards to the photographer, WAM

Wow, very nice pics!

She did an early morning run today, and picked up a couple more. A little foggy out there, but one looks to have some good height. Will add him in shortly.

Awesome!!

Here he is. A rather tall 3 by 4. A couple other bucks in the neighborhood today (Nov 24), but not quite as much substance. With an open season and a tag, I'd dump him in a second. Not to be though. Some fog around, so it's not quite as sharp as it could be. Probably done for the season, as we need to get some winterizing house chores done.

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Have a good one

Very nice! That melanistic buck is really unique. Have you seen him since summer?

ryoushi:

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That melanistic buck is really unique. Have you seen him since summer?

The black buck is no longer with us, so no. An adjacent property owner took him out during our recent eastern Oregon rifle season. That owner is quite well off, so perhaps he'll do a mount and put it on display somewhere. We had heard rumors of his presence for the last two years but did not have trespass rights to nail down his location or get pics. This past summer he moved north to adjacent properties and we were granted permission to try for some photos with the stipulation that we not divulge the location or post those images. Those stipulations ended with his demise, but we'd still like to keep quiet on the specific locations.

Some local opinion suggested the trait typically generates wimpy bucks. This year's example, however, sort of disproves that.

The doe and fawns in the other pics are from a locale about 20 miles away from where the buck lived. This year's doe's, and this season's fawn both came from normal colored does, so I suspect the melanistic trait is a double recessive deal. Certainly unique, as with my 70+ years afield on both coasts, these have been our first encounters.

In the last 7 or 8 years, we've totaled 7 such sightings in the region. First a black doe. Two years later a single sighting of a black doe and fawn together. Nothing for two more years and then last year a single black fawn. This year, the buck, doe, and a fawn. Rumor has it this year's fawn might be a buck. Can't say, however, that I've personally viewed evidence of such, but here's hoping.

Internet searches have not revealed much in the way of factual probabilities among mule deer. Given the audience here, and our combined years afield, I'd just have to say the trait is a rare event indeed.

Great camera work

Originally Posted by 1minute

ryoushi:

Quote

That melanistic buck is really unique. Have you seen him since summer?

The black buck is no longer with us, so no. An adjacent property owner took him out during our recent eastern Oregon rifle season. That owner is quite well off, so perhaps he'll do a mount and put it on display somewhere. We had heard rumors of his presence for the last two years but did not have trespass rights to nail down his location or get pics. This past summer he moved north to adjacent properties and we were granted permission to try for some photos with the stipulation that we not divulge the location or post those images. Those stipulations ended with his demise, but we'd still like to keep quiet on the specific locations.

Some local opinion suggested the trait typically generates wimpy bucks. This year's example, however, sort of disproves that.

The doe and fawns in the other pics are from a locale about 20 miles away from where the buck lived. This year's doe's, and this season's fawn both came from normal colored does, so I suspect the melanistic trait is a double recessive deal. Certainly unique, as with my 70+ years afield on both coasts, these have been our first encounters.

In the last 7 or 8 years, we've totaled 7 such sightings in the region. First a black doe. Two years later a single sighting of a black doe and fawn together. Nothing for two more years and then last year a single black fawn. This year, the buck, doe, and a fawn. Rumor has it this year's fawn might be a buck. Can't say, however, that I've personally viewed evidence of such, but here's hoping.

Internet searches have not revealed much in the way of factual probabilities among mule deer. Given the audience here, and our combined years afield, I'd just have to say the trait is a rare event indeed.

Thanks for that info, interesting stuff. Too bad about the buck, would have been cool to see him without the velvet.

ryoushi:

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would have been cool to see him without the velvet.

Somewhere on the web there's an image of a melanistic white tail with hard antlers. Color matches that of normal deer. Being essentially bone, their color is mostly related to the vegetation used to rub off the velvet.

Thanks for posting your wife’s pictures. I really enjoy them. Love that area up there.

Great pics! Thanks for sharing them!

Wow

Great photos

Cool pics!

Awesome photos

Thank you for sharing. Rate treat to see animals like them.

Missed this the first go around, glad it got bumped. Amazing shots and that dark buck is incredible. Thanks for sharing!

Absolutely stunning photo's, Good job. Thanks for sharing.

Had to come back to this. Good photos. Thanks and Be Well.

Great captures, per always!

Great pictures, Love to see it