Hormones Gone Wild!
During a walk in the woods today a whitetail buck caught my attention - really I first saw his rack. He did not seem too concerned by my presence, instead maybe occupied by something else. That something else was a doe apparently coming into heat. She wasn’t receptive to him yet and was doing her best to separate herself from him.
Eventually I lost track of him/them in the woods as he was chasing her. Since I was close to my Jeep, I got out of the woods to see if I could find them. Find them I did - out in the open.
By the time I was in camera position she was bedded down on the back side of a hill as he stood watch and waited. Eventually, many times, she took off running. Mr. Buck chased her and she went into hiding. The two played this game until I lost them after they went deeper into a small timber.
In a day or two she will accept him. He will stay with her for multiple breedings and will then move on to another doe. Whitetail deer rut is an amazing time in the animal world!
Whitetail Deer - Rut - Image 1172503
Whitetail Deer - Rut - Image 1172512
Whitetail Deer - Rut - Image 1172522
Whitetail Deer - Rut - Image 1172586
Whitetail Deer - Rut - Image 1172597
Whitetail Deer - Rut - Image 1172646
Whitetail Deer - Rut - Image 1172711
Whitetail Deer - Rut - Image 1172813
Whitetail Deer - Rut - Image 1172872
Whitetail Deer - Rut - Image 1172903
Whitetail Deer - Rut - Image 1172904
Whitetail Deer - Rut - Image 1172907
