Three Weeks of Camera Action

Joan and I went to Florida for Thanksgiving followed by a scuba diving trip in the Keys followed by my niece, Kristen, getting married in Islamorada.  As a result, nobody was at the farm for the peak of the rut and the one week Ohio gun season.  The cameras had a lot of activity on them and I had a hard time sorting it down to these 50 shots.

This is the "backward buck".  I'm afraid that he's no longer king of the hill.  He still has 11 points left but at least 3 points have been broken off.  I think that some young stud has been beating him up.

This is the "high 8".  Only right now, he's only seven - one brow tine is missing.  The buck that I shot earlier in archery season (and never recovered) had to be related to this guy.  He had a similiar rack, not quite so big, and smaller but intact brow tines. This big guy was in the main field before sundown yesterday.

You'll notice that the next 15 pictures or so were all taken in daylight.  It's very unusual to have this much daylight buck activity.  These fight shots indicate that the rut was in process.

Notice the antlers on the left edge of the frame.

 This is the "mutant buck".  His left antler doesn't match his right - it's just a 2 point fork.  I've seen alot of this buck this year.

The mutant again.

The mutant once again.

Only a minute later but a different buck.

The high 8 (but really a 7 now).

The mutant.

Compact hat on this guy.  But a nice 10 point.

Lost the fight.

Some of the ladies that all these guys have been fighting over.


Many more photos to choose from - I figured that this was enough.