Cold morning...

Verdon: I quite like this, but I am an elk fanatic! I LOVE the look in his eye and the steam from his bugle. I think I would be tempted to crop even more from the right side if you are going to stick with this heavy crop...as is I find it a little unabalanced to my eye, and I find myself wanting more showing under his neck/chest. When I zoom in on my phone (I use that for alternate crop ideas sometimes) I like it much better with less of his side showing on the right and making it more of a vertical. Helps excuse the clipped antler ad well imo.

In any event, I'm jealous...I haven't been this close to a bull in a LONG time. Just not working out for us this rut (yet). ;)

Thanks for sharing...makes me want to get back out there now.

Great close-up portrait Verdon, I love that steam. I would go for an even tighter crop in this case, something as enclosed, or wider to include the entire rack. As presented it is a somewhere-in-between crop that does not really work as well as it could IMO.

thank you very much for your comments, the improved version looks a lot more better, thanks!

Love the look in his eye and that "frothy" breath Verdon
I would use a 4:5 crop, here's my version.
Of course, this assumes you lost the antler left from the start..
Great post & have nice Sunday

Thank you very much guys, I think both versions are good, but I would choose Howard's one...👏

I did a really poor job attempting to explain what I was visualizing, but Howard did it. That's exactly what I was thinking of. I actually really liked Vincent's as well, though! Anyway it's a great shot...the eye and the steam definitely make it. Congrats again!