And the Verdict Is?

Gallery: WildlifePosted November 9, 2012218 views4 comments

Last one of this series. Collective sigh of relief? After bachelor buck #3 saw the doe finishing her urinatiion and moving off, he quickly moved in and put his nose down to get it nice and wet with urine. Then he raises his head and curls his upper lip back to get a sample of the urine to a special organ they have which can detect if the doe is ready to breed or not. Alas, she was not. So he lost interest and left the scene. But I'm sure he'll be trying many more times before the end of the rut with a variety of does. I warmed this image up just a bit and did routine sharpening. Nothing else. Otherwise, this is full frame as shot. Comments and critiques welcomed and appreciated.

Tech Info

Canon 60D with EF 70-200mm f/4L with 1.4 TC = 280mm
1/250th @ f/6.3 and ISO 1000
tripod

Comments

4 comments

Comment posted by John Tobias on November 9, 2012 at 1:44 PM

Good one Peter to end the series on! Very sharp, good detail and nice colors. I do think a vertical crop would work better.
Thanks for sharing this series.

Registered on September 12, 2009, 2120 Posts, 6455 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Archer on November 9, 2012 at 8:44 PM

This is a great looking black-tail buck Peter. Very nice behavior photo, perhaps a little to centerd. You have done a nice job capturing the story of the rut in your series of pictures.

Ken Archer

Registered on October 28, 2004, 222 Posts, 6683 Comments

Comment posted by John Launstein on November 9, 2012 at 11:53 PM

Peter there is a lot to like in this image! For starters that is one fine-looking buck, and the behavior is great. But it's the look in his eye (nice catchlight!) and overall quality of light and resulting mood that makes this one of my favorites from you. I do wish for just a bit more of his neck to show and immediately thought of a more vertical image given the amount of neck/body showing. Might need to be 4:5 instead of 2:3...or even square. In any event, I really like this one and am a little jealous of the quality of buck...I've been striking out completely in finding anything with mass this fall.

Great stuff!

Registered on April 5, 2011, 223 Posts, 1193 Comments

Comment posted by Vincent Grafhorst on November 10, 2012 at 7:53 AM

This is certainly one of the most impressive images of your series Peter, you saved the best for last! That eye really stands out well and the DOF is well chosen, rendering the BG nicely OOF. Like others, I do feel a vertical comp would have suited this better, with some more room included below Further I would advise to apply some NR to the BG.

Registered on February 24, 2006, 504 Posts, 7203 Comments