Upon finishing my Sunday breakfast, I stood to remove the dishes from the table and saw a handsome mature mule deer buck grazing near the corner of the south fence. Instinctively, I found my camera, checked the settings and slowly eased out onto the deck. By this time three younger male deer had come out of the timber and began crossing the meadow single file. Perhaps out of territorial anxieties, the big fellow carefully watched the younger ones as they marched before him.
Without haste, the young deer moved on across the meadow and out of sight behind the rocks and trees.
The big deer somehow became aware of my presence on the deck and looked back toward me.
He then turned in the direction taken by the younger deer, and I captured four images as he moved.
I’m posting all four images because each shows all of the deer’s hooves off the ground simultaneously in a bounding gait known as “stotting”. Gazelles exhibit this behavior also. Entertaining to watch! They can also trot and run in the usual manner.
I’m done for now!
Jack…