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Whitetail buck
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Whitetail buck

by D. Robert Franz

Gallery: WildlifePosted January 9, 20071,773 views15 comments
Photographed this fine whitetail buck during last Novembers rut. Here the buck was trying to work a scrape without any trees in the prairie environment. In wooded areas they scrape out a section of dirt to urinate in and the always mark twigs above the scrape with scent glands located near the eyes. Here he had no twig to scent mark but when through the motions anyway.

Canon Eos1d2, EF500mmF4IS, Gitzo & Foba, ISO 400, 1/400 @ F4

Comments

15 comments
Comment posted by Juza on January 9, 2007 at 11:32 AM
Splendid photo Dale :toast:
Registered on November 1, 2003, 374 Posts, 10466 Comments
Comment posted by Ian Mason on January 9, 2007 at 11:41 AM
lovely animal in a beautiful setting - well done!
Registered on December 14, 2005, 399 Posts, 2305 Comments
Comment posted by renae sandberg on January 9, 2007 at 1:12 PM
Fantastic photo :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast:
Registered on December 29, 2004, 313 Posts, 2476 Comments
Comment posted by Nate Chappell on January 9, 2007 at 1:12 PM
Great pose, setting :toast:
Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments
Comment posted by Cay-Uwe Kulzer on January 9, 2007 at 4:14 PM
Robert,

I like the difuse foreground and background. That lets the buck stand out nicely. The pose is also great, as well the clors...
Registered on January 27, 2004, 494 Posts, 4021 Comments
Comment posted by Paul Mccroskey on January 9, 2007 at 7:27 PM
Great photo of a great buck.
Registered on July 22, 2005, 8 Posts, 42 Comments
Comment posted by Dan Walters on January 10, 2007 at 12:05 AM
Beautiful shot! Very majestic looking buck.
Registered on October 30, 2005, 405 Posts, 3693 Comments
Comment posted by Leann Greene on January 10, 2007 at 3:19 AM
Geez what a tank-excellently presented. :toast:
Registered on January 25, 2006, 223 Posts, 3566 Comments
Comment posted by Ken Archer on January 10, 2007 at 4:39 AM
:cool: Nice One Dale!!!

Ken Archer
Registered on October 28, 2004, 222 Posts, 6683 Comments
Comment posted by Kent Staubus on January 11, 2007 at 12:14 AM
Great behavior shot. I've often seen these guys do that out in the field, sniffing for does. They sometimes will also lick their nose at the same time. I've heard this called "fleeming," I think.


Kent in SD
Registered on November 11, 2003, 121 Posts, 2098 Comments
Comment posted by D. Robert Franz on January 11, 2007 at 2:13 AM
"Great behavior shot. I've often seen these guys do that out in the field, sniffing for does. They sometimes will also lick their nose at the same time. I've heard this called "fleeming," I think. "

That behavior is called the flehem response. The buck sniffs the females unine deeply and then lifts his head into the wind and curls back his lips. Receptors in the roof of the mouth are activated. He can can deternime if the doe is in heat. Deer, moose,elk, bison, sheep, horses, cattel and many other ungulates exhibit this behavior.



Registered on November 17, 2003, 93 Posts, 335 Comments
Comment posted by Rob Graham on January 11, 2007 at 8:23 AM
great pic of a monster buck :toast:
Registered on August 22, 2006, 842 Posts, 2824 Comments
Comment posted by Catherine Reilly on January 15, 2007 at 1:58 PM
Oh, is he ever in his prime. What a gorgeous animal. Appreciate the explanation of the behavior, too. Beautiful shot; congrats on the EP. :toast:
Registered on August 16, 2006, 603 Posts, 9192 Comments
Comment posted by Bill Fach on January 15, 2007 at 6:14 PM
An exceptionally good capture of this guy. Beautiful animal, beautiful photo.>=))>
Registered on November 1, 2003, 1805 Posts, 26981 Comments
Comment posted by Joe Vincent on January 16, 2007 at 9:41 PM
This is sweet Dale!!! :toast: :toast:
Registered on August 16, 2005, 69 Posts, 792 Comments