Nature Photography

There are several large bucks at Cherry Creek. During spring and early summer, they often hang out together, lounging among the tall grass in the meadows amongst the cottonwoods. When winter rolls around, however, these former friends become enemies. This year, one of the older bucks apparently lost an eye in a fight. I found old one-eye out in one of the open plains, surrounded by his fifteen-strong harem, and several young bucks, some of them yearlings.

It’s always sad to see a buck lose an eye or end up injured in another way during the rut. When it came to old one-eye, however, he remained healthy and strong, and has been roaming around the park with with a rather large herd. The deer this year have been extremely healthy. The does are large and have the most beautiful fur coats. The bucks have beautiful, healthy antlers, all polished and glistening shiny.