Curious Deer

| 7 images

I really love the deer at Cherry Creek. They are beautiful, healthy, and extremely curious. In late spring, very early summer, they roam around in large groups…both older males and younglings. By mid to late may, they have the velvet-covered stubs of their new antlers growing in, and they are the most docile, curious creatures you’ll ever encounter. Every evening, starting just before sunset, the group of males, sometimes more than ten strong, will head to Cottonwood Creek for a drink. On occasion, I’ve been there, photographing birds, when the deer arrive. They can never quite seem to decide…go up and lick that curious photographer creature in the face, or run run run away! Sometimes, one particular deer will get very close, sometimes so close I can’t even frame his head in my camera: “Closer…nose out…another step….HUFF! PUFF! Snort! Run away! Run away!” Every time…although I think he gets about an inch closer each time, too. 😉

Here are some photos of the rich beauty of these wonderful animals from the end of May, beginning of July this year. The first one is my favorite.

All of these were shot after the sun went down, Canon 5D Mark III and EF 600mm f/4 L II lens, ISO 12800. (This camera is amazing!)