That time of year

It's actually been here for a few weeks now...hunting season. I have been only about 3 times so far. This time of year it is bow season, so you have to be extra good because you have to be so much closer to the animal to get a successful shot. Anywho, my lovely wife allowed me to get a "game camera" this past weekend. For those that are unfamiliar, it is a simple digital camera mounted inside a waterproof casing that has an infared motion sensor and flash that will snap pictures any time something activates the motion sensor.

Just from hunting the few times I've been out this year, I know that the deer are moving thru this area (on our property) because the corn and apples that I have put out are disappearing rather quickly. I have also seen a doe with what looks like a yearling (born last year) with her...as seen here: (mom in the foreground)



I put the camera out on Sunday (1 Oct.), consequently, that was also our first wedding anniversary! I retrieved the camera this afternoon (Wed. 4 Oct.) as soon as I got home from work. It had taken 36 pictures! As with the previous picture, all but one of the photos were taken after dark...just what I had suspected and was afraid of. Deer are very smart creatures and very tough to hunt. I suppose that's alot of the appeal for most people. It wouldn't be very much fun if you could open your window and shoot them huh?

I had already guessed that they were using the area mostly at night and pics like this really confirmed that.



This is the same two does from above with mom being the in the foreground again and only the eyes of the younger doe can be seen.

Most of the pics are very similar to these. However the one exception I mentioned, the only one that was not after dark, captured another deer altogether!



Notice the light starting to filter thru the trees in the background. I haven't been able to determine if this the break of day or just before dusk. I need a camera that has the time and date imprinted on it! Obviously this is a small buck, without a doubt just a lil over a year old (fawns are typically born in June and July). This is what is called a spike because he has two antlers with no points branching off. It is however pretty good length for the antlers. Some would refer to this as a "cow-horn spike".

Now, the camera snapped some pictures of what may be another small buck. From the angles I've seen, I can't determine if the pic of the spike above could possibly this small "4 pointer".



Same deer? Possibly. Could've had his head turned just enough that the other points just didn't show up in the first photo. Who knows? We need more proof! :)

This is already proving to be more fun for me than I had anticipated. Maybe it's a part of the scientist in me that wants to know what's going on...especially when it's right here in our backyard.

Stayed tuned.....I'm sure I'll have more to come!