Tangled Mule Deer does and fawns – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1600, ISO 500, -0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
Last week while I was up in the Wasatch Mountains is saw some interesting Mule Deer doe behavior after I started to take images of two does and two fawns. At first all of the deer were together drinking water from a creek. I included this photo of all four of them in what looked to be a tangled mess of legs, eyes, heads and ears. This photo made me chuckle.
Mule Deer fawn crossing a creek – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1600, ISO 500, -0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
Within a minute one of the does and one fawn headed towards a thick stand of willows leaving one doe and fawn behind. The remaining fawn headed into the creek for another drink of water.
Mule Deer doe and fawn with a creek – Nikon D500, f10, 1/1000, ISO 500, -0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
Then the young deer walked back towards the doe who had moved up onto the creek bank to have a look around. I was quite a distance from the deer and at a higher elevation looking down towards them both. Both of the deer soon settled back down.
Mule Deer fawn on a grassy creek bank – Nikon D500, f10, 1/1000, ISO 500, -0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
The fawn moved onto the creek bank and started to feed on the lush green grasses. The doe, outside of the left side of this frame, moved towards the fawn.
Mule Deer doe kicking her fawn – Nikon D500, f10, 1/1000, ISO 500, -0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
Then the fawn moved closer to the doe and she surprised me when she kicked the fawn with her left leg. I started to wonder if the fawn that she was with might not belong to the other doe that was still in the willows. Her behavior towards the fawn puzzled me.
Doe Mule Deer kicking her fawn – Nikon D500, f10, 1/1000, ISO 500, -0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
After I returned home I spoke with my friend Steve Creek about the does behavior. He helped to make what she had done less puzzling to me. Steve knows a lot more about deer than I do.
At this time of the year some of the fawns are still trying to nurse and the does are making sure that they don’t so they become self sufficient. I don’t know why I hadn’t thought about that but I hadn’t seen this behavior before. My thanks to go out to Steve for helping me learn more about deer.
Mule Deer doe drinking from a creek – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1250, ISO 500, -0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
The fawn moved up slope after being kicked three times. The doe took a long drink of cool water from the creek before she also started moving up the creek bank onto the mountain slope.
Me? I was happy to learn something new about Mule Deer.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Mule Deer photos plus facts and information about this species.
Fascinating narrative to accompany a very interesting group of pics. I did a little [as in…little] checking on the internet and came away with the same impression as your other contributors, that maybe she was just telling her kid to bug off. Then again, maybe not. It’s a mystery. Thanks Mia.
Ah, that explains why my Mom always kicked me around.
Another wonderful series of photographs with some bonus education.
(Come on fall migration.)
What fun shots — the fawns are adorable. Thank you for the behavioral information. I often see my foster moms get pretty insistent, even to the point of growling and snapping at their puppies or kittens. I didn’t make the connection to the kicking.
Lovely shots. I love the tangle of legs. I once saw a White-tailed doe do the same thing to her fawn. The fawn was actively trying to nurse. The doe would turn away from the fawn & push it away with her front leg. With your fawn not actively trying to nurse, I can understand your confusion.