{"id":52753,"date":"2018-06-24T04:44:46","date_gmt":"2018-06-24T10:44:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=52753"},"modified":"2026-02-26T06:31:38","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T12:31:38","slug":"portraits-of-mule-deer-in-willows","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/06\/24\/portraits-of-mule-deer-in-willows\/","title":{"rendered":"Portraits of Mule Deer in Willows"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"PairPair of Mule Deer in willows – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1250, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

I haven’t photographed Mule Deer in a while so when I saw a pair of them in willows next to a creek last week I felt I had to take their photos, especially because of all the lush greenery that surrounded them.<\/p>\n

I was up in a canyon in the Wasatch Mountains and it is so, so much greener up there than down in the valley where the hot temps have already dried up most of the grasses.<\/p>\n

This pair of Muleys came into view and because they were close I decided to leave my teleconverter on and take portraits of the deer. Both deer seemed curious and instead of moving away they moved towards the vehicle.<\/p>\n

\"MuleMule Deer doe in willows – Nikon D500, f8, 1\/1000, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light <\/span><\/p>\n

When the doe was separated from the buck I was able to take a series of photos that showed off her very large ears, her eye lashes and her deep brown eyes, they are so dark that her eyes almost look black.\u00a0 She stands out so well from the green of the willows in the background.<\/p>\n

\"YoungYoung Mule Deer buck in the willows – Nikon D500, f9, 1\/1250, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light <\/span><\/p>\n

I laughed out loud when I saw the sideways look I appeared to be getting from the young Mule Deer Buck on my computer monitor at home. I liked this photo so much that I used it to make a birthday card for my grandson Luke who celebrated his birthday on Friday and placed the words “Happy Birthday Deer Luke” to the right of the buck’s face.<\/p>\n

It was fun to have these Mule Deer<\/span><\/a> in my viewfinder for a few minutes, I would have liked to have photographed them for a longer period of time but a noisy diesel pickup rumbled by and made a racket which scared the deer up and over a hill.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a><\/span> to see more of my Mule Deer photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I haven’t photographed Mule Deer in a while so when I saw a pair of them in willows next to a creek last week I felt I had to take their photos, especially because of all the lush greenery that surrounded them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":170553,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[317,1731,26,773],"tags":[4184,3940,5685,3801,4097,4022,6595,4180,4746,165,4417,902,4193],"class_list":["post-52753","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mule-deer","category-summit-county-utah","category-utah","category-wasatch-mountains","tag-buck","tag-canyon","tag-close-ups","tag-deer","tag-doe","tag-mule-deer","tag-muleys","tag-odocoileus-hemionus","tag-portraits","tag-spring","tag-velvet","tag-willows","tag-young"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/mule-deers-willows-mia-mcpherson-6836.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-dIR","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":104157,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/07\/12\/creekside-mule-deer-doe\/","url_meta":{"origin":52753,"position":0},"title":"Creekside Mule Deer Doe","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 12, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"This creekside Mule Deer doe portrait was one of my favorite photos from my trip high into the Wasatch Mountains yesterday morning.","rel":"","context":"In "Mule Deer"","block_context":{"text":"Mule Deer","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/wildlife\/mule-deer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Creekside Mule Deer doe portrait, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/mule-deer-doe-close-up-mia-mcpherson-5115.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/mule-deer-doe-close-up-mia-mcpherson-5115.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/mule-deer-doe-close-up-mia-mcpherson-5115.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/mule-deer-doe-close-up-mia-mcpherson-5115.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":105971,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/09\/05\/puzzling-mule-deer-doe-behavior\/","url_meta":{"origin":52753,"position":1},"title":"Puzzling Mule Deer Doe Behavior","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"September 5, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"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.","rel":"","context":"In "Mule Deer"","block_context":{"text":"Mule Deer","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/wildlife\/mule-deer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Doe Mule Deer kicking her fawn, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/mule-deer-and-fawn-mia-mcpherson-0634.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/mule-deer-and-fawn-mia-mcpherson-0634.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/mule-deer-and-fawn-mia-mcpherson-0634.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/mule-deer-and-fawn-mia-mcpherson-0634.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":102176,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/05\/06\/yearling-mule-deer-buck-in-the-wasatch-mountains\/","url_meta":{"origin":52753,"position":2},"title":"Yearling Mule Deer Buck In The Wasatch Mountains","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 6, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"I drove up into the Wasatch Mountains yesterday. My Jeep got pretty muddy and one highlight of my morning was when I photographed this yearling Mule Deer buck.","rel":"","context":"In "Morgan County"","block_context":{"text":"Morgan County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/morgan-county\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Yearling Mule Deer buck giving me the look, Morgan County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/mule-deer-yearling-buck-mia-mcpherson-0773.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/mule-deer-yearling-buck-mia-mcpherson-0773.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/mule-deer-yearling-buck-mia-mcpherson-0773.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/mule-deer-yearling-buck-mia-mcpherson-0773.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":102878,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/06\/04\/oh-deer-what-a-wonderful-morning\/","url_meta":{"origin":52753,"position":3},"title":"Oh Deer, What A Wonderful Morning!","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 4, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Even though I am primarily a bird photographer I won't pass up the opportunity to photograph mammals when they come into my view like this Mule Deer doe did.","rel":"","context":"In "Mule Deer"","block_context":{"text":"Mule Deer","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/wildlife\/mule-deer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Shedding Mule Deer doe mid stride, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/mule-deer-doe-creek-mia-mcpherson-5130.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/mule-deer-doe-creek-mia-mcpherson-5130.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/mule-deer-doe-creek-mia-mcpherson-5130.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/mule-deer-doe-creek-mia-mcpherson-5130.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":48865,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/10\/09\/northern-utah-mule-deer\/","url_meta":{"origin":52753,"position":4},"title":"Northern Utah Mule Deer","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"October 9, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"These two Mule Deer were photographed in different settings, different lighting situations but about the same time of the morning and I find them both appealing.","rel":"","context":"In "Box Elder County"","block_context":{"text":"Box Elder County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/box-elder-county-utah\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Back lit Mule Deer buck, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/mule-deer-back-lit-mia-mcpherson-2812.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/mule-deer-back-lit-mia-mcpherson-2812.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/mule-deer-back-lit-mia-mcpherson-2812.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/mule-deer-back-lit-mia-mcpherson-2812.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8314,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/05\/07\/mule-deer-doe-in-the-stansbury-mountains\/","url_meta":{"origin":52753,"position":5},"title":"Mule Deer Doe in the Stansbury Mountains","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 7, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"I photographed this Mule Deer doe while camping in North Willow Canyon in the Stansbury Mountain Range of Tooele County, Utah.","rel":"","context":"In "Mule Deer"","block_context":{"text":"Mule Deer","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/wildlife\/mule-deer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Mule Deer doe in the Stansbury Mountains of Tooele County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/mule-deer-doe-mia-mcpherson-9108.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/mule-deer-doe-mia-mcpherson-9108.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/mule-deer-doe-mia-mcpherson-9108.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/mule-deer-doe-mia-mcpherson-9108.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52753","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=52753"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52753\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/170553"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=52753"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=52753"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=52753"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}