{"id":6628,"date":"2012-11-22T11:19:48","date_gmt":"2012-11-22T18:19:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=6628"},"modified":"2026-02-25T15:37:45","modified_gmt":"2026-02-25T21:37:45","slug":"resting-mule-deer-buck-at-bear-river-national-wildlife-refuge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/11\/22\/resting-mule-deer-buck-at-bear-river-national-wildlife-refuge\/","title":{"rendered":"Resting Mule Deer Buck At Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"RestingResting Mule Deer buck – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1\/400, ISO 250, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited or called in<\/span><\/p>\n

I went north to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge<\/span><\/a> this morning because Antelope Island State Park is closed on Thanksgiving and I was hopeful that I’d see some great birds there due to some recent reports from other people who have gone there this past week.<\/p>\n

Two Ross’s Geese had been seen and photographed there and I would have loved to have photographed them. I say loved because I could not find them.<\/p>\n

I did see an Adult Bald Eagle, several Northern Harriers, a couple of Red-tailed Hawks and a single Rough-legged Hawk but they were all too far away. In addition, I saw two Western Grebes, some Pied-billed and Eared Grebes that were also too far away.<\/p>\n

Way out on the water I could see flocks of Ruddy Ducks, Gadwalls and Northern Shovelers and even further away two Tundra Swans.<\/p>\n

Closer up were some American Coots and Northern Pintail duck drakes but the Pintails were very nervous. I would be too because today is one of the biggest days for duck hunting in Utah.<\/p>\n

The shorter version of the long paragraph above is “Bird photography sucked today”.<\/p>\n

My best shots of the day were of this resting Mule Deer buck that I almost missed spotting because he blended in so well with the habitat. I wish his antlers stood out better from the dried Pigweed behind him but he is still a handsome buck.<\/p>\n

Life is 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":"

So, my best shots of the day were of this resting Mule Deer buck that I almost missed spotting because he blended in so well with the habitat.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":170503,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[124,1148,317,26],"tags":[4004,970,4184,3801,4620,4062,4094,4022,4035,4180,4156,4095,4032],"class_list":["post-6628","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge","category-box-elder-county-utah","category-mule-deer","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-autumn","tag-buck","tag-deer","tag-fall","tag-male","tag-marsh","tag-mule-deer","tag-nature-photography","tag-odocoileus-hemionus","tag-resting","tag-wetlands","tag-wildlife-photography"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/mule-deer-buck-mia-mcpherson-1363.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-1IU","jetpack_sharing_enabled":false,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":42589,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/10\/12\/mule-deer-buck-at-bear-river-mbr\/","url_meta":{"origin":6628,"position":0},"title":"Mule Deer Buck At Bear River MBR \u2013 Celebrating National Wildlife Refuge Week","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"October 12, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Last fall I photographed this beautiful Mule Deer buck at Bear River MBR in rut as he followed a doe around the frost-covered marsh.","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Mule Deer buck in a marsh at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/mule-deer-buck-mia-mcpherson-9511.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-buck-mia-mcpherson-9511.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/mule-deer-buck-mia-mcpherson-9511.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/mule-deer-buck-mia-mcpherson-9511.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":32527,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/11\/14\/a-mule-deer-buck-in-rut-at-bear-river-national-wildlife-refuge\/","url_meta":{"origin":6628,"position":1},"title":"Mule Deer Buck In Rut At Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"November 14, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday I found a Mule Deer buck in rut following a doe in the marsh next to the Bear River at Bear River National Wildlife Refuge.","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Mule Deer buck in morning light in a marsh at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/mule-deer-buck-mia-mcpherson-9474.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/mule-deer-buck-mia-mcpherson-9474.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/mule-deer-buck-mia-mcpherson-9474.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/mule-deer-buck-mia-mcpherson-9474.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":95760,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/09\/30\/two-mule-deer-bucks-in-the-marsh-at-bear-river-mbr\/","url_meta":{"origin":6628,"position":2},"title":"Two Mule Deer Bucks In The Marsh At Bear River MBR","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"September 30, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Monday morning I saw a group of three Mule Deer bucks slowly moving through tall vegetation in the marsh at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Two young Mule Deer bucks in the marsh at Bear River MBR, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/mule-deer-bucks-in-marsh-mia-mcpherson-6142.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/mule-deer-bucks-in-marsh-mia-mcpherson-6142.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/mule-deer-bucks-in-marsh-mia-mcpherson-6142.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/mule-deer-bucks-in-marsh-mia-mcpherson-6142.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5150,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/06\/08\/mule-deer-portraits\/","url_meta":{"origin":6628,"position":3},"title":"Mule Deer Portraits","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 8, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"While out on Antelope Island State Park the other day I spotted a Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus) that was almost hidden by tall grasses and stopped to get some images.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Mule Deer buck in velvet head on, portrait of a Mule Deer buck in velvet, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/mule-deer-buck-portrait-mia-mcpherson-7345.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-buck-portrait-mia-mcpherson-7345.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/mule-deer-buck-portrait-mia-mcpherson-7345.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/mule-deer-buck-portrait-mia-mcpherson-7345.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6332,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/10\/12\/mule-deer-buck-on-antelope-island\/","url_meta":{"origin":6628,"position":4},"title":"Mule Deer Buck On Antelope Island","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"October 12, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Two days ago while looking for birds to photograph on Antelope Island State Park this Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus) buck came into view.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Mule Deer on a rocky hillside, Antelope Island State Park, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/mule-deer-buck-mia-mcpherson-0015.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-buck-mia-mcpherson-0015.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/mule-deer-buck-mia-mcpherson-0015.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/mule-deer-buck-mia-mcpherson-0015.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":11621,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/12\/07\/atypical-mule-deer-buck-on-antelope-island-state-park\/","url_meta":{"origin":6628,"position":5},"title":"Atypical Mule Deer Buck On Antelope Island State Park","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"December 7, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"I like this atypical Mule Deer because he isn't typical instead he is different, he stands out.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Atypical Mule Deer buck, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/mule-deer-buck-atypical-mia-mcpherson-7382.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-buck-atypical-mia-mcpherson-7382.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/mule-deer-buck-atypical-mia-mcpherson-7382.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/mule-deer-buck-atypical-mia-mcpherson-7382.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\/6628","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=6628"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6628\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/170503"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6628"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6628"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6628"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}