{"id":94714,"date":"2021-09-10T05:34:57","date_gmt":"2021-09-10T11:34:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=94714"},"modified":"2026-02-26T06:52:34","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T12:52:34","slug":"small-herd-of-mule-deer-on-a-smoky-morning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/09\/10\/small-herd-of-mule-deer-on-a-smoky-morning\/","title":{"rendered":"Small Herd Of Mule Deer On A Smoky Morning"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"HerdHerd of Mule Deer on a smoky morning – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1\/400, ISO 800, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Yesterday morning I photographed a small herd of Mule Deer in a smoky haze while I was looking for birds in the West Desert. The smoke from the western wildfires seems to have been hanging in the air here in the Great Basin<\/span><\/a> since spring and I long for clearer skies.<\/p>\n

Summer soon comes to an end but it won’t be the end of the wildfire season for some time yet.<\/p>\n

I found birds yesterday with the first being a large falcon whose ID I couldn’t pin down because the smoke in the air made it hard for me to see.<\/p>\n

I found several Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jays and Red-tailed Hawks, Pine Siskins, a Wilson’s Warbler, Black-capped Chickadees, Juniper Titmice, and a hummingbird so high in a tree that I had trouble getting my heavy lens up for it.<\/p>\n

Also, I spotted a few Vesper and Chipping Sparrows, American Robins, and heard some Ruby-crowned Kinglets moving through the shrubs.<\/p>\n

I did take some nice photos of a very cooperative and close Red-tailed Hawk that I found and pointed out next to the road. But the photos I most wanted to see when I got home were the images of the herd of Mule Deer because I thought the light looked lovely despite the smoky haze.<\/p>\n

When I looked at this photo on my large screen I knew right away that I liked how it turned out. I haven’t taken as many Mule Deer photos in recent years as I would like to so when I see them I like to stop and take a few photos.<\/p>\n

I’m glad that I did yesterday.<\/p>\n

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

Mia<\/p>\n

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

Yesterday morning I photographed a small herd of Mule Deer in a smoky haze while I was looking for birds in the West Desert.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":170574,"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":[317,358,26,1314],"tags":[3801,4097,4109,2059,887,3914,2691,4378,4069,4022,4180,10452,5376,10404,2690,5302,4193],"class_list":["post-94714","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mule-deer","category-tooele-county","category-utah","category-west-desert-utah","tag-deer","tag-doe","tag-grasses","tag-haze","tag-herd","tag-juniper","tag-juniperus-osteosperma","tag-morning","tag-mountains","tag-mule-deer","tag-odocoileus-hemionus","tag-sky-island-mountains","tag-smoke","tag-smoky","tag-utah-juniper","tag-wildfire","tag-young"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/mule-deer-herd-in-smoky-haze-mia-mcpherson-0331.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-oDE","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":74369,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/10\/05\/mule-deer-does-crossing-a-gravel-road-in-the-west-desert\/","url_meta":{"origin":94714,"position":0},"title":"Mule Deer Does Crossing A Gravel Road In The West Desert","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"October 5, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Last week I found a small herd of does and fawns on a gravel road that leads to the foothills and mountain canyons of the Stansbury Mountains that hung around long enough to be photographed.","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 does crossing a gravel road, West Desert, Tooele County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mule-deer-does-west-desert-mia-mcpherson-0875.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mule-deer-does-west-desert-mia-mcpherson-0875.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mule-deer-does-west-desert-mia-mcpherson-0875.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mule-deer-does-west-desert-mia-mcpherson-0875.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":36306,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/02\/26\/a-mule-deer-yearling-on-the-foothills-of-the-stansbury-mountains\/","url_meta":{"origin":94714,"position":1},"title":"Mule Deer Yearling On The Foothills Of The Stansbury Mountains","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 26, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"There were a number of yearlings in the herd including this Mule Deer yearling that was on a slight ridge who appeared to be looking right at me.","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 yearling on the foothills of the Stansbury Mountains in Tooele County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/mule-deer-yearling-mia-mcpherson-4472.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/mule-deer-yearling-mia-mcpherson-4472.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/mule-deer-yearling-mia-mcpherson-4472.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/mule-deer-yearling-mia-mcpherson-4472.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":57559,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/05\/02\/mule-deer-doe-may-snow-in-the-stansbury-mountains\/","url_meta":{"origin":94714,"position":2},"title":"Mule Deer Doe & May Snow In The Stansbury Mountains","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 2, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"My best photo of the morning was a Mule Deer doe in a stand of junipers and even then a cloud blocked the beautiful light. Yes, that is snow on the junipers, on May 1st!\u00a0","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 snowy junipers, Stansbury Mountains, Tooele County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/mule-deer-doe-junipers-mia-mcpherson-7198.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-doe-junipers-mia-mcpherson-7198.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/mule-deer-doe-junipers-mia-mcpherson-7198.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/mule-deer-doe-junipers-mia-mcpherson-7198.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":45839,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/03\/28\/mule-deer-and-spring-grasses\/","url_meta":{"origin":94714,"position":3},"title":"Mule Deer and Spring Grasses","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 28, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"The warm temps and wet weather have produced lush, green spring grasses and forbs and the Mule Deer are now able to find fresh food without snow cover","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":"Yearling Mule Deer on a grassy slope, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/mule-deer-yearlings-mia-mcpherson-8269.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-yearlings-mia-mcpherson-8269.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/mule-deer-yearlings-mia-mcpherson-8269.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/mule-deer-yearlings-mia-mcpherson-8269.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":45702,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/03\/21\/mule-deer-leaping-over-a-fence-in-box-elder-county\/","url_meta":{"origin":94714,"position":4},"title":"Mule Deer Leaping Over A Fence In Box Elder County","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 21, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"I got lucky and the first Mule Deer that leaped over the fence filled my viewfinder and I didn't clip anything.","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":"Mule Deer leaping over a fence, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mule-deer-leaping-mia-mcpherson-0056.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mule-deer-leaping-mia-mcpherson-0056.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mule-deer-leaping-mia-mcpherson-0056.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/mule-deer-leaping-mia-mcpherson-0056.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":94714,"position":5},"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":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94714","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=94714"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94714\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/170574"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=94714"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=94714"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=94714"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}