Whitetails Sparring

As I watched these bucks coming together it was unclear what was about to happen.  With the six-point was displaying very aggressive body language it appeared that a fight may ensue.

As the two met it became evident that they were only interested in a sparring match.

 

 

Friendly sparring

This shot is my favorite from this sparring match.

 

 

 

Butting Heads in Velvet

With our whitetail rut still over two months away, the bucks have begun sparring.  After a peaceful spring and summer resting, feeding, and traveling together tension is beginning to build in the bachelor groups.


 

Their velvet covered antlers in the very last stage of development apparently are not as sensitive as they were a short time ago.  These bucks were exerting considerable pressure as they jabbed, parried and shoved.

 

Soon the bachelor groups will dissolve as the bucks become more aggressive preparing for the fantastic season of love and war.

The Fight!

Having just returned home from two days of intensive whitetail rut photography I have only had time to quickly review the images, deleting the worst misses, and beginning the back-ups.  However during the review this image jumped out at me, begging to be processed.

The baleful eye, the bulging muscles, and the narrow shaft of sunlight illuminating just the bucks as they surge together; to my eye it is possibly of the most powerful whitetail image I have ever had the pleasure of capturing.

Actually these bucks were not fighting but rather were engaged in a friendly sparring match.  However friendly sparring can become violent at times but the violent agression and the desire to do physical damage to the opponent is not present during a sparring match.  These bucks would tussle for a few minutes, take a break, and then resume their game.