I encountered these two old bucks in Shenandoah National Park today, and was pretty excited. So much so in fact, that I didn't notice how sickly that this poor animal appears to be until I reviewed the photos at home. It looks to me like he's in pretty bad shape and unlikely to survive the winter.
Also, here is a link to a larger version on smugmug.
It looks to me as if his coat is in very poor condition, almost mangy. In the larger version you can see his upper face between his nose and eyes is pretty much bare skin, and the ruff around his neck is about all there is of a normal coat... to my eye, anyway. On his left rear hock there looks like some sort of growth, and also his antlers, although large, look somewhat deformed on his left side.
End of the summer means the end of the velvet phase of antler growth. This also coincides with the shedding of summer coats and the development of winter coats. He'll look great by the time rutting season arrives in late October.
That's good to hear hahn. End-of-summer scruffiness was what I was thinking when I saw him in the field, but I began to doubt that when I saw the photo. Like I said, I'm glad to be wrong. I hate to see anything suffer.
Here's another photo of the deer that's in the background for comparison. He looks a little scruffy but overall better than the buck in question to me.
End of the summer means the end of the velvet phase of antler growth. This also coincides with the shedding of summer coats and the development of winter coats. He'll look great by the time rutting season arrives in late October.
Black tailed deer.
Agreed. We're into that season as well here in NY State.
Of course I never seem to have my camera ready when the bucks wander onto my back lawn.
