Perfect 10

I Started the year 2021 off right, getting the best bang for my buck! This image comes from my first outing in the field that year. I was fortunate to spend about an hour with this buck and 25 or so of his closest friends only a short distance from home. We have so much wildlife just beyond the reach of our own backyards here in Southern, Ontario. It’s just a matter of putting in a little time & having some patience. I have to thank a local acquaintance and deer “whisperer” for spending some time with me, after crossing paths in the field. This gentleman provided me with further knowledge about deer, as well as some solid advice on another area in a nearby forest to focus my attention on during the deepest days of winter. Needless to say, not 24 hrs later it paid off.  What you see here is one of the results. After crossing paths with this buck - he “modelled” for a good 15 minutes. He then slowly circled around me, almost as if he was leading me to his friends intentionally. Before I knew it, I found myself surrounded by a herd of about 25 whitetail deer for over an hour. I only left because it was well past dark. A truly memorable encounter in beautiful wintery conditions.

I ended up giving this 10-point buck the nickname ‘Stone’ for a couple of reasons. His stone-cold good looks and stare for one! I am also a big music fan. One of my favourite bands, Pearl Jam, released their debut album in 1991, titled ‘Ten’. One of the founding members of Pearl Jam is guitarist Stone Gossard. In my eyes, the album ‘Ten’ is near perfect. . this is how my brain works, I don’t make up the rules, I just go with it! A beautiful 10-point buck staring me down with his stone-cold good looks, I just had to call him ‘Stone’ and title this image ‘Perfect 10’.

Over the course of time since our first meeting, Stone and his friends I feel have almost accepted me as one of their own. He hangs out with five other bucks on the regular. I have spent so much time around them; I feel like they look at me as if I am just another harmless creature in the woods. This relationship has afforded me some incredible observations of behaviour as well as amazing photographic opportunities.