The Furry Crown

Antlers. They have fascinated man since the beginning. Going back thousands of years one can see man's love for “animals with antlers” etched and painted on the walls of caves. Antlers were a trophy in a different way before they were used to decorate the walls of our hunting camps and game rooms. Before modern civilization, antlers were used to make tools, ceremonial wear, and weapons just to name a few of the uses. During the growing season (spring through summer) antlers are covered in a very fine and soft membrane most commonly called velvet. When antlers are in velvet, they are very vulnerable to being injured. Bucks seem to be very aware that they have this fragile treasure on their head and are very careful in their actions throughout antler genesis.

I took this photograph on an early spring morning.  I was out for a walk at the wildlife refuge. There were hundreds of birds all flying around. It did not seem like any of them wanted to be the model for my photoshoot that day. Walking down a trail I saw this young buck laying down. His furry white antlers caught the sunlight as it layed there checking out if I was a predator. His eyes stood out to me. Unlike when you see bucks in the fall, he did not display the same confidence. His concern was for his curry crown on his head. I love this picture because his eyes and antlers are telling the story of this deer.

Location: Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, Colorado