Whitetail Deer, Buck Head Studies

[Glen Conley]

Photos posted with permission of photographer.

Notice a slight mane on the yearling buck.

I have added another photo of this first velvet buck.  You will see him below as a walking buck.  The casual observer would think it to be a different deer all together.  This first photo was taken under trees just as the sun was setting.  The rays bouncing around under the canopy gave the lighting effect.  The second photo was taken the same day, but in late afternoon with the deer in the open.  In both cases, the photos were taken with a telephoto lens.

Notice the amount of expression in the first photo.  Notice the length of the lip line, and shape of the same.  Remember that when you look at the walking photo.  He shows almost zero expression when fully relaxed, and the lip line is "full length".

There's a moral to the story on this business of lip length, LIPS MOVe!

[AndyO]

Nice side view in upright position!

[Glen Conley]

Yearling buck
This young buck is right out of velvet.  Take a close look at the head on this yearling.  You should instantly see a look of "fullness", or "blockiness".

Look at how full, or deep the chin is, and follow that line back to the "corner" of the jaw, then shoot an imaginary line vertically to the antler burr.  The head developement of this buck will continue along such lines.  His nose to eye will be proportionately short compared to the height of the head from top of the skull to the bottom of the back part of the jaw.  In other words, the head growth will be more downward instead of forward and downward producing a more "blocky" head.

I've added a photo below of this yearling that was taken in 2005.  This will show what I was describing above.  Also, while you're here, take a look at the length of the lip line, and notice too as to how straight it is.

[Beaumont taxidermy]

Great pics as usual Geln

Thanks

J

[Glen Conley]

You can see the blocky head developement quite well here.  Notice the proportionately short nose to eye distance.  Now look at that looooooong lip line, and again notice how straight it is.

This photo was taken after dark with a flash.  The inset in the upper left hand corner shows the exposure value before correcting exposure with a photo program.