Let’s call this Mulie Monday!

This big boy is one of the stars of the show at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge. While his antlers don’t have a particularly large breadth, they are extraordinarily thick and definitely make him a fun one to photograph.

While rut is over, he was still quite interested in the does this past weekend, sticking close to two particular ladies. In the coming weeks, he will shed those antlers and then immediately start growing a new set in preparation for next fall.

No, not really a smile but it kind of looks like it. The deer rut is pretty much over but there are still some lingering signs of it. I am still occasionally seeing some bucks sparring and in this case, see them sniffing the ladies.

This handsome brute is displaying the flehmen response, a curling of the lips and opening of the mouth that allows it to get a nice, big whiff of scents. It is much like you or I take a big whiff with our nose.

This guy sure appeared to be pretty full of himself. 😉  Taken a couple of weeks ago, he was on the move, looking for the ladies as the rut continued.

White-tailed deer are North America’s smallest deer. They are very fleet-footed, capable of speeds up to 30mph and able to leap as high as 10 feet and as far as 30 feet in a single bound. Taken at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge near Denver, Colorado.

Two young white-tailed deer bucks were doing some sparring when one decided he had enough. The other took advantage of the situation, giving his playmate a poke right in the side. From the look on the recipient’s face, that got his attention. 😉

Check out this stud! He was large and in charge and definitely seemed to know it. No other bucks were willing to challenge him for the affections of the does he had gathered around and it is pretty clear why. He is in his prime, all buffed up and a nice rack to help fend off any interlopers.

The deer rut is at its height now although the unusually warm weather here on the Colorado Front Range seems to have kept things quieter than normal.

The deer rut is getting ramped up on the Colorado plains and I saw many signs of it yesterday. The bucks are clearly becoming very interested in the does, following them around and doing some light sparring with each other.

This good-looking white-tailed deer buck had his eye on the pretty lady, staying right near her. Here he gives her a bit of an amorous look while she looks away, perhaps playing hard to get. 😉

This was one happy guy! Well, or it could just be that I caught him mid chomp as he was eating but let’s pretend. 😉

My photo outing Saturday wasn’t as eventful as I had hoped but there were a few cool creatures to take pictures of, including this guy.

I did see some signs of the rut with a few battles between bucks off in the distance but none close enough to get decent pics. Hopefully I can get some captures of them going head-to-head before the season is over.

Mom was on the move and anxious to move to a more private location but this little one was in no mood to wait. Bending over and diving right in, she stopped the doe in her tracks and got some breakfast. A growing child needs its nutrition, right? 😉 

This is National Wildlife Refuge Week and fittingly enough, this was taken at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge this past Sunday. There are 567 national wildlife refuges across the United States, each providing great wildlife viewing opportunities. More importantly, these lands protect habitat for thousands of species of creatures that would be crowded out by human encroachment otherwise.