11-FEB-2015
He-She
He-She is a four year old doe with antlers.
17-DEC-2014
Freeway - strutting his stuff
02-JAN-2014
Captain Hook
Captain Hook was born in 2011. At 3 he has a real tall rack with eight points. He is a very dark color with white around his eyes almost looking like a mask.
17-OCT-2013
Big Head 2013
Since first seeing Big Head and his brother Limpy as fawns in 2006, I have loved these two bucks. I have followed the two twins through many winters and many trials. Limpy broke his back ankle and we feared he would not survive, but he beat the odds and returned another year to our surprise. Then the following winter, Big Head swam the river in the dead of winter and froze his back legs. He became so obsessed with keeping them dry that he licked all the hair off them. A sorry sight he was, but he too beat the odds and returned not only the next year but several more. Limpy disappeared in 2011. That was the year that Big Head became one of the dominant bucks on Pike Island. He has continued to maintain his dominance through the next two years with 2013 being his best year ever. Big has certainly fathered his fair amount of fawns. Now we must say goodbye to our deer old friend. In a fight on New Year's eve one of the up and comers defeated him in a battle which must have been a good one. He was found dead by a friend and will be missed by all who knew him.
30-JUL-2011
Three Big Bucks
I found this picture in my archives. The deer in front is Prince with Undertaker and Goldie in the background. When they were not fighting each other for females they were pretty close friends.
21-OCT-2013
Doc
Doc is one of Beggar Doe's Triplets. Looking at him he resembles an older buck but he was born in 2011. Doc injured his right eye during the rut. He went into the 2013 rut as a small 4x5. He came out of the rut a 2x31/2. Doc has shown himself as a fighter, even though he has lost more than he has won, but the others will need to watch him as he matures if he survives the winter and collisions with automobiles.
21-OCT-2013
Hank 2013
I thought that Hank would be one of the more aggressive dominant bucks this year,however he fooled me. Born in 2008, Hank should be in his prime but he may have been injured and that could explain it. Hank can be easily identified by his clipped off right ear.
19-NOV-2013
Bushwacker
New boy in town?? Bushwacker arrived on Tuesday, 11/19/2013. He's checking out the area, while Freeway is away.
15-OCT-2013
Another King has died
Invader, born in 2007, was hit by a car and killed on Oct. 21, 2013. Such a beautiful and exciting animal, we will miss him.
22-OCT-2013
Conan with Doc in background
22-OCT-2013
2013 Rut - Traveler
Traveler looks a lot like Skar with his basket rack and small stocky body. He spent most of his time on the Island with Freeway and although not as big as his friend had many opportunities to pass on his genes.
17-OCT-2013
Big Head with a swollen neck
18-OCT-2013
Freeway using a licking stick
05-OCT-2013
Little Prince coming from the water
29-OCT-2012
Big Head with swollen neck
12-OCT-2012
Springbuck & Freddy show a little aggression.
2012 Nugget, Atilla & Goldie
2012 Goldie with light snow
16-OCT-2010
Thor getting out of the River
16-OCT-2010
Thor standing in the River
11-MAR-2010
Goldie getting interested
01-NOV-2007
Unicorn at sunrise
This photo took 1st place at the Ft. Snelling State park photo contest June 2008.
06-OCT-2009
Checking out the competition.
29-NOV-2009
Viking, next year's big boy
03-NOV-2009
He might be bigger -- turkeys chased him off
04-NOV-2009
Golden Boys Brother Goldie
04-NOV-2008
Apollo looking for Does
Here's Apolo at the beginning of the rut. He sometimes posed for photos but most of the time he was chasing or with a doe.
04-NOV-2008
Crossing the woods
Here is Apolo he's heading in the direction of a doe which was hiding in the trees. He spent a lot of time stomping and blowing before he actually went up to her.
12-NOV-2008
Thor "Ready or not, here I come."
07-DEC-2008
Night shot
I think this is a buck we called Big Head. We got close to him after he had an accident last year and hurt his back legs. Most of the pictures I have of him, he doesn't have his antlers. This evening he came down to the car and posed for pictures.
28-OCT-2008
Apollo in the weeds
Here's Apolo hiding in the brush.
15-DEC-2007
Skar
We spotted our old friend Skar resting in the snow.
25-NOV-2007
Too Tall
I named this buck Too Tall. He was a favorite and many photographers had ample opportunities to photograph him. He was not a dominant buck, didn't show any interest in the girls until the second go round after the other big boys had dropped their antlers. I'm not sure but we believe Tall died early fall of 2008.
30-OCT-2007
Brute
This is brute, just look at him and you can see why I named him that. When he came through the other bucks gave him a lot of room. I never saw Brute with a doe.
30-OCT-2007
Amigo
This is Amigo. He has a very wide rack and was a buddy to Skar and Tall during the ruts of 2005 & 2006.
30-OCT-2007
Amigo coming in.
This is Amigo right before the rut in 2007. He no longer trailed along with Skar and Tall.
30-OCT-2007
Trying to Rest
Amigo resting before the Rut.
16-DEC-2007
Too Tall in Winter
Tall after digging in the snow.
26-OCT-2007
Skar waiting to cross the road
This is Skar, we have observed Skar since 2004. At that time he was a small 8 pointer. He was the dominant buck between Tall, Snelling and Amigo. Skar got his name that season when he got into a fight with another buck, broke his antler off and had a large cut on his forehead.
We believe he is the father to Woodtick and Tiny Ted. We did observe him with Beggar and he sired Floydee.
11-OCT-2007
A New Face
I named this guy Baldie because he looked bald with big ears abd such a light head. He also had a big light spot under his neck patch.
10-NOV-2007
Athan
This guy reminds me of a friend of mine.
30-NOV-2007
Youngsters
This is Snelling an eight point buck with a six point buck.
03-DEC-2007
Too Tall
Right after the snow, caught him coming out of the trees.
02-JAN-2008
Sunset Sprint
Here's Tall running across the field.
02-JAN-2008
Freedom to Run
This picture was taken just after Tall came running down the hill, that is Snelling, his buddy following him across the field. Snelling followed Tall about everywhere he went.
30-NOV-2007
Deer Playing
The smaller buck is in front. Shortly after this, Woodtick, a spike buck, came out and butted heads with a button fawn.
05-JAN-2008
Whitetail Bucks
This is Tall right after a fresh snow.
30-NOV-2007
The young ones try it.
Here is Woodtick butting heads with his little brother Fraidycat. The bigger bucks were sparring earlier as the younger ones watched.
01-NOV-2007
Unicorn checking for bucks
This picture took place just after sunrise. The buck was courting a doe and kept stomping around the area in search of smaller bucks who happened into his area. Unicorn was one of the dominant bucks and was not afraid to fight any intruders.
22-DEC-2007
Wet and scarred
Here is Skar. He took over Blondie's territory. Blondie was killed in a fight with one of the bucks - it could have been Skar since he took over the area shortly after Blondie died.