The pronghorn is the fastest land mammal in the western hemisphere and I was glad I had my lens on this handsome buck when it suddenly began to accelerate.
First a little background (I include this first image only for context). Ten days ago on Antelope Island I was watching and photographing a group of four pronghorn fawns that were being watched over by a single doe (this social arrangement is sometimes called a nursery). There was a buck nearby who was carefully watching a coyote that was perhaps 150 yards away and walking up a hill. The coyote seemed to be uninterested in the pronghorn and was walking mostly away from them. Two of these four fawns are looking to our left toward the buck and the coyote.
Suddenly the pronghorn buck began some very strange behavior. It put its nose to the ground and turned frantically in semi-circles for perhaps 15 seconds as it made some sounds that are difficult to describe. My images of the behavior were unremarkable because they looked like he was simply grazing and he was mostly facing away from me so I deleted them. I don’t know that the behavior was directed toward the coyote but I suspect that it was.
1/2000, f/9, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM +1.4 tc
But luckily I had my lens trained on the buck when he suddenly and without warning accelerated toward the doe and four fawns. When he got fairly close to the other pronghorn he stopped and resumed “normal” behavior. The coyote disappeared over the top of the hill without further incident.
In this image I like his dynamic running posture and the fact that I got light in the eye which I find difficult to do with pronghorn (as evidenced by the first shot of the fawns).
Ron
I used to drive from Denver to SLC and saw Pronghorn a lot. Recently I am sure I saw one here in Austin which seems quite a bit south of their normal range. I wonder if it escaped from some of the “exotic ranches” that are prevalent down here.
Those prong fawns sure have cute butts! i keep wondering what the fourth one, standing alone, was interested in….he/she has eyes on something intersting….
I don’t know, Patty. There wasn’t much of interest in that direction that I can recall.
Wow.
And I am still chuckling at Mikal’s story. The ‘dumb animals’ are infinitely smarter than we think. Often. Which is a reflection on us rather than on them.
I’m still chuckling too, Elephants Child. Literally…
Some years ago, while living on a large ranch in Eastern New Mexico, I went daily for a distance run with my ranch dog. We would often come over a rise and see a herd with young. As we approached, one of the adults would walk forward and then take off across the prairie. Well my dog could never resist giving chase. The antelope led her away from the herd with an easy trot/sprong while the dog ran full out. After circling a few thousand acres, the adult would trot back toward the herd at which point another adult would take off, leading the dog away again. By the time I was a mile or so down the road, my dog would finally come dragging herself back to me, exhausted, tongue lolling, panting, miserable. “Where the deer and the antelope play” indeed.
That’s a wonderful story, Mikal. Great closing line,too!
Interesting behaviors…he certainly seemed aware of that coyote…and was giving it a message??? They certainly are prey animals..To two-leggeds and four..What a life!!! Re:the light in the eye…it sure helps picturesphotographed or painted”come to life”…were the fawns aware of the coyote too…or was there some other reason they were so bunched up….
Patty, I’m sure the fawns were aware of the coyote and they may have been bunched up because of it but it’s also not unusual for them to bunch up when there’s no potential threat.
This shot proves that still photos can portray action as well as video. Great shot!
Thanks very much, Susan.
What a magnificent shot, Ron! He’s beautiful and I was struck by the direct gaze and eye light, myself.
Eye contact and light in the eye often make a big positive difference, Alison. Thank you.