Marching out of the thick brush, an imposing buck emerges to challenge a rival who has intruded on his territory.
The interloper strolls by, casting a quick glance over his shoulder at the big buck, but keeps moving as he is unwilling to take on the dominant deer.
After shaking a few branches with his antlers and making a scrape to mark his territory, the superior buck seems satisfied the potential challenger has been routed and returns to his doe.
Meanwhile, the object of all this posturing gives the boys only a cursory glance and calmly resumes her browsing.
It’s the peak of the mating season for whitetail deer, and if a buck’s challenging presence is not sufficient to dissuade a rival then serious battles may ensue.
Nearby, two mature bucks approach one another menacingly and then lock antlers.
The powerful animal’s squat for leverage, pushing and shoving one another aggressively as their antlers clash.
They fight for approximately 30 seconds before one is toppled and quickly rolls to his feet and flees.
The victorious 10 point remains bristled up and determinedly strides in the direction of his defeated foe that has wisely fled the area.
The truly dominant buck in the area continues to keep vigil over his doe and no one seems willing to challenge this alpha male.
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forKGBT