One of the prettiest whitetail bucks I've seen, this guy was also very skittish, and rarely allowed me to get close enough for good photography. I love the forest setting.

This buck was very co-operative, and I managed a number of rewarding images with him. Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains NP, Tennessee.

A very nice 9 point whitetail buck, in some nice early morning light, makes for a very happy photographer!

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Another forest setting, which can make for extremely difficult photography, but I find the images i get back are more exciting to me. Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee.

A very nice whitetail buck photo, in his prime, his rack glowing in some nice early morning light.

I really wanted an image of a whitetail deer, especially a buck, in the snow. This short snowfall lasted about 45 seconds, and I was lucky to have this prime buck as a subject at the time.

Often overlooked by photographers, the does are very elegant and beautiful creatures. I try to photograph them in a way that enhances that.

The subtle lighting of the sun's final rays for the day compliment the elegance of this pretty young doe. Smoky Mountain National Park, TN.

Nicknamed "Dozer", this buck stands out in a crowd. Whitetail buck photo, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee.

A whitetail buck with a very unusual rack, it totals 11 points, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee.

Another of my favorite whitetail images, this buck is extremely photogenic, and surprisingly approachable, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee.

This deer rates as one of the most obliging subjects I've ever photographed. He's a magnificent specimen, and very tolerant. A beautiful whitetail buck, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee.

A nice young buck in the forest, some fresh snow on the ground to boot!

A nice whitetail buck, easily leaping this fence as he pursues some excited young does, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee.

The light was simply gorgeous as this buck came out, and sniffed the vegetation, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee.

Another great buck, giving me a nice frontal pose. Cades Cove, Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee.

Would you like to see more photos of whitetail deer? Visit my new Stock Photo site for a comprehensive collection of more than 140 whitetail deer photos.

"Without some strong environmental legislation, I fear that every acre of unprotected forest, every mile of unprotected riverside and lakeshore, will eventually be covered with homes and businesses." -- Art Wolfe.

The best photographs are typically the result of a great deal of time, effort, sweat, perseverance, patience and a heavy dose of luck. This is never more true than when photographing wildlife, and especially so with whitetail deer. Even the most tolerant and acclimated deer can very frustrating sometimes, and many hours are spent with often little reward. I particularly like images of these whitetail deer in the forest, their more natural habitat, and photographing them in the woods can be very difficult.

I try to shoot them in the peak of their yearly cycle, which is around the Oct-Jan, as the does get ready to breed, and the males, or bucks go into the 'rut'. The whitetail bucks photos look their absolute best at this time of year, and it's a thrill to witness this activity; these majestic animals strut, play, chase and fight, pose, flehmen and mark their territories. I really look forward to this time of year when I can get back into the woods and look for these often elusive but very impressive animals.

These whitetail deer images were taken in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.The Smokies are a fantastic place to visit, to hike and backpack, and to photograph. Every year I return there to shoot the whitetail deer rut, and every year produces something different. The weather, the light, the deer, even the year's acorn crop can combine to produce radically different images.

Thanks for looking -- Carl Donohue, September 2004.

I'm constantly working towards furthering my stock lists, and improving my portfolio. These images are all of wild subjects, in their natural environment. Each photo is available for stock use, and photographic prints, screensavers, note cards or calendars are also available. To order any of these pictures, or for complete stock photo lists, drop an email.

This gallery of images is a collection of photographs taken by Carl Donohue. All images on this site remain the property of Carl Donohue Photography, and are fully protected by federal and international copyright laws. Any unauthorized use is strictly prohibited, and any reproduction copying, manipulation, alteration, saving or distribution of these images will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. All images are available for licensed use; to do so, please contact Carl via email or phone # (770) 952 4549. Thank you.