I track and photograph Roe and Muntjaq deer in a small wod quite often. I use military camouflage gear including gloves, a jungle hat and the camera has a diy camouflage cover as well. I never wash my gear, so the only scent on my kit is earthy and I shower with unscented soap on the day.The wood is regularly visited by dog walkers and young people on mountain bikes, so the animals are used to humans, but avoid them by keeping to the more inaccessible places. I wait and only walk through, the day after a heavy rainfall, so the leaves don't crunch, if you stand on them. I use the trails the deer follow and I also know the places where they like to rest and ruminate. Once I am approaching a likely spot I slow right down only taking ten slow paces at a time. I then stop, do a 360 degree scan, check my route for hinderances then take the next ten paces. It can take me an hour to cover a few hundred yards. The plan is to see them before they see you. I have been 20 metres from deer before and they have not realised I am there. Once I have a few shots I retreat or if they are browsing let them move away until I think it is safe for me to retreat. I find their eyesight to be pretty poor, even if I am right in the open they will approach if I stand still. Muntjaq stamp their feet to startle suspicious things into motion. There also is a hole dug by the mountain bikers for a jump they constructed that is close to the point where they cross from the adjacent field into the wood. I sit in that on a folding stool, covered by a home made poncho dyed to match the holly bush just behind. Most days nothing, but occasionaly I get incredibly close encounters of the deer kind. I have had a squirrel run right across me before and fall into the hole with me, much to the squirrel's chagrin. I use an Olympus EM1 ii with an old four thirds lens with an adapter. It's a 50 - 200 f2.8 - 3.5 and therefore suited to the low light conditions. Just as often I don't even photograph them, just enjoy the proximity.
Nice video. Photos in that book are incredible. Quite a time-consuming approach to photography though, as it means visiting the deer repeatedly. If you have the time, definitely worth trying.
just reading through he says , " if you base your approach on allowing the deer to know that you’re there and not to perceive you as a threat, your time with the deer can be an extended one, rather than just a fleeting glimpse. " the problem is the Roe Deer in Somerset don't give you chance to get o know them lol as soon as they see you , they are off. interesting read though. i am off out this weekend to a local spot to get some more pics of them.
To be fair you might well be getting a bigger focal length lens, I bought a 1.4 and it aint bad, just not great and made my 5DS and 5 DS R and 1DX only have 1 focus point and pics turned out not overly sharp. If you can get one cheap poss worth a punt, but I'd go fora bigger zoom really, good luck!
thanks a lot - tomorrow I'm going to search for a deer for the first time - I am very excited
Your deer are so different than what I see in the Pacific Northwest. So many variations. I’m so lucky that my deer come to me.
A great video thank you. I've just got interested in Deer & saw five Roe deer today in my local woods. It made my day 🙂
Really great info.
👏👏
Hi Paul another laugh a minute video informative and entertaining and love the hi tech gear lol. Until next time take care and stay safe my friend
I track and photograph Roe and Muntjaq deer in a small wod quite often. I use military camouflage gear including gloves, a jungle hat and the camera has a diy camouflage cover as well. I never wash my gear, so the only scent on my kit is earthy and I shower with unscented soap on the day.The wood is regularly visited by dog walkers and young people on mountain bikes, so the animals are used to humans, but avoid them by keeping to the more inaccessible places.
I wait and only walk through, the day after a heavy rainfall, so the leaves don't crunch, if you stand on them. I use the trails the deer follow and I also know the places where they like to rest and ruminate. Once I am approaching a likely spot I slow right down only taking ten slow paces at a time. I then stop, do a 360 degree scan, check my route for hinderances then take the next ten paces. It can take me an hour to cover a few hundred yards. The plan is to see them before they see you. I have been 20 metres from deer before and they have not realised I am there. Once I have a few shots I retreat or if they are browsing let them move away until I think it is safe for me to retreat. I find their eyesight to be pretty poor, even if I am right in the open they will approach if I stand still. Muntjaq stamp their feet to startle suspicious things into motion.
There also is a hole dug by the mountain bikers for a jump they constructed that is close to the point where they cross from the adjacent field into the wood. I sit in that on a folding stool, covered by a home made poncho dyed to match the holly bush just behind. Most days nothing, but occasionaly I get incredibly close encounters of the deer kind. I have had a squirrel run right across me before and fall into the hole with me, much to the squirrel's chagrin.
I use an Olympus EM1 ii with an old four thirds lens with an adapter. It's a 50 - 200 f2.8 - 3.5 and therefore suited to the low light conditions. Just as often I don't even photograph them, just enjoy the proximity.
Great advice Paul - a lot of sense there. Thank you for sharing.
I have Roe & Muntjac in my local woods & your advice was invaluable. Thanks mate 👍
Yep can certainly vouch for both those methods for getting near them ! Mirrorless definitely an advantage ! Great video Paul 👍👍😍
Great video! Some very useful information, thanks!
Nice video. Photos in that book are incredible. Quite a time-consuming approach to photography though, as it means visiting the deer repeatedly. If you have the time, definitely worth trying.
Yes. I'm trying a mixed approach really. Trying to get within range and then hopefully get them coming towards me.
Great video!
Cool stuff and great pictures as usual, Paul! Especially the footage of a buck barking :D Priceless! Yesterday I managed to get within like
Oh no! I have done the same before. Yes, the buck was amazing - he wandered around trying to check me out for ages!
just reading through he says , " if you base your approach on allowing the deer to know that you’re there and not to perceive you as a threat, your time with the deer can be an extended one, rather than just a fleeting glimpse. " the problem is the Roe Deer in Somerset don't give you chance to get o know them lol as soon as they see you , they are off. interesting read though. i am off out this weekend to a local spot to get some more pics of them.
Yep. I think it totally depends on the location and their personal experience with humans. Best of luck.
As a former hunter, I can vouch for both methods as far as whitetail deer in North America. Great tips! Thanks!
Thanks for the confirmation Jon.
Good advice, did have to double take on deer.com didn't pick up the about, must get my hearing checked
Great stuff again Paul so natural and professional some great photos what metering mode do you use? Keep it up
Thanks Paul. Evaluative metering, all the time.
Time for mirrorless for the noise Paul... ? ;-)
Probably. The silence would certainly help on occasion!
Excellent info, I live near to a golf course surrounded by small woods, I used to see Roe regularly, recently not seen any, have they moved on ?
Cheers. They move on if they are disturbed. They do tend to be quite regular.
I use the Canon 400mm f5.6 lens too with the Canon 7d mk2. I wish I had longer focal length would you recommend the Canon 1.4 ef III extender?
To be fair you might well be getting a bigger focal length lens, I bought a 1.4 and it aint bad, just not great and made my 5DS and 5 DS R and 1DX only have 1 focus point and pics turned out not overly sharp. If you can get one cheap poss worth a punt, but I'd go fora bigger zoom really, good luck!
Who heard the Pheasant in the back? :)
Around 9:40
I did laugh when you said go full on yeti.
I take a camo poncho or a 3mtr ×3mtr camo net and drape that over me and the camera . Works well ..
Lol! Sounds a good simple approach