Buck And Rocky Mountain Sunrise

Colorado CR 69

I encountered this big buck today (November 29) during my early morning hike in Colorado's Wet Mountains at an elevation of about 9,800 feet. The bucks are getting into rut in November and are getting very territorial. Just like this big guy. I had walked out of the adjacent forest onto a meadow to get a good look at the beautiful red sunrise tint on the Rocky Mountains in the background, when I almost bumped into the buck standing on the motionless on the meadow. Usually bucks retreat when they meet humans - except when rut is making them slightly crazy and very unpredictable. This buck stood his ground, did not move an inch and looked straight into my eyes and started bunching his thick neck muscles up. He was giving me a fair warning. Which I took very serious and instantly backed up slowly all the way to the edge of the forest without taking my eyes off the ruler of the meadow.