Though Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge is managed for Snow Geese and Cranes, and to a lesser extent ducks, Mule Deer are common on the refuge. And they are tame. The young deer in particular have little fear of man, as long as man stays inside man’s car.

After shooting the dawn show one morning I decided to take a loop of the tour road before reporting to the Vendor’s tent, and there was a group of five young Mule Deer feeding beside the road, right at the four way stop within sight of the entrance booth. I joined the six or seven cars that were stopped along one or the other of the roads, and pulled up within 25 feet of the deer. They were busy grazing and paid no attention to the attention they were getting.

This shot was taken out the window of the car at about 1100mm equivalent field of view. As you see, the deer was so close I had to back off on the full zoom. The light was not so great as the sun was still low and buried in clouds. f6.5 @ 1/125 @ ISO 800. However the soft light is just about right for a portrait.

Canon SX50HS. Program with auto iContrast and Shadow Fill. Processed in Lightroom for intensity, clarity, and sharpness.